I Love Your Smile

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"I Love Your Smile" is a song by American singer Shanice. It was released in October 1991 as the lead single from her second album, Inner Child, on Motown Records. The song was produced by Narada Michael Walden. The album version includes Shanice’s rap bridge, while the radio version is shorter and does not have it. The track features a saxophone solo by Branford Marsalis and a bit of laughter at the end from Janet Jackson and René Elizondo Jr.

This song became Shanice’s biggest hit. It reached number two on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 on February 1, 1992, and topped the Hot R&B Singles chart for four weeks in December 1991 and January 1992. In Europe, it peaked at number two in the United Kingdom after a Driza Bone remix and topped the Dutch Top 40 in the Netherlands.

The music video shows Shanice in a studio, having photographs taken by a photographer. The song was nominated for a Grammy in 1992 for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance. Shanice performed it on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on May 25, 1992, as the program’s first musical guest.

Critics praised the song for its sunny, catchy feel and stylish sound. AllMusic called it a standout from Inner Child, and reviewers highlighted Shanice’s mature, bright delivery over a breezy R&B/Euro-pop groove with Marsalis’s sax. Some compared her voice to Chaka Khan and Janet Jackson.

“I Love Your Smile” is widely seen as Shanice’s best-known hit and remains a favorite for its infectious chorus and joyful energy. It has appeared on various year-end lists and other recognition over the years.