GENRE; Jazz/ Trad Jazz/ Soul/ Art Pop/ Contemporary Soul/ Classic Sound
RELEASE DATE; 10 August, 2026
RATING; 4/5
Derek B’s “It Had to Be You” approaches romance with a refreshing sense of timelessness, presenting a familiar story of fate, missed turns and finally discovering the person who makes everything fall into place. Hailing from Toulouse, France, the singer-songwriter draws on personal experience and universal emotions to create a track that feels intimate while remaining accessible. Images of lovers dancing, bands playing softly and grey skies turning blue give the song a cinematic quality, evoking the atmosphere of a classic love story unfolding against a changing world.
The writing is intentionally straightforward, allowing its emotional message to remain clear. The line “every road I wandered through / Was leading somewhere… leading to you” captures the song’s central philosophy: the wrong turns and uncertainties of life can eventually reveal their purpose. Rather than complicating the romance with excessive detail, Derek B focuses on the emotional destination, creating a sense of sincerity and gentle nostalgia. The guitar passage and restrained closing section further strengthen the impression of an old-fashioned love story being revisited through a contemporary lens.
What gives “It Had to Be You” its distinctive identity is the balance between traditional romantic songwriting and a contemporary production approach. The arrangement creates room for the story to breathe, allowing the imagery and emotional progression to remain at the forefront. There is a graceful simplicity to the way the song moves from uncertainty toward resolution, mirroring the journey described in its words. Its nostalgic character never feels disconnected from the present, giving the release a polished yet warmly familiar atmosphere.
For Derek B, whose artistic perspective is shaped by life experience as both a father and songwriter, the release represents a thoughtful exploration of love, destiny and the unexpected paths that lead people toward one another. “It Had to Be You” stands out through its ability to pair classic romantic sentiment with a modern recording aesthetic while retaining an unmistakably human sense of tenderness. It is a sincere reflection on finding meaning in life’s detours and recognising, perhaps only in hindsight, that every road was leading somewhere.
