The 10 Best Teairra Mari Songs of All-Time

Teairra Mari is an American singer-songwriter who has done a surprising amount of acting. Some artists enjoy smooth careers. In contrast, others have more tumultuous experiences filled with ups and downs. Mari is an excellent example of the latter. For context, she was signed when she was still in high school. However, her debut album didn’t live up to expectations. As a result, she was booted from her record label before graduating from high school. Despite this, Mari persevered. She is still making new music, which suggests that she has managed to find an audience.

Here is our opinion of the ten best Teairra Mari songs released so far:

10. “Phone Booth”

Once upon a time, phone booths were everywhere. After all, people had reasons to make calls while outside in the past as in the present. However, cell phones didn’t become common until the late 1990s and early 2000s, meaning phone booths provided a valuable service. Nowadays, they still exist, but they’re very much relics. “Phone Booth” references something no longer a part of everyday life. Even so, it holds up surprisingly well, meaning it has more than earned its spot on this list.

9. “Night Shift”

Night shifts have notorious reputations. They’re stressful, so much so they’ve been proven problematic for people’s health. As such, it’s easy for listeners to connect with some of the sentiments voiced in this song, even if they’re distant from the rest. “Night Shift” was released in 2019, meaning it’s the product of a more experienced artist than its predecessors.

8. “Stranger”

Meanwhile, Mari released “Stranger” in the early 2010s. People react to breakups in different ways. Here, the narrator is regretful. She feels this keenly to the point that she wishes that she had never entered the relationship in the first place. This song’s name expresses a wish as much as anything else. That is unusual enough to make it intriguing.

7. “Stay”

“Stay” came out around the same time as “Stranger.” It happens at a much different point in the relationship. Specifically, “Stay” sees the narrator coaxing someone she finds exciting to stick around, meaning their relationship is still in the earlier stages. The lyrics leave it ambiguous what will happen next, but that makes the song more rather than less fascinating.

6. “Body”

It seems safe to say that 2011 was a productive year for Mari. She didn’t just release “Stranger” and “Stay.” That year also saw four other songs, including “Body,” from her. The latter has a slow but sure sense of confidence that makes it worth listening to.

5. “U Did That”

Mari’s first record label dropped her in the process of making her second album. Unsurprisingly, that did nothing good for her progress. Still, she soldiered on, thus enabling her to release her second album in the early 2010s. “U Did That” served as its lead single. One can’t help but suspect that her experiences informed some of the song’s attitude towards things.

4. “Over”

“Over” is and isn’t original. For those unfamiliar, Drake released “Over” as his debut single as a solo artist back in 2010. It was a huge hit that went triple-platinum in the United States. On top of that, it was number one on Hot Rap Songs and number 14 on Hot 100. This would be Mari’s cover of that song. Her chances of matching Drake’s success were low. This is particularly true because she released her version so soon after he released his, meaning such comparisons would’ve been inevitable. As such, Mari didn’t even try. Instead, she covered the song but provided it with somewhat altered lyrics. Thanks to this, she benefited from offering something familiar while leaving it different enough to distinguish it from its predecessor. Something much easier said than done.

3. “Sponsor”

This song’s name refers to a man willing to buy the narrator whatever she wants. There doesn’t seem to be much of a personal connection. After all, she doesn’t know what he does for a living. However, it seems safe to say she’s making the arrangement work for her. “Sponsor” was popular enough to reach the number 25 position on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart in 2010.

2. “Make Her Feel Good”

“Make Her Feel Good” is another single from the start of Mari’s career. Specifically, it was her debut single, which shared her debut album with two other songs on this list. One would be “Phone Booth,” while the other is “No Daddy.” “Make Her Feel Good” got a decent amount of attention. This can be seen in how it reached number 35 on the Billboard Hot 100. Similarly, this can be seen in how it was a Top 10 hit on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. Sadly, that wasn’t enough for her record label.

1. “No Daddy”

“No Daddy” was the single that followed “Make Her Feel Good.” It wasn’t mainstream enough to make it onto the Billboard Hot 100. However, it did claim the number 84 position on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, thus making it one of Mari’s few songs to do so. The single’s name is more literal than interested individuals might expect. It sees the narrator singing about how she grew up without a father. Something left a clear mark on her but hasn’t been enough to bring her down. Due to this, “No Daddy” is a song of self-assertion, thus making it worth a listen for those who want such vibes.

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