True Babe

Previously, Stefani had released singles "Let Me Reintroduce Myself" (2020) and "Slow Clap" (2021) to promote a solo, upcoming fifth studio album. Following their promotion and Stefani's wedding to singer Blake Shelton, she decided to pause forthcoming musical work.[1] Reflecting in an interview with the Official Charts Company, she spoke: "I've been writing for like three years to try to put something out. And I did put a couple of songs out, but it was during that really weird time when it was like [sic] the US election was going on, it was Christmas, I was on The Voice, and it was also the pandemic. I was the one that was like, 'I don't care, I'm putting something out."[2] Additionally, she stated she was not incredibly satisfied with a lot of her musical output until mid-2023, following collaboration sessions with Swedish musicians Jack & Coke and American songwriter Nicole Rubio, whom she felt she had chemistry with.[2]

"True Babe" was written by Stefani, Rubio, Svante Halldin, Jacob Hazell, Jacob Kasher Hindlin, and Luka Kloser; production was handled by Jack & Coke, which consists of Halldin and Hazell, and KThrash. Rubio had begun writing the song individually, but had Stefani in mind as the singer.[3] Speaking on the songwriting process, Stefani said:

What's weird about it is that the girl that started the song sent me this song pretty much half done. When I listened to it, I was actually on this ranch with all the kids. This guy, JKash, that I'm working with sent it to me and said, 'What do you think of this?' and I went, 'I love this. This sounds like my song!' They told, 'Oh, they wrote it for you.' They came to me with the lyric idea and then I went it with them and finished the song and put in some of my own lyrics to really make it feel more custom."[4]

Stefani first announced "True Babe" a week ahead of its release on June 16, 2023, via her social media accounts.[5] In the days leading up, she had teased photos of herself at the single cover's photoshoot.[6] It serves as her first solo single release in two years.[7] Additionally, Stefani announced a series of promotional concert performances throughout 2023.[8] "True Babe" was then released to digital retailers for download and streaming on June 23, 2023, through Interscope Records.[6] It was accompanied by a lyric video composed of footage from the artwork photoshoot.[9]

"True Babe" is a romantic pop anthem backed by "twangy guitars and thumping drums".[6][10][11] Stefani herself considered the song reminiscent of classic alternative music.[2] Kelli Skye Fadroski with The Orange County Register called it "a dreamy pop song" with elements of both rock and ska.[1] Lyrically, the song finds Stefani romanticizing about her partner, Blake Shelton, and the time they spend together.[10] In the song's bridge, she sings "And we're from two different worlds / But you still call me your pretty girl," referring to her home state of California contrasting with Shelton's Oklahoma origins.[11]

In his review of the single, Tom Breihan of Stereogum compared the sound of "True Babe" to a "2010 Max Martin joint".[3]

Breihan acknowledged that Stefani "is deep into the legacy-artist portion of her career [...] but [she] clearly loves pop music" and found the release worthy of being "a potential hit".[3] Fadroski wrote that a lot of Stefani's appeal came from her ability to "wear [...] her heart on her sleeve" and felt "True Babe" was representative of that: "she's a bleeding heart when it comes to expressing her pain, but [Stefani's] also all smiles and swoony vocals when she's totally smitten and head-over-heels for her partner."[1]

• "True Babe" (Lyric video) on YouTube