Musically, "You Da One" is a mid-tempo[3][4] pop and reggae song, which incorporates elements of electropop, dancehall and dubstep.

It garnered positive reviews from music critics, many of whom complimented the West Indian and Caribbean tone, and compared it to "What's My Name?"

It was mainly shot in black and white, and features Rihanna in a variety of different set ups, such as in a photo shoot and a lyric video game.

Hours after the release of the video, Norwegian photographer Sølve Sundsbø accused Rihanna and Matsoukas of plagiarism, suggesting that the scene featuring the singer wearing a white outfit with black dots was deliberately copied from his 2008 montage "Numero 93".

"You da One" was written by Ester Dean, Henry Walter, John Hill, Lukasz Gottwald and Rihanna.

[5] The song was engineered by Aubrey “Big Juice” Delaine and Clint Gibbs, and were assisted by Chris Sclafani and Jonathon Steer.

[9] "You da One"'s artwork displays the singer with her head tilted back and her eyes closed holding a cigarette between her lips.

[9][10] It prompted a mixed reaction from Sarah Anne Hughes for The Washington Post; while she noted that Rihanna looks "perfectly coiffed," she criticized the inclusion of the cigarette, and called it a "social taboo.

[12] "You Da One" was made available to download digitally via iTunes on November 14, 2011, in Australia, New Zealand, South America, the United States and multiple European countries.

[3] The song was also positively reviewed by Sadao Turner of On Air with Ryan Seacrest, who said that "'You da One' is a radio-friendly record with island influence teeming with pop goodness and that signature Rihanna sound that carries across a dancefloor".

[22] Entertainment Weekly's Melissa Maerz praised the song, writing that "You da One" is "the perfect opener to set the tone for an album that embraces Caribbean rhythms, reggae, and pulsing house beats.

"[23] Andrew Martin of Prefix Magazine commented on the infectiousness of the song, writing that once it has been listened to, it is hard to stop thinking about it.

[19] A reviewer for Spin criticized the song, writing "[Rihanna] is giving us a half-limp reggae jam full of platitudes like, '[You da] one I dream about all day'."

[2] In the United States, "You da One" debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 chart at number 73 on November 16, 2011, two days after it was released to iTunes.

She held a black cane as she performed scenes in front of a bright pink wall in the visuals inspired by the 1971 film A Clockwork Orange.

[58] Rihanna later strips down to a flesh-coloured leotard as she writhes on the floor with strategically placed artistic shards of light to create leopard spots and tiger stripes on her skin.

Several scenes capture solely her mouth; first with a gold grill covering her bottom row of teeth, and later with smoke billowing from her lips transitioning into and out of the words "Dream" and later "You Da One".

[59] Another scene finds Rihanna in a white tank top and tattered jean shorts, swinging a cane in between two brick buildings.

She continuously exudes sexuality; in several scenes, she touches and thrusts her crotch (reminiscent of Michael Jackson's dance moves, as noted by Jason Lipshutz of Billboard),[56] struts toward the camera with a pimp cane, endorses provocative dance moves,[58] and drapes herself over a giant ball.

The video ends with Rihanna running away from the camera and jumping into a chair, throwing her legs over the side with a smile on her face.

"[60] Hours after the release of the video, Norwegian photographer Sølve Sundsbø alleged that the scene of Rihanna wearing a white outfit with black dots shining on her (pictured) is the same as a photo shoot he completed in 2008 titled "Numero 93'".

"[61] The reviewer continued to write "Not only are the projected shapes similar, but both Rihanna and the model are wearing nearly-identical body suits and wigs (though the color differs).

"[61] A reviewer for The Huffington Post concurred with Idolator's observations, and noted "The nakedness, the projections, the interplay of light and shadow... even the haircut" were very similar to that of the work by Sundsbo.