I look to you
| I look to you | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whitney Houston studio album | ||||
|
Publication |
August 28, 2009 |
|||
| Label (s) | Arista | |||
|
Title (number) |
11 (CD) |
|||
|
running time |
44:47 |
|||
|
||||
|
||||
I Look to You is the seventh and final studio album by Whitney Houston . It was released in Germany on August 28, 2009 by Sony Music .
background
In the early 2000s, Houston appeared less as a pop singer, but was more represented on the boulevard . Her difficult marriage, drug addiction and reality show overshadowed her musical career, which came to a standstill in 2002 with her last studio album Just Whitney… and in 2003 with her Christmas album One Wish - The Holiday Album .
Rumors of Whitney Houston's return to the music world began in early 2007 when Clive Davis announced his involvement in the project on The Oprah Winfrey Show . In February 2009 she made her first major comeback appearance at the Clive Davis Pre- Grammy Gala. There she sang the songs I Will Always Love You , I Believe in You and Me , It's Not Right but It's Okay and I'm Every Woman in front of invited guests such as Paul McCartney , Jamie Foxx and Barry Manilow .
In 2008, a version of the song Like I Never Left with the rapper Akon was unofficially published on the Internet. The song itself is seen as a reference to the singer's long absence from the public. In July 2009 a pre-release version of “I Didn't Know My Own Strength” was also leaked .
The album was implemented with various popular producers in the 2000s. Composers and producers include will.i.am , Ne-Yo , John Legend , R. Kelly , Swizz Beatz , Sean Garrett , Akon , Alicia Keys , Stargate , Johntá Austin , David Foster , Harvey Mason, Jr., and Tricky Stewart . The song A Song for You is a cover version by Leon Russell .
Promotion and publications
On July 14th, 2009, Houston flew to Knightsbridge , London , England for an official album launch. The event took place at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel . Nine songs were presented including “Million Dollar Bill”, “Nothin 'But Love”, “I Didn't Know My Own Strength”, “Like I Never Left” (featuring Akon), “For the Lovers”, “I Look to You ”,“ Worth It ”,“ Call You Tonight ”and the Leon Russell cover“ A Song for You ”. On July 21, 2009 an album presentation took place in New York. In attendance were fans who had won a competition, the press, as well as Alicia Keys , Swizz Beatz, Cissy Houston , Dionne Warwick , Martha Stewart , Gayle King , Andre Harrell , LA Reid and Diane Sawyer . An album presentation took place in Los Angeles on July 23rd. In attendance were Halle Berry , Jane Fonda , Stevie Wonder , Magic Johnson , Jackie Collins , Barry Manilow , Brett Ratner , Beverly Johnson , Diane Warren , Penny Marshall , Brian McKnight , David Foster and Garcelle Beauvais .
On September 1, Whitney Houston joined the ABC telecast Good Morning America on. An open air concert was broadcast on US television on September 2nd. A double episode of the Oprah Winfrey Show with Whitney Houston aired on September 14th and 15th.
Music genre
The album tries to build on Houston's earlier successes. In addition, she largely dispenses with elements of her rock phase and concentrates on her qualities as a pop singer . The album oscillates between the more recent disco sound and modern soul . A few influences from the dance floor and gospel music are also represented on the album. Whitney Houston's voice has changed compared to previous works. It now looks more worn out, a little scratchy and deeper.
Release dates
| country | date | Record company | format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | August 28, 2009 | Sony Music | CD , download |
| United Kingdom | August 31, 2009 | RCA | |
| United States | October 19, 2009 | Arista |
Official singles
On July 24th, 2009, the first single from the album, the theme song "I Look To You", was played on US radio and on July 27th on German radio. The song was also available as a free MP3 download in several countries . The double single Million Dollar Bill / I Look to You was released on October 2nd as a CD single.
Track list
| # | title | Composers | Producers | length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Million dollar bill | Alicia Keys , Kassem Dean, Norman Harris | Swizz Beatz , Alicia Keys | 3:24 |
| 2 | Notin 'but love | Fernando Garibay , Franne Gold, Kasia Livingston, Nathaniel Hills | Danja , Fernando Garibay | 3:35 |
| 3 | Call you tonight | Johntá Austin , Tor Erik Hermansen, Mikkel S. Eriksen | Stargate | 4:08 |
| 4th | I look to you | R. Kelly | Tricky , Harvey Mason, Jr., Emanuel Kiriakou | 4:25 |
| 5 | Like I Never Left featuring Akon | Aliaune Thiam, Giorgio Tuinfort, Claude Kelly, Whitney Houston | Akon, Giorgio Tuinfort | 3:49 |
| 6th | A song for you | Leon Russell | Stargate | 4:11 |
| 7th | I Didn't Know My Own Strength | Diane Warren | David Forster | 3:40 |
| 8th | Worth It | Austin, Eric Hudson | Eric Hudson | 4:39 |
| 9 | For the lovers | Hills, C. Kills, Marcella Araica | Danja | 4:14 |
| 10 | I got you | Thiam, Tuinfort, C. Kelly, Houston | Akon, Giorgio Tuinfort | 4:12 |
| 11 | Salute | R. Kelly | R. Kelly | 4:10 |
reception
Whitney Houston's comeback album is controversial. There are a number of positive reviews, but also a large number of negative reviews. Most reviewers gave an average rating. It is also clear that the album falls short of expectations for many.
Stephen Thomas Erlewine from Allmusic criticized Houston's singing in particular at the comeback, which has suffered over the years and now lacks the highs that were characteristic of the past. However, this can also be seen as a strength of the album, because it enables her to better implement the emotional depth of the songs. However, the album would be seen more as a producer album and Houston should rather choose songs that would suit her new voice. It gave it an average rating of three out of 5 stars. Dani Fromm from Laut.de, on the other hand, describes the comeback as "motionless and unfeeling". She describes her new vocal quality as "not matured, but simply cracked", the music as "beyond measure" and as "R'n'B-Pop all sorts".
Gail Mitch from Billboard Magazine describes the work as a nice comeback and a new start for the singer, who, however, cannot tie in with her world hit I Will Always Love You . The American Rolling Stone gave a rather positive review.
Charts
| Chart (2009) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Austrian album charts | 3 |
| Germany | 1 |
| Switzerland | 1 |
| US Billboard 200 | 1 |
| US Billboard R&B / Hip-Hop Albums | 1 |
| United Kingdom | 3 |
Awards
| country | Award |
|---|---|
| Germany | Gold Record (100,000) |
| Austria | Gold Record (10,000) |
| Switzerland | Gold Record (15,000) |
| United Kingdom | Gold Record (100,000) |
| United States | Platinum record (1,000,000) |
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c Jon Pareles: Earning Diva Cred With Storm and Stress. New York Times , August 30, 2009, accessed February 27, 2012 .
- ^ Marc Malkin: Whitney Houston, We Don't Have a Problem. (No longer available online.) E! Online, February 8, 2009, formerly in the original ; Retrieved February 27, 2012 . ( Page no longer available , search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ^ Whitney Houston Duet With Akon Leaks Online. NBC New York, July 29, 2008; accessed February 27, 2012 .
- ^ Lizzie Smith: Dazzling Whitney Houston makes a triumphant return to spotlight after seven years. Daily Mail , July 14, 2009, accessed February 27, 2012 .
- ↑ a b c Dani Fromm: Regless and unfeeling in the idea-free R'n'B-Pop all sorts. Laut.de , accessed on February 27, 2012 .
- ↑ a b Davis Hosts Whitney's album launch party. Billboard.com, accessed February 27, 2012 .
- ^ Whitney Houston's LA Album Listening. Rap-Up.com, July 24, 2009, accessed February 27, 2012 .
- ↑ a b Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine at Allmusic (English). Retrieved February 27, 2012.
- ↑ hr3 playlist. (No longer available online.) Hr-online , formerly in the original ; Retrieved February 27, 2012 . ( Page no longer available , search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ New song for free online. Gala.de , accessed on February 27, 2012 .
- ↑ Gail Mitch: Review. Billboard.biz , accessed February 27, 2012 .
- ↑ Jody Rosen: Review. Rolling Stone , August 31, 2009; accessed February 27, 2012 .
- ^ Austrian Albums Chart . austriancharts.at. Retrieved September 9, 2009.
- ^ German Albums Chart . mix1.de. Retrieved September 11, 2009.
- ↑ Swiss Albums Chart . swisscharts.com. Retrieved September 6, 2009.
- ^ Billboard 200 . billboard.com. Archived from the original on July 22, 2009. Retrieved September 10, 2009.
- ↑ Billboard R&B / Hip-Hop Albums . billboard.com. Archived from the original on July 22, 2009. Retrieved September 10, 2009.
- ↑ search query. Retrieved February 27, 2012 .
- ↑ search query. Musikindustrie.de, accessed on February 27, 2012 .
- ↑ search query. IFPI Austria , accessed on February 27, 2012 .
- ↑ search query. swisscharts.com, accessed February 27, 2012 .
- ↑ search query . Retrieved February 27, 2012.
- ↑ search query. RIAA , accessed February 27, 2012 .
