I Remember Me (album)

I Remember Me
Studio album by Jennifer Hudson
Released March 22, 2011 (2011-03-22)
Recorded 2009–11; Various recording locations
Genre R&B, soul
Length 43:32
Label Arista, J
Producer Alicia Keys, Chuck Harmony, Rich Harrison, Hit-Boy, Harvey Mason, Jr., Ne-Yo, Polow da Don, Stargate, Swizz Beatz, Ryan Tedder
Jennifer Hudson chronology
Jennifer Hudson
(2008)		 I Remember Me
(2011)		 JHUD
(2014)
Singles from I Remember Me
  1. "Where You At"
    Released: February 8, 2011
  2. "I Remember Me"
    Released: April 3, 2011
  3. "No One Gonna Love You"
    Released: May 24, 2011 (radio)[1]
  4. "I Got This"
    Released: October 30, 2011 (Urban radio)[2]

I Remember Me is the second studio album by American R&B recording artist Jennifer Hudson, released on March 22, 2011, by Arista Records. Hudson worked with a variety of producers and writers on the album, including Alicia Keys, Rich Harrison, Ne-Yo, R. Kelly, Harvey Mason, Jr., Ryan Tedder, Diane Warren, and among others. The album debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200, selling 165,000 copies in its first week and was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in the United States. It received positive reviews from music critics.

Background

Hudson herself announced on Twitter in September 2009 that she would begin the process of her second studio album. Hudson mentioned to Billboard that she wanted her second album to be more personal than her debut and expressed that she wanted to become more hands on with the project.[3] Hudson told InStyle magazine that she wanted this album to be a "feel good" album. She quoted "I wanted to take it to the next level in every way-from the image to the music to the subjects of the songs".[4]

I Remember Me was recorded at various recording studios, namely Maximedia Recording Studio in Dallas, Instrument Zoo in Miami, Chicago Recording Company and The Chocolate Factory in Chicago, Germano Studios, Oven Studios, and Roc The Mic Studios in New York City, Mason Sound and Vanilla Sky Studios in North Hollywood, No Excuses Studios in Santa Monica, and Patriot Studios in Denver.[5] Songwriter Diane Warren revealed to E! in January 2011 that she penned a new song for Hudson titled "Still Here".[6] However, the song first appeared in the UK version of Natasha Bedingfield's 2007 second album, N.B..

Singles

On January 24, 2011 Hudson premiered the album's lead single "Where You At".[7] It was written by R. Kelly and produced by Harvey Mason, Jr.[8] The song went for radio adds that same week.[9] On February 3, 2011 due to radio adds the single made its debut on the US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart at number 53,[10] having so far reached a peak of number 10.[11] The music video premiered on BET's 106 & Park and through Vevo on February 24, 2011.[12][13]

The title track was released as the album's lead single in the United Kingdom on April 3, 2011.[14] It has peaked at number eighty-nine on the UK Singles Chart.[15] "No One Gonna Love You" impacted on Urban adult contemporary radio in the United States on May 24, 2011. A remix bundle titled "No One Gonna Love You-The Remixes" was released as a digital download in the US and the UK on July 13, 2011.[1][16][17][18] The song reached number 23 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.[19] The third U.S. single was "I Got This".[20]

Non-single track "Don't Look Down" reached number 70 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.[21]

Commercial performance

I Remember Me debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 chart, with first-week sales of 165,000 copies in the United States.[22] In its second week, the album sold 56,000 copies and dropped to number seven on the Billboard 200.[23] On April 25, 2011, the album was certified gold by the RIAA, for shipping over 500,000 copies in the US.[24] As of September 2014, the album has sold 659,000 copies in the United States.[25]

In Germany, the album debuted at No. 84, making it Hudson's first studio album to chart in that country.[26]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[27]
Chicago Sun-Times[28]
Entertainment WeeklyB+[29]
The Guardian[30]
Los Angeles Times[31]
Rolling Stone[32]
Slant Magazine[33]
USA Today[34]

I Remember Me received generally positive reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 68, based on 15 reviews.[35] Simon Price of The Independent stated "while she unquestionably has a voice, the material's nothing you'll want to remember".[36] Genevieve Koski of The A.V. Club wrote that the album "can occasionally get a touch exhausting in its relentless emoting", but complimented its "empowered (and empowering) anthems that inevitably climax with Hudson’s vocal fireworks", but viewed that most of its songs "deserve such bravado" in "cranking her performance to 11 regardless of whether any given song warrants it".[37] Despite writing that "Hudson is still searching for songs to do right by her voice", Allison Stewart of The Washington Post found its "pretty-good assortment of R&B songs" an improvement over her previous album and wrote that Hudson "dispatches even the most technically difficult tracks as if she were swatting away flies, her unblinking confidence reminiscent of Adele".[38] Elysa Gardner of USA Today gave the album three-and-a-half out of four stars and stated "Even when the material [...] flirts with the banal, Hudson's unmannered strength and class shine through, as surely as the technical prowess she wields with confidence and discretion".[34]

Allmusic editor Andy Kellman gave it four-and-a-half out of five stars and praised Hudson's performance and her collaborators' contributions, writing that they both "provide the kind of mature R&B that is not felt merely in the mind, throat, chest, or hips but the entire body".[27] Entertainment Weekly's Mikael Wood gave I Remember Me a B+ rating and complimented its "a lighter vibe".[29] Chicago Sun-Times writer Thomas Conner noted its songs as "mid-tempo" and complimented their "deft and delicate rhythmic elements".[28] Ken Capobianco of The Boston Globe found its songs "stronger, and Hudson sounds more poised" than on her debut album.[39] Rolling Stone writer Jody Rosen gave the album three out of five stars and commented that "Sonically, the record is up-to-the-minute; in spirit it's a throwback to the adult-oriented R&B of Anita Baker, Toni Braxton and Whitney Houston".[32] Giving the album four out of five stars, New York Daily News writer Jim Farber praised her singing's focus and commented that "If the material at hand doesn't always provide that style with its ideal vehicle, Hudson's voice makes up for that with an ideal balance of feeling and force".[40]

However, Kevin Ritchie of NOW commented that "Hudson’s stratospheric voice [...] overflows with emotion, and subtlety’s in short supply".[41] Slant Magazine's Matthew Cole viewed that its material as unoriginal and stated "most of the album's hooks contain gratuitous overdubs, and when Hudson is allowed to take the spotlight, she's liable to overcook the vocal melodies in the pandering, applause-line style that every American Idol competitor learns to live by".[33] Noting "filler songs" as "frequent", Natalie Shaw of MusicOMH gave the album three out of five stars and commented that Hudson's singing "merits something different to many of the by-numbers songs", adding that "subtlety in places would have made for a more rounded album than the blustering, galeforce power that overwhelms most of I Remember Me's arrangements".[42] Mojo gave the album two out of five stars and stated "She's simply not being fed the right material, or getting to work with a sympathetic producer. Hudson is a soul singer not a modern R'n'B one".[35] Los Angeles Times writer Evelyn McDonnell commented that her "big, warm, church-trained R&B diva voice [...] has never seemed comfortable among the bright shiny toys of a pop studio".[31] Carolie Sullivan of The Guardian wrote that "the album ends with overblown ballads", but concluded that "the first three-quarters are heartlifting indeed".[30]

The album also won the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Album at the 43rd NAACP Image Awards.[43] It was also nominated for Top R&B Album at the 2012 Billboard Music Awards.[44][45]

Track listing

No. TitleWriter(s)Producer(s) Length
1. "No One Gonna Love You"  Rich HarrisonHarrison 3:48
2. "I Got This"  Tor Erik Hermansen, Mikkel Erikssen, Crystle Johnson, Mats Lie SkareStarGate 3:22
3. "Where You At"  Robert KellyR. Kelly, Harvey Mason, Jr. 3:47
4. "Angel"  Alicia KeysSwizz Beatz, Keys 3:29
5. "I Remember Me"  Jennifer Hudson, Ryan TedderTedder 4:10
6. "Gone"  Ester Dean, Chauncey Hollis, S. Franklin,[46] Jamal JonesPolow da Don, Hit-Boy, S. Franklin [47] 3:38
7. "Everybody Needs Love"  Keys, DeanKeys, Swizz Beatz 3:14
8. "Why Is It So Hard"  Charles Harmon, Shaffer SmithChuck Harmony, Ne-Yo 3:46
9. "Don't Look Down"  Keys, Salaam RemiKeys, Remi 3:23
10. "Still Here"  Diane WarrenHarvey Mason, Jr. 3:41
11. "Feeling Good"  Anthony Newley, Leslie BricusseSalaam Remi 2:16
12. "Believe"  Ronnie Dunn, Craig WisemanMason, Jr. 4:58
Total length:
 43:32

Personnel

Credits for I Remember Me adapted from Allmusic.[54]

  • Jonathan Aarons – horn section
  • Yuri Agranovsky – strings
  • Matt Alanian – engineer
  • Eric Archibald – stylist
  • Hernst Bellevue – keyboards, programming
  • Kamaljit Bhamra – Watson strings
  • Tim Blacksmith – management
  • Mike Boris – producer
  • David Boyd – assistant
  • Val Brathwaite – assistant
  • Teddy Campbell – drums
  • Chops Horns – horn section
  • Johan Van Der Coiff – assistant
  • Stephen Coleman – string arrangements
  • Michael Daley – assistant
  • Danny D. – management
  • Clive Davis – producer
  • Gleyder "Gee" Disla – engineer
  • Nathan East – bass
  • Rodney East – keyboards
  • Lamar 'Mars' Edwards – organ
  • Sharon Ehrlich – creation
  • Mikkel S. Eriksen – engineer, instrumentation
  • Damien "Dammo" Farmer – bass
  • Marina Fleyshman – strings
  • Abel Garibaldi – engineer
  • Onree Gill – string arrangements
  • Yaacov Gluzman – strings
  • Angela N. Golightly – production coordination
  • Eduard Gulkarov – strings
  • Chuck Harmony – instrumentation, producer
  • Rich Harrison – instrumentation, producer
  • Dabling Harward – engineer, vocal engineer
  • Freddie Hendrix – horn section
  • Vincent Henry – guitar, horn
  • Tor Erik Hermansen – instrumentation
  • Andrew Hey – assistant, engineer, guitar, vocal engineer
  • Hit Boy – producer
  • Matt Huber – assistant
  • Ken Ifill – mixing
  • Tavia Ivey – vocals (background)
  • Larry Jackson – producer
  • Jeff Gitelman – guitar (electric)
  • Cristyle Johnson – vocals (background)
  • Mike "TrakGuru" Johnson – engineer
  • R. Kelly – arranger, mixing, producer
  • Alicia Keys – keyboards, piano, producer, programming, vocal arrangement, vocal producer
  • Danielle Korn – licensing
  • Dave Kutch – mastering
  • Lake View Terrace Voices of Praise – choir, chorus
  • Lance Tolbert – bass
  • Damien Lewis – assistant
  • Kathy Love – creation
  • Donnie Lyle – guitar
  • Anthony Mandler – photography
  • Robert Marks – mixing
  • Harvey Mason, Jr. – keyboards, mixing, producer, vocal producer
  • Kenny Mason – director
  • Kay Ta Matsuno – guitar
  • Ian Mereness – engineer
  • Justin Merrill – assistant
  • Ann Mincieli – engineer
  • Steve Mostyn – guitar (bass)
  • Alexsandr Nazaryan – strings
  • Ne-Yo – producer
  • Shannon Pezzetta – make-up
  • Polow da Don – producer
  • Bruce Purse – bass, trumpet
  • Kevin Randolph – piano
  • Salaam Remi – bass, drum programming, drums, guitar (bass), keyboards, producer
  • Ramon Rivas – assistant
  • Daniel Rodriguez – creation
  • Salaamremi.com – producer
  • Dana Salant – production coordination
  • Francisco Salazar – strings
  • Mats Lie Skåre – instrumentation
  • Len Sluetsky – strings
  • David Small – assistant
  • Damien Smith – management
  • Nikolov Stanislav – strings
  • Stargate – producer
  • Jeremy Stevenson – engineer
  • Sum-Mei Luk – licensing
  • Swizz Beatz – drum programming, drums, producer
  • Phil Tan – mixing
  • Ryan Tedder – drum programming, drums, piano, producer, synthesizer
  • Sabina Torosjan – strings
  • Denise Trotman – design
  • Miles Walker – engineer
  • Dave Watson – horn section
  • Steven Wolf – drums
  • Kiyah Wright – hair stylist
  • Noel Zancanella – additional production, drum programming, engineer

Charts

Weekly Charts

Chart (2011) Peak
position
Australian Albums Chart[55] 26
Australian Urban Albums Chart[56] 8
German Albums Chart[26] 84
Irish Albums Chart[57] 86
Japanese Albums Chart[58] 20
Swiss Albums Chart[59] 57
Scottish Albums Chart[60] 37
UK Albums Chart[61] 20
UK R&B Albums Chart[62] 4
US Billboard 200[63] 2
US Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Albums[64] 2

Year-End Charts

Chart (2011) Peak
position
US Billboard 200[63] 74
US Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Albums[64] 17

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/Sales
United States (RIAA)[65] Gold 459,000[25]^

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone

Release history

Country Date Label
United States[66] March 22, 2011 Arista Records
Germany[48] April 22, 2011
France[50]
United Kingdom[51] April 25, 2011

References

  1. 1 2 "Urban/UAC Future Releases". All Access Music Group. Archived from the original on May 25, 2011. Retrieved May 25, 2011.
  2. ↑ "Frequency News". Frequency News. October 31, 2011. Retrieved February 23, 2012.
  3. ↑ Wahba, Phil (September 14, 2009). "Jennifer Hudson "Can't Wait" to Perform After Weight Loss". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved March 11, 2011.
  4. ↑ "Jennifer Hudson InStyle, Talks Music, Weight More". Singersroom. Retrieved March 22, 2011.
  5. ↑ I Remember Me (Compact disc). Jennifer Hudson. United States: Arista Records. 2011.
  6. ↑ "Justin Bieber & Cher: Let The Duet Begin?!". E! Online. January 21, 2011. Retrieved March 11, 2011.
  7. ↑ ""Where You At" Video Premiere! | Jennifer Hudson". Irememberme.jenniferhudson.com. Archived from the original on March 1, 2011. Retrieved February 23, 2012.
  8. ↑ "New Music: Jennifer Hudson – 'Where You At' [Snippet]". Rap-Up.com. January 20, 2011. Retrieved February 23, 2012.
  9. ↑ "Top Hip-Hop and R&B Songs & Singles Charts". Billboard.com. Retrieved February 23, 2012.
  10. ↑ "Top Hip-Hop and R&B Songs & Singles Charts". Billboard.com. Retrieved March 11, 2011.
  11. ↑ http://www.billboard.com/artist/304441/jennifer+hudson/chart?f=367
  12. ↑ "FIRST LOOK: Jennifer Hudson's "Where You At" Video + "Ellen"". Rodonline.typepad.com. February 18, 2011. Retrieved March 11, 2011.
  13. ↑ "First Look at Jennifer Hudson's "Where You At" Video". Rap-Up.com. February 17, 2011. Retrieved March 11, 2011.
  14. ↑ "I Remember Me (2011) | Jennifer Hudson | High quality MP3 downloads | 7digital United Kingdom". 7digital.com. Retrieved February 23, 2012.
  15. ↑ "Singles Top 40 from the Official UK Charts Company". The Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 1, 2011.
  16. ↑ "iTunes – Music – No One Gonna Love You (Remixes) by Jennifer Hudson". Itunes.apple.com. July 13, 2011. Retrieved February 23, 2012.
  17. ↑ "No One Gonna Love You (Jason Nevins Extended Remix): Jennifer Hudson: Amazon.co.uk: MP3 Downloads". Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved February 23, 2012.
  18. ↑ "Jennifer Hudson confirms new single 'No One Gonna Love You' – Music News". Digital Spy. June 23, 2011. Retrieved February 23, 2012.
  19. ↑ "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Week of June 16, 2011". Billboard. Retrieved June 16, 2011.
  20. ↑ http://thatgrapejuice.net/2011/09/jennifer-hudsons-single/
  21. ↑ "Jennifer Hudson Music News & Info". Billboard. July 5, 2011. Retrieved July 5, 2011.
  22. ↑ Caulfield, Keith (March 30, 2011). Chris Brown Nets First No. 1 Album on Billboard 200 Chart | Billboard.com. Billboard. Retrieved on March 30, 2011.
  23. ↑ Caulfield, Keith (April 6, 2011). Britney Spears Snares Sixth No. 1 on Billboard 200 with 'Femme Fatale' | Billboard.com. Billboard. Retrieved on April 6, 2011.
  24. ↑ "Recording Industry Association of America". RIAA. Retrieved February 23, 2012.
  25. 1 2 Elysa Gardner (September 21, 2014). "Jennifer Hudson is happy to be 'this real girl'". USA TODAY.
  26. 1 2 "Die ganze Musik im Internet: Charts, News, Neuerscheinungen, Tickets, Genres, Genresuche, Genrelexikon, Künstler-Suche, Musik-Suche, Track-Suche, Ticket-Suche". musicline.de. May 15, 2011. Retrieved February 23, 2012.
  27. 1 2 I Remember Me – Jennifer Hudson | AllMusic: Review. Allmusic. Retrieved on March 22, 2011.
  28. 1 2 Conner, Thomas (March 16, 2011). CD review: Jennifer Hudson, 'I Remember Me' – Music: Via Chicago. Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved on March 20, 2011.
  29. 1 2 Wood, Mikael (March 17, 2011). I Remember Me | Music|EW.com. Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved on March 20, 2011.
  30. 1 2 Sullivan, Caroline (April 21, 2011). Jennifer Hudson: I Remember Me – review | Music|The Guardian. The Guardian. Retrieved on April 22, 2011.
  31. 1 2 McDonnell, Evelyn (March 21, 2011). Album review: Jennifer Hudson's 'I Remember Me' | Pop & Hiss|Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved on March 22, 2011.
  32. 1 2 Rosen, Jody (March 28, 2011). I Remember Me by Jennifer Hudson | Rolling Stone Music|Music Reviews. Rolling Stone. Retrieved on March 28, 2011.
  33. 1 2 Cole, Matthew (March 22, 2011). Jennifer Hudson: I Remember Me | Music Review|Slant Magazine. Slant Magazine. Retrieved on March 22, 2011.
  34. 1 2 Gardner, Elysa (March 20, 2011). Review: 'I Remember Me' by Jennifer Hudson – USATODAY.com. USA Today. Retrieved on March 20, 2011.
  35. 1 2 I Remember Me Reviews, Ratings, Credits, and More at Metacritic. Metacritic. Retrieved on March 22, 2011.
  36. ↑ Price, Simon (April 24, 2011). Album: Jennifer Hudson, I Remember Me (Arista) – Reviews, Music – The Independent. The Independent. Retrieved on May 26, 2011.
  37. ↑ Koski, Genevieve (March 22, 2011). Jennifer Hudson: I Remember Me | Music|Music Review|The A.V. Club. The A.V. Club. Retrieved on March 22, 2011.
  38. ↑ Stewart, Allison (March 22, 2011). Album review: Jennifer Hudson, “I Remember Me” – Click Track – The Washington Post. The Washington Post. Retrieved on March 22, 2011.
  39. ↑ Capobianco, Ken (March 22, 2011). Review of Jennifer Hudson's "I Remember Me – The Boston Globe. The Boston Globe. Retrieved on March 22, 2011.
  40. ↑ Farber, Jim (March 22, 2011). Jennifer Hudson 'I Remember Me' review: Vocals have ideal balance of feeling and force. New York Daily News. Retrieved on March 22, 2011.
  41. ↑ Ritchie, Kevin (March 17, 2011). NOW Magazine // Music // Jennifer Hudson – I Remember Me. NOW. Retrieved on March 20, 2011.
  42. ↑ Shaw, Natalie (April 2011). . MusicOMH. Retrieved on May 26, 2011.
  43. ↑ NAACP Image Awards 2012: Full list of winners
  44. ↑ 2012 Billboard Music Awards Finalists: Complete List Page 2
  45. ↑ Adele, Rihanna, Lady Gaga Lead Billboard Noms
  46. ↑ http://repertoire.bmi.com/title.asp?blnWriter=True&blnPublisher=True&blnArtist=True&keyID=12591478&ShowNbr=0&ShowSeqNbr=0&querytype=WorkID BMI songwriter credits
  47. ↑ https://twitter.com/Hit_Boy/status/45865904696856576
  48. 1 2 "I Remember Me (International Version): Jennifer Hudson: Amazon.de: Musik". Amazon.de. September 9, 2009. Retrieved February 23, 2012.
  49. 1 2 Jennifer Hudson – I Remember Me – CDs at Play.com (UK)
  50. 1 2 3  Adele. "I Remember Me: Jennifer Hudson: Amazon.fr: Téléchargements MP3" (Téléchargement MP3). Amazon.fr. Retrieved February 23, 2012.
  51. 1 2 3 "Buy Jennifer Hudson – I Remember Me (CD & DVD) online at Play.com and read reviews. Free delivery to UK and Europe!". Play.com. Retrieved February 23, 2012.
  52. 1 2 I Remember Me (Deluxe)(CD/DVD) – Only at Target (March 23, 2011). "I Remember Me (Deluxe)(CD/DVD) – Only at". Target. Retrieved February 23, 2012.
  53. ↑ Jennifer Hudson – I Remember Me (CD & DVD) – CDs at Play.com (UK)
  54. ↑ I Remember Me – Jennifer Hudson | AllMusic: Credits. Allmusic. Retrieved on March 20, 2011.
  55. ↑ "Top 50 Albums Chart – 30/5/2011". Australian Recording Industry Association. May 30, 2011. Archived from the original on May 30, 2010. Retrieved May 29, 2011.
  56. ↑ "Top 40 Urban Albums & Singles Chart". Australian Recording Industry Association. May 30, 2011. Archived from the original on May 29, 2011. Retrieved May 29, 2011.
  57. ↑ Steffen Hung. "Discography Jennifer Hudson/". irishcharts.com. Retrieved February 23, 2012.
  58. ↑ "Top Albums｜JAPAN Charts｜Billboard JAPAN". Billboard-japan.com. February 13, 2012. Retrieved February 23, 2012.
  59. ↑ http://swisscharts.com/artist.asp?name=Jennifer_Hudson/
  60. ↑ "2011-05-07 Top 40 Scottish Albums Archive". Official Charts. May 7, 2011. Retrieved February 23, 2012.
  61. ↑ "2011-05-07 Top 40 Official UK Albums Archive". Official Charts. May 7, 2011. Retrieved February 23, 2012.
  62. ↑ "2011-05-07 Top 40 R&B Albums Archive". Official Charts. May 7, 2011. Retrieved February 23, 2012.
  63. 1 2 Jennifer Hudson Album & Song Chart History | Billboard.com – Billboard 200. Billboard. Retrieved on March 30, 2011.
  64. 1 2 Jennifer Hudson Album & Song Chart History | Billboard.com – R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. Billboard. Retrieved on March 30, 2011.
  65. ↑ "American album certifications – Jennifer Hudson – I Remember Me". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH
  66. ↑ Hudson, Jennifer. "I Remember Me: Jennifer Hudson: Music". Amazon.com. Retrieved February 23, 2012.

External links

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