Jump to content

I Remember Me (album)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I Remember Me
Studio album by
Jennifer Hudson
ReleasedMarch 22, 2011 (2011-03-22)
Recorded2009–2011
GenreR&B[1]
Length43:32
Label
Producer
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[2]
  4. "I Got This"
    Released: October 30, 2011[3]

I Remember Me is the second studio album by American singer and actress 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

[edit]

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.[4] 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".[5]

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.[6] Songwriter Diane Warren revealed to E! in January 2011 that she penned a new song for Hudson titled "Still Here".[7] However, the song first appeared in the UK version of Natasha Bedingfield's 2007 second album, N.B..

Critical reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[8]
Chicago Sun-Times[9]
Entertainment WeeklyB+[10]
The Guardian[11]
Los Angeles Times[12]
Rolling Stone[13]
Slant Magazine[14]
USA Today[15]

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.[16] Simon Price of The Independent stated "while she unquestionably has a voice, the material's nothing you'll want to remember".[17] 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".[18] 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".[1] 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".[15]

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".[8] Entertainment Weekly's Mikael Wood gave I Remember Me a B+ rating and complimented its "lighter vibe".[10] Chicago Sun-Times writer Thomas Conner noted its songs as "mid-tempo" and complimented their "deft and delicate rhythmic elements".[9] Ken Capobianco of The Boston Globe found its songs "stronger, and Hudson sounds more poised" than on her debut album.[19] 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".[13] 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".[20]

However, Kevin Ritchie of NOW commented that "Hudson's stratospheric voice [...] overflows with emotion, and subtlety's in short supply".[21] 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".[14] 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".[22] 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".[16] 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".[12] Carolie Sullivan of The Guardian wrote that "the album ends with overblown ballads", but concluded that "the first three-quarters are heartlifting indeed".[11]

The album also won the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Album at the 43rd NAACP Image Awards.[23] It was also nominated for Top R&B Album at the 2012 Billboard Music Awards.[24][25]

Commercial performance

[edit]

I Remember Me debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 chart, with first-week sales of 165,000 copies in the United States.[26] In its second week, the album sold 56,000 copies and dropped to number seven on the Billboard 200.[27] On April 25, 2011, the album was certified gold by the RIAA, for shipping over 500,000 copies in the US.[28] As of September 2014, the album has sold 459,000 copies in the United States.[29]

In Germany, the album debuted at No. 84, making it Hudson's first studio album to chart in that country.[30]

Singles

[edit]

On January 24, 2011 Hudson premiered the album's lead single "Where You At".[31] It was written by R. Kelly and produced by Harvey Mason Jr.[32] The song went for radio adds that same week.[33] 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,[34] having so far reached a peak of number 10.[35] The music video premiered on BET's 106 & Park and through Vevo on February 24, 2011.[36][37]

The title track was released as the album's lead single in the United Kingdom on April 3, 2011.[38] It has peaked at number eighty-nine on the UK Singles Chart.[39] "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.[2][40][41][42] The song reached number 23 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.[43] The third U.S. single was "I Got This".[44]

Non-single track "Don't Look Down" reached number 70 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.[45]

Track listing

[edit]
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."No One Gonna Love You"Rich Harrison
3:48
2."I Got This"
3:22
3."Where You At"Robert Kelly
  • R. Kelly
  • Mason[A]
3:47
4."Angel"Alicia Keys
3:29
5."I Remember Me"
4:10
6."Gone"
3:38
7."Everybody Needs Love"
  • Swizz Beatz
  • Keys
3:14
8."Why Is It So Hard"
3:46
9."Don't Look Down"
  • Keys
  • Remi
3:23
10."Still Here"Diane WarrenMason3:41
11."Feeling Good"
Remi2:16
12."Believe"
Mason4:58
Total length:43:32
UK/Germany bonus tracks[46][47]
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
5."I Remember Me" (Radio Mix)
  • Hudson
  • Ryan Tedder
3:34
13."Spotlight"
  • Eriksen
  • Hermansen
  • Smith
  • StarGate
  • Ne-Yo
4:10
14."Love Is Your Color" (with Leona Lewis)
Remi3:41
France/UK/US Target exclusive deluxe edition bonus tracks[48][49][50]
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
13."Where You At" (Dave Audé Remix)R. Kelly
5:22
14."The Star-Spangled Banner (The National Anthem)" (As Performed At Super Bowl XLIII)
  • DP
  • Christian Walden
 2:28
15."What You Think"
Harris3:32
16."Spotlight" (Afroganic Remix / Original Version (UK))
  • Hermansen
  • Eriksen
  • Smith
  • Ne-Yo
  • StarGate
4:10
France/UK deluxe bonus track[48][49]
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
17."Love Is Your Color" (with Leona Lewis)
  • Remi
  • C. Kelly
Remi3:41
US Target exclusive/UK deluxe edition bonus DVD[50][51]
No.TitleLength
1."The Making of I Remember Me" 
2."In the Studio with Jennifer" 
3."Jennifer Discusses the Music" 
4."Album Cover Photo Shoot" 
Notes
  • ^[A] denotes vocals producer
  • ^[B] denotes co-producer
  • ^[C] denotes additional producer

Personnel

[edit]

Credits for I Remember Me adapted from Allmusic.[52]

Charts

[edit]

Certifications

[edit]
Region Certification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[66] Gold 459,000[29]

Release history

[edit]
Release dates and formats for I Remember Me
Region Date Label
United States[67] March 22, 2011 Arista Records
Germany[46] April 22, 2011
France[48]
United Kingdom[49] April 25, 2011 (2011-04-25) RCA Records

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Stewart, Allison (March 22, 2011). Album review: Jennifer Hudson, “I Remember Me” – Click Track – The Washington Post Archived March 10, 2016, at the Wayback Machine. The Washington Post. Retrieved on March 22, 2011.
  2. ^ a b "Urban/UAC Future Releases". All Access Music Group. Archived from the original on May 30, 2011. Retrieved May 25, 2011.
  3. ^ "Frequency News". Frequency News. October 31, 2011. Archived from the original on January 19, 2012. Retrieved February 23, 2012.
  4. ^ Wahba, Phil (September 14, 2009). "Jennifer Hudson "Can't Wait" to Perform After Weight Loss". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Archived from the original on October 28, 2013. Retrieved March 11, 2011.
  5. ^ "Jennifer Hudson InStyle, Talks Music, Weight More". Singersroom. Archived from the original on October 6, 2011. Retrieved March 22, 2011.
  6. ^ I Remember Me (Compact disc). Jennifer Hudson. United States: Arista Records. 2011.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  7. ^ "Justin Bieber & Cher: Let The Duet Begin?!". E! Online. January 21, 2011. Archived from the original on March 11, 2011. Retrieved March 11, 2011.
  8. ^ a b I Remember Me – Jennifer Hudson | AllMusic: Review Archived March 26, 2011, at the Wayback Machine. Allmusic. Retrieved on March 22, 2011.
  9. ^ a b Conner, Thomas (March 16, 2011). CD review: Jennifer Hudson, 'I Remember Me' – Music: Via Chicago Archived March 24, 2011, at the Wayback Machine. Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved on March 20, 2011.
  10. ^ a b Wood, Mikael (March 17, 2011). I Remember Me | Music|EW.com . Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved on March 20, 2011.
  11. ^ a b Sullivan, Caroline (April 21, 2011). Jennifer Hudson: I Remember Me – review | Music|The Guardian Archived April 16, 2017, at the Wayback Machine. The Guardian. Retrieved on April 22, 2011.
  12. ^ a b McDonnell, Evelyn (March 21, 2011). Album review: Jennifer Hudson's 'I Remember Me' | Pop & Hiss|Los Angeles Times Archived March 26, 2011, at the Wayback Machine. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved on March 22, 2011.
  13. ^ a b Rosen, Jody (March 28, 2011). I Remember Me by Jennifer Hudson | Rolling Stone Music|Music Reviews Archived November 7, 2016, at the Wayback Machine. Rolling Stone. Retrieved on March 28, 2011.
  14. ^ a b Cole, Matthew (March 22, 2011). Jennifer Hudson: I Remember Me | Music Review|Slant Magazine Archived March 25, 2011, at the Wayback Machine. Slant Magazine. Retrieved on March 22, 2011.
  15. ^ a b Gardner, Elysa (March 20, 2011). Review: 'I Remember Me' by Jennifer Hudson – USATODAY.com Archived May 1, 2012, at the Wayback Machine. USA Today. Retrieved on March 20, 2011.
  16. ^ a b I Remember Me Reviews, Ratings, Credits, and More at Metacritic Archived March 26, 2011, at the Wayback Machine. Metacritic. Retrieved on March 22, 2011.
  17. ^ Price, Simon (April 24, 2011). Album: Jennifer Hudson, I Remember Me (Arista) – Reviews, Music – The Independent Archived November 5, 2017, at the Wayback Machine. The Independent. Retrieved on May 26, 2011.
  18. ^ Koski, Genevieve (March 22, 2011). Jennifer Hudson: I Remember Me | Music|Music Review|The A.V. Club Archived March 26, 2011, at the Wayback Machine. The A.V. Club. Retrieved on March 22, 2011.
  19. ^ Capobianco, Ken (March 22, 2011). Review of Jennifer Hudson's I Remember Me – The Boston Globe Archived November 3, 2012, at the Wayback Machine. The Boston Globe. Retrieved on March 22, 2011.
  20. ^ Farber, Jim (March 22, 2011). Jennifer Hudson 'I Remember Me' review: Vocals have ideal balance of feeling and force Archived March 25, 2011, at the Wayback Machine. New York Daily News. Retrieved on March 22, 2011.
  21. ^ Ritchie, Kevin (March 17, 2011). NOW Magazine // Music // Jennifer Hudson – I Remember Me. NOW. Retrieved on March 20, 2011.
  22. ^ Shaw, Natalie (April 2011). "Jennifer Hudson - I Remember Me | album reviews | musicOMH". Archived from the original on April 30, 2011. Retrieved May 26, 2011.. MusicOMH. Retrieved on May 26, 2011.
  23. ^ "NAACP Image Awards 2012: Full list of winners". Archived from the original on October 24, 2013. Retrieved February 18, 2012.
  24. ^ "2012 Billboard Music Awards Finalists: Complete List Page 2". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 15, 2013. Retrieved March 24, 2013.
  25. ^ "Adele, Rihanna, Lady Gaga Lead Billboard Noms". MTV. Archived from the original on April 22, 2012. Retrieved April 20, 2012.
  26. ^ Caulfield, Keith (March 30, 2011). Chris Brown Nets First No. 1 Album on Billboard 200 Chart | Billboard.com Archived February 4, 2013, at the Wayback Machine. Billboard. Retrieved on March 30, 2011.
  27. ^ Caulfield, Keith (April 6, 2011). Britney Spears Snares Sixth No. 1 on Billboard 200 with 'Femme Fatale' | Billboard.com Archived May 26, 2011, at the Wayback Machine. Billboard. Retrieved on April 6, 2011.
  28. ^ "Recording Industry Association of America". RIAA. Archived from the original on January 3, 2016. Retrieved February 23, 2012.
  29. ^ a b Elysa Gardner (September 21, 2014). "Jennifer Hudson is happy to be 'this real girl'". USA TODAY. Archived from the original on January 27, 2016. Retrieved August 22, 2017.
  30. ^ "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. Archived from the original on September 29, 2012. Retrieved February 23, 2012.
  31. ^ ""Where You At" Video Premiere! | Jennifer Hudson". Irememberme.jenniferhudson.com. Archived from the original on March 1, 2011. Retrieved February 23, 2012.
  32. ^ "New Music: Jennifer Hudson – 'Where You At' [Snippet]". Rap-Up.com. January 20, 2011. Archived from the original on December 6, 2011. Retrieved February 23, 2012.
  33. ^ "Top Hip-Hop and R&B Songs & Singles Charts". Billboard.com. Retrieved February 23, 2012.
  34. ^ "Top Hip-Hop and R&B Songs & Singles Charts". Billboard.com. Retrieved March 11, 2011.
  35. ^ https://www.billboard.com/artist/jennifer-hudson/chart-history/r%26b/hip-hop-songs
  36. ^ "FIRST LOOK: Jennifer Hudson's "Where You At" Video + "Ellen"". Rodonline.typepad.com. February 18, 2011. Archived from the original on July 17, 2011. Retrieved March 11, 2011.
  37. ^ "First Look at Jennifer Hudson's "Where You At" Video". Rap-Up.com. February 17, 2011. Archived from the original on February 22, 2011. Retrieved March 11, 2011.
  38. ^ "I Remember Me (2011) | Jennifer Hudson | High quality MP3 downloads | 7digital United Kingdom". 7digital.com. Archived from the original on July 19, 2012. Retrieved February 23, 2012.
  39. ^ "Singles Top 40 from the Official UK Charts Company". The Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on July 24, 2011. Retrieved May 1, 2011.
  40. ^ "iTunes – Music – No One Gonna Love You (Remixes) by Jennifer Hudson". Itunes.apple.com. July 13, 2011. Archived from the original on November 13, 2012. Retrieved February 23, 2012.
  41. ^ "No One Gonna Love You (Jason Nevins Extended Remix): Jennifer Hudson: Amazon.co.uk: MP3 Downloads". Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved February 23, 2012.
  42. ^ "Jennifer Hudson confirms new single 'No One Gonna Love You' – Music News". Digital Spy. June 23, 2011. Archived from the original on August 28, 2011. Retrieved February 23, 2012.
  43. ^ "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Week of June 16, 2011". Billboard. Retrieved June 16, 2011.
  44. ^ "Jennifer Hudson's Next Single Will Be... | ..::That Grape Juice // ThatGrapeJuice.net::.. || Thirsty?". Archived from the original on November 17, 2011. Retrieved October 14, 2011.
  45. ^ "Jennifer Hudson Music News & Info". Billboard. July 5, 2011. Retrieved July 5, 2011.
  46. ^ a b "I Remember Me (International Version): Jennifer Hudson: Amazon.de: Musik". Amazon.de. September 9, 2009. Retrieved February 23, 2012.
  47. ^ a b Jennifer Hudson – I Remember Me – CDs at Play.com (UK) Archived April 27, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  48. ^ a b c Adele. "I Remember Me: Jennifer Hudson: Amazon.fr: Téléchargements MP3" (Téléchargement MP3). Amazon.fr. Retrieved February 23, 2012.
  49. ^ a b c "Buy Jennifer Hudson – I Remember Me (CD & DVD) online at Play.com and read reviews. Free delivery to UK and Europe!". Play.com. Archived from the original on October 20, 2012. Retrieved February 23, 2012.
  50. ^ a b 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.
  51. ^ Jennifer Hudson – I Remember Me (CD & DVD) – CDs at Play.com (UK) Archived October 20, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  52. ^ I Remember Me – Jennifer Hudson | AllMusic: Credits Archived May 4, 2011, at the Wayback Machine. Allmusic. Retrieved on March 20, 2011.
  53. ^ "Australiancharts.com – Jennifer Hudson – I Remember Me". Hung Medien. Retrieved January 4, 2019.
  54. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Jennifer Hudson – I Remember Me" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  55. ^ "Irish-charts.com – Discography Jennifer Hudson". Hung Medien. Retrieved January 4, 2019.
  56. ^ "アイ・リメンバー・ミー(初回生産限定盤)" (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on February 12, 2022. Retrieved March 3, 2023.
  57. ^ "Album Chart: 2011 Weeks 14" (in Korean and English). Circle. Retrieved September 18, 2022.
  58. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 3, 2023.
  59. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Jennifer Hudson – I Remember Me". Hung Medien. Retrieved January 4, 2019.
  60. ^ "Jennifer Hudson | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved January 4, 2019.
  61. ^ "Official R&B Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 4, 2019.
  62. ^ "Jennifer Hudson Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved January 4, 2019.
  63. ^ "Jennifer Hudson Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved January 4, 2019.
  64. ^ "Billboard 200 Albums - Year-End 2008". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 1, 2018. Retrieved January 4, 2019.
  65. ^ "R&B/Hip-Hop Albums - Year-End 2007". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 1, 2018. Retrieved January 4, 2019.
  66. ^ "American album certifications – Jennifer Hudson – I Remember Me". Recording Industry Association of America.
  67. ^ Hudson, Jennifer. "I Remember Me: Jennifer Hudson: Music". Amazon. Retrieved February 23, 2012.
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=I_Remember_Me_(album)&oldid=1233988010"