Usuario discusión:OscJ/Taller de trabajo/Las de la Intuicion
OscJ/Taller de trabajo/Las de la Intuicion |
---|
I Am… Sasha Fierce is the third studio album by American R&B recording artist Beyoncé. It was released on November 18, 2008, by Columbia Records. The album was released in dual disc format, with each disc representing a different facet to Knowles' personality and musical style. The first disc, I Am..., incorporates slow and mid-tempo R&B and pop ballads, while the second disc, Sasha Fierce, named after Knowles' on-stage alter ego, contains more uptempo danceable songs which blend Euro and electropop genres. A deluxe edition of the album was released simultaneously alongside the standard edition.
Knowles credited her husband Jay-Z and jazz singer Etta James for inspiring her to effectively incorporate other genres and melodies into the album. Musically, 'I Am...' drew inspiration from folk and alternative rock, while blending acoustic guitar elements into the contemporary ballads. The tracks on the first disc were written and produced by Knowles with assistance from Kenneth Edmonds, Christopher Stewart, Terius Nash, and Ryan Tedder, whereas Sasha Fierce incorporated production and songwriting from Rodney Jerkins, Sean Garrett, and Solange. The album received mixed to positive reviews from music critics, with many commenting on the album's failure to differentiate between Knowles' and her alter-ego, something that would have been avoided in a one disc collection.
I Am... Sasha Fierce debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart having sold 482,000 units in its first week, becoming Knowles' third consecutive US number-one solo album. It became a commercial success, earning at least fifteen platinum certifications in separate markets worldwide. As of March 2011, I Am... Sasha Fierce had sold over seven million copies worldwide, with its digital tracks alone having sold more than 15 million units globally. The album garnered eight Grammy Award nominations at the 52nd annual ceremony, eventually collecting five wins. To promote the album, Knowles made several award show and televised appearances across Europe and America, as well as embarking on the worldwide I Am... Tour.
The album spawned several singles, some serving as international and stateside releases, while others were for promotional purposes. The two lead singles from I Am... Sasha Fierce, "If I Were a Boy" and "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)", were both international chart toppers. The former topped the charts in over eight countries and reached number three on the Billboard Hot 100, while the latter managed to peak inside the top ten in several major music markets, becoming her fifth number one single on the Hot 100 chart. "Diva" and "Ego" were released as US-only singles, while "Halo" and "Sweet Dreams" were promoted internationally as the third and fourth singles respectively. "Broken-Hearted Girl" was serviced internationally as the fifth single, while "Video Phone" was released in November 2009.
Production and development[editar]
I'm a human being. I cry. I'm very passionate and sensitive. My feelings get hurt. I get scared and nervous like everyone else. And I wanted to show that about myself. It [The album] is about love. I'm a woman, I'm married, and this portion of my life is all in the album. It's a lot more personal. I'm very private and I don't talk about a lot of things, but there are certain songs that are on the album that are very personal. It's [The album] my diary. It's my story... I still have my album of fun songs.'" | ||
—Beyoncé Knowles on the development of the album.[1]
|
Knowles began to work on I Am... Sasha Fierce in 2007. In a letter directed to her fans on October 2, 2008, she said: "I have worked on this album for close to one year. I have taken the time so I can create my sound. Something that says who I am at this stage in my life. I have poured my heart and soul into it. It is my baby. It is the most time I have spent on any project since my first records as a member of Destiny's Child when I was 15 years old."[2] According to Knowles, she was inspired by her husband Jay-Z and especially by Etta James, whose "boldness" helped inspire her to explore other musical genres and styles.[3] When Knowles started recording the album, she felt that she had to grow and become more mature as an artist. Even though she had been successful and fortunate, she wanted to be further challenged.[4] She co-wrote or co-produced nearly all the material on the album.[5]
Recording sessions for the album took place during 2007 and 2008 at several recording studios, including Tree Sound Studios in Atlanta, Chung King Studios, Electric Lady Studios, Strawberrybee Productions in New York, GAD Studios in (Ibiza), Spain, Mansfield Studios and The Campground in Los Angeles, South Beat Studios in Miami Beach, and The Boom Boom Room in Burbank.[6] Several record producers and songwriters collaborated with Knowles on the album include Kenneth Edmonds, Stargate, Christopher Stewart, Terius Nash, Rodney Jerkins, Sean Garrett, Solange, Jim Jonsin, Rico Love and Ryan Tedder, the latter who assisted her with crafting the album's balladry.[7] Additionally, she collaborated with some musicians that she never worked with in the past, including producer Toby Gad on "If I Were a Boy" and British songwriter Amanda Ghost on "Disappear".[8] Recording for the album took place over eight months, at which time Knowles had co-written and co-produced over seventy songs.[2][9] After a process of elimination, twelve tracks were selected to be placed on the standard edition of the album, while five additional tracks were chosen to make the final cut for the deluxe edition of the album.[3][9] Knowles later revealed that songs from established producers like The Neptunes and Danja were not able to make the final cut.[10]
For the "I Am..." side of the record, Knowles was influenced by folk and alternative rock genres, while incorporating other instruments distant to her such as the acoustic guitar.[7] These ballads were said to combine the best elements of pop and soul music, while simultaneously expanding the possibilities of both genres.[7] Knowles wanted to try something different; she felt people had strong expectations for her work.[7] Additionally, Beyoncé worked with Amanda Ghost to re-write the Franz Schubert "Ave Maria" after having co-written "Disappear" in London. On November 8, 2008, Ghost told The Daily Telegraph that both Knowles and herself were inspired by their recent marriages and had walked down the aisle to the song.[11] The "Sasha Fierce" side of the record utilizes production and songwriting from Jerkins, Garrett, Solange, Love and Jonsin.[8] The only producer-songwriter duo to make both sides of the album is Tricky Stewart and Terius Nash who worked on "Smash Into You" from the "I Am..." side and the lead-in track on the "Sasha Fierce" disc, "Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)".[8]
In the months leading up to the release of the album, Knowles released a statement on her official website giving certain details about the nature of the album and about what could be expected from it. She said: "I am in a different place right now and I want people to see the many sides of me. The music is upbeat for the dance, fun side and it is reflective, passionate and serious for the personal side. It's me and I am so excited to share it with the world on November 18."[12] Making comparisons to a magazine, Knowles further elaborated that the record was a double album and that it had two covers.[13]
Composition[editar]
I really wanted people to get to know what I love and to introduce them to different types of music. I started out, obviously, in Destiny's Child singing R&B, and I still love it. So I had to make sure I still had those grooves on the album.'" | ||
—Beyoncé Knowles speaking of the content of the album.[1]
|
In a Billboard magazine interview, Knowles further described the two sides of the album: "... One side has songs that are more mainstream and another has my more traditional R&B songs for my fans who've been there the whole time. Some of it sounds like Barbra Streisand, Karen Carpenter and The Beatles around the 1970s."[14] The second disc, "Sasha Fierce" contains consistent electro influences, which are displayed in songs like "Radio" and "Sweet Dreams".[15][16] Bill Lamb of About.com commented about the songs on the "Sasha Fierce" side, stating "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" is a throwback to B'Day's "Get Me Bodied".[17] Furthermore, Andy Kellman of Allmusic said in his review that "Diva" resembles B'Day's "Freakum Dress" or "Ring the Alarm" in terms of audacity.[18]
The album formally introduces Knowles' alter-ego "Sasha Fierce". Knowles said that Sasha was born during the making of her 2003 hit single "Crazy in Love". In an interview with People magazine, Beyoncé affirmed that her alter-ego is strictly for the stage, with the editor describing Sasha Fierce as the singer's sensual, aggressive alter ego.[19] Lamb commented: "[...] A uniting concept of the Sasha Fierce set is exploration of the celebrity side of Beyonce."[17] Knowles told MTV News: "Half the record, I Am..., is about who I am underneath all the makeup, underneath the lights and underneath all the exciting star drama. And Sasha Fierce is the fun, more sensual, more aggressive, more outspoken side and more glamorous side that comes out when I'm working and when I'm onstage. The double album allows me to take more risks and really step out of myself, or shall I say, step more into myself, and reveal a side of me that only people who know me see."[13][20] Later interviewed by Marie Claire, she revealed that she feels possessed by her alter-ego on stage: "I've created an alter ego: things I do when performing I would never do normally. I reveal things about myself that I wouldn’t do in an interview. I have out-of-body experiences [on stage]. If I cut my leg, if I fall, I don’t even feel it. I’m so fearless, I'm not aware of my face or my body".[21]
In the music video for "Single Ladies", Knowles wears a roboglove, made of titanium. It was designed by her longtime jeweler, Lorraine Schwartz, and it is worn to complement Knowles' alter ego, "Sasha Fierce". It consists of several pieces, including a ring and a separate component that covers the upper arm.[22] She first wore the roboglove on the red carpet at the MTV Europe Music Awards on November 8, 2008. She was also later seen with the same glove on Saturday Night Live and on the cover of Gotham.[22] Not all of the songs were attributed to just "Sasha Fierce". For instance, "Ego", "Why Don't You Love Me" and "Scared of Lonely" were noted as being more like a meeting ground between the album's halves. According to Jennifer Vineyard of MTV News, they resemble Sasha musically, but thematically and lyrically, they are vulnerable like Beyoncé.[13]
Musical style and lyrical content[editar]
"If I Were a Boy", the first single of "I Am ...", stands as the only song on either disc that Beyoncé didn't co-write. BC Jean, who wrote most of the song's lyrics, took inspiration from the product of a poor relationship.[23] Knowles explained Essence Magazine that "If I Were a Boy" is different from her previous songs in the sense that it is not a traditional R&B song.[3] Music critics remarked that the song seemed to be a mixture of Knowles' 2006 hit "Irreplaceable", Fergie's 2007 single "Big Girls Don't Cry", and Ciara's 2007 single "Like a Boy".[24] According to Leah Greenblatt of Entertainment Weekly, "If I Were a Boy" soars with melodic swells and unwavering sentiments shown in its lyrics.[25] The lyrics of the song make reference to an expression of sadness about misunderstanding between the genders and an indictment of the male side of relationships.[24] Trish Crawford of Toronto Star compared the other lead single, "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" to Aretha Franklin's "Respect" and Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive".[26] Ann Powers of the Los Angeles Times saw the song's theme of female empowerment as an expansion on that of "Irreplaceable".[15] Musically, "Single Ladies" is an upbeat-dance-pop song[27][28] which also derives melodies from R&B, and features dancehall and bounce influences.[29][30] In "Single Ladies", Knowles lays emphasis on her more aggressive and sensual side, her alter ego "Sasha Fierce",[31] who recognizes her dichotomy from Knowles' more intimate side in the way that she is empowered by the wedding ring on her finger.[32] According to Jonah Weiner of Blender, the song makes a clear reference to marriage[33] while Greg Kot of the Chicago Tribune felt that the lyrics had a connection with "post-breakup".[34]
"Halo", composed by Ryan Tedder and Evan Bogart, was initially intended for Knowles but was almost recorded by Leona Lewis due to Knowles' schedule.[35] According to Christian Williams of Billboard, "Halo" has a mainstream pop sound, with subtle R&B undertones.[36] As stated in Daily Mail, Knowles sings in a lower register than usual in the song, over big drums, "an epic piano pattern",[37] and stirring strings.[38] The piano sound is further amplified by the soul claps and step stomps.[39] "Halo" describes a love so phenomenal that it is described as "heavenly" by the protagonist.[40] Critics noted "Diva" as a variation on Lil Wayne's "A Milli" and coined it as its female counterpart.[25] "Diva" carries a "stuttering" beat[17] accompanied by a slow-rolling, bass-pumping groove.[38] In the song, the female protagonist speaks and sings about the positive definition of a diva, explaining "diva is a female version of a hustler", and makes frequent references to her millions of dollars, even fanning herself with dollar bills.[41] "Ego" is a pop song, set in a rhythm and blues tempo. The song also incorporates influences from bump jazz,[39] and soul music.[42] "Sweet Dreams" was critically acclaimed for its use of electronic bassline, which was compared to Michael Jackson's "Beat It"[43] and for its electropop sound.[44] "Sweet Dreams" derives genres from R&B and incorporates influences from the classic 1980's funk.[45] According to Priya Elan of The Times, the disturbed and haunting lyrics of the song describes a relationship, which the singer believes could be a "sweet dream or a beautiful nightmare".[46] "Broken-Hearted Girl" is a R&B-pop song beginning as a piano-and-vocal ballad, and then transcending into a minimalist beat.[47] The production and melody is backed by strings and a drum machine beat.[48] Mariel Concepcion of Billboard wrote that Knowles "belts emotively" on the song's hook, "I don't want a broken heart / And I don't want to play the broken-hearted girl".[49] According to Spence D. of IGN Music, "Hello" comes off like another ballad that "populate[s] the first part of the album."[16] It contains the "Jerry Maguire" line – "You had me at hello" – as part of its chorus.[39] It essentially consists of "sweet guitar-picking and delicate harmonies."[25]
"Radio" is an uptempo song that generates influences of '80s synthpop,[16] electro,[38] europop,[25] and techno.[50] In the song, Knowles explores the relationship between a young girl and her love for the songs played on the radio.[51] "Radio" consists of a bouncy beat with a sneering attitude. In addition, its drum and bass and its techno or house feel that all create a refreshing sound,[30] which according to James Reed of the The Boston Globe, makes the song "perfect for a night at the club."[52] According to critics, "Video Phone" contains lyrics that are in reference to "a celebration of Skype sex and putting on a solo show, on camera, for a guy you just met at the club".[53] The remixed version featured both Knowles and Lady Gaga trading verses with one another.[54] Musically the song consists of simple lyrics, with hidden innuendos, and is backed by thin-spread beats; Beyoncé and Gaga uttering gasps and groans while singing the song.[55] The remixed version of the song that features Lady Gaga was included on the 2009 deluxe edition of the album.[56] "Why Don't You Love Me" which appeared on the platinum edition of I Am... Sasha Fierce, is different from Knowles' previous dance-pop songs because it makes use of a retro style.[57] The song is an upbeat track that also derives from the genre of R&B.[58] The album also contains several reworked songs including "Smash into You", which was previously recorded by Jon McLaughlin as "Smack into You". The song was retooled and re-recorded by Beyoncé, earning her minimal song writing credits for changing "Smack" into "Smash".[59] It was subsequently used for the closing credits of the 2009 film Obsessed, a film in which the Knowles had the lead role. "Disappear" consists of sweet guitar-picking and delicate harmonies.[25] The platinum edition of the album also included a cover version by Knowles of the 1979 Billy Joel song "Honesty".
Release[editar]
I'm in a very good place right now. I'm very happy. I'm growing up, and I'm really comfortable with myself. I'm getting wiser and smarter. ... I know that people see celebrities, and they seem like they're so perfect – they seem like their life is so great, and they have money and fame. But I'm a human being. I cry. I'm very passionate and sensitive. My feelings get hurt. I get scared and nervous like everyone else. And I wanted to show that about myself. It's about love. That's what this album is all about.'" | ||
—Beyoncé Knowles"s statement on the release of the album in 2008.[1]
|
The Deluxe edition of the album was released simultaneously with the Standard edition.[60] Mathew Knowles held a listening party for the album in New York on October 22, 2008.[61] Prior to the album's release date, the entire album was premiered on November 11, 2008 through Knowles' MySpace account.[62] To correspond with the double album's release, Columbia Records created a teaser website for Sasha Fierce.[9] Later on June 16, 2009, Above and Beyoncé: Video Collection & Dance Mixes was released. This CD/DVD release included dance remixes to the singles of the album (as well as the "Ego" remix with rapper Kanye West) and the videos previously released for these singles.[63] Finally, the Platinum edition of I Am... Sasha Fierce was released in a list of selected countries in November 2009, featuring a CD and a DVD.[64] The Deluxe edition of the album was re-issued in the United States on November 23, 2009,[65] including all of the previously released songs in addition to the new songs "Poison", "Why Don't You Love Me", and the remix of "Video Phone" with Lady Gaga. An EP titled I Am...Sasha Fierce – The Bonus Tracks was released on November 23, 2009 in several countries featuring these new tracks.[66]
Following the album's digital release, "Ave Maria" debuted on the UK Singles Chart at number 150 on November 29, 2008.[67] Knowles also covered a version of the song "Honesty" (a 1979 song by Billy Joel) and included it as a bonus track for the Platinum Edition of the album. It gained some attention in Japan where it charted at number 79 in 2009. Knowles also performed the song on her I Am... Tour (in Korea only)[68] and it eventually charted at number 2 on the Korean Singles Chart on week ending January 17, 2010.[69] In September 2009, "Radio" was used in different Dutch television commercials to promote local radio stations,[70] and thus peaked at number 14 on the Dutch Top 40 due to strong digital downloads.[71] After the release of I Am... Sasha Fierce – The Bonus Tracks, a new song featured on the extended play, "Poison" became very popular in Korea and reached the top position of the Korean Singles Chart on week ending February 7, 2010.[72] In February 2010, a bonus track from the album's multiple re-releases "Why Don't You Love Me", which served as a promotional single, climbed up the US Hot Dance Club Songs, eventually taking the top spot and becoming Knowles' thirteenth number-one dance hit.[73] On May 4, 2010 a full-length music video appeared online.[74] After its release as a promotional single,[75] "Why Don't You Love Me" peaked at number fifty-one on the UK Singles chart[76] and at number fourteen on its R&B chart.[77]
Promotion[editar]
Knowles promoted the album through various televised appearances and in awards ceremonies by performing songs featured on the track listing of I Am... Sasha Fierce. Knowles first promoted "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" in a concert organized by the Power 105.1 radio station on October 29, 2008.[78] Knowles first performed "If I Were a Boy" on November 6, 2008 at the MTV Europe Music Awards.[79] Having shunned trousers, a frilly white shirt and velvet jacket, she later performed the song on November 9, 2008 at the 2008 World Music Awards in Monaco. She was also wearing her metallic hand glove, and she pointed to it as she sang the chorus of "Single Ladies".[80] She then took the stage of The Oprah Winfrey Show to perform "If I Were a Boy" on November 13, 2008.[81] She also appeared on television show Saturday Night Live on November 15, 2008 to sing "Single Ladies".[82] That particular night, Knowles was also featured in a parody of the "Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It)" music video, where the two female backup dancers from the video were replaced by pop singer Justin Timberlake and Saturday Night Live cast members Andy Samberg and Bobby Moynihan.[83][84] On November 16, 2008, backed by a cracking live band, Knowles sang a medley of "If I Were a Boy", then switched to "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" and ended up with "Crazy in Love" during the final episode of Total Request Live.[85] "Single Ladies" was also performed by Knowles on November 18, 2008 at BET's 106 & Park,[86] and during the 2008 American Music Awards on November 23, 2008.[87] The promotion of the song continued on November 25, 2008, with Knowles singing the song on The Ellen DeGeneres Show,[88] and at Rockefeller Plaza on The Today Show, the following day.[89] She also delivered a performance of "Single Ladies" on The Tyra Banks Show with two male dancers, on January 9, 2009.[90]
Knowles' first live performance of "Halo" was at the 2009 NAACP Awards on February 12, 2009.[91] She also performed the song at The Late Show with David Letterman after an interview on April 22, 2009.[92] In May 2009, Knowles appeared at MTV to talk about her upcoming single "Ego". She seized the opportunity to elaborate a bit about the album, telling that: "One of the great things about the album is that it's so diverse."[13] On June 25, 2009, Michael Jackson died while Knowles was touring,[93] prompting her to pay tribute to him at some of the venues of the tour, including Atlanta,[94] on July 1, 2009,[93] and New Orleans, on July 3, 2009.[95] During the tribute, an image of Jackson appeared on the main screen. She changed the lyrics, replacing "Baby" with "Michael", and adding "your music" between "you" and "won't"—she included "Michael I can see your Halo. I pray your music won't fade away."[95] In addition, Knowles was due to perform "Sweet Dreams" at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards on September 13.[96] However, she only performed the bridge from "Sweet Dreams" at the beginning of her performance, before switching to "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)".[97] Wearing a sparkly leotard and one silver glove, Knowles started performing the song with two background dancers. Knowles then paused and called out: "Now wait"; the lights dimmed and the crowd began to stand and clap their hands together.[97] When the lights came back suddenly, there was an army of single ladies from the front to the back of the stage. As the crowd cheered, Knowles and her dancers went through the dance routine.[97] Breaking the lyrics into short bursts, Knowles gave one excited audience member a chance to sing the "Single Ladies" chorus. By the end of the song, all of Radio City Music Hall was standing and Knowles thanked the crowd graciously.[97] Knowles also performed "If I Were a Boy" on January 31, 2010 at the 52nd Grammy Awards ceremony and also covered Alanis Morissette's 1995 hit single "You Oughta Know" on the same event. She was wearing a futuristic, spiked black outfit with matching shoes. She pranced, spun and did the Dutty Wine while the crowd cheered in approval.[98]
I Am... Tour[editar]
To promote the album, Knowles embarked on a worldwide tour with several performances. Knowles' I Am... Tour kicked off in Edmonton, Canada on March 26, 2009, in support of the album. The European leg of the tour started on April 26, 2009, in Zagreb, Croatia and ended on June 9, 2009, in London, England. On June 21, 2009, she began the third leg of the tour in the United States and finished in August with a 4-day stint at Encore Las Vegas on the Las Vegas Strip. Starting on September 15, 2009, the fourth leg began in Melbourne, Australia and finished on September 24 in Perth, Australia. Knowles then went on performing in Asia, the Middle East, Europe, Africa, and the United Kingdom, before finishing the 2009 portion of the tour on November 24 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The tour had its final leg in 2010, visiting Latin America. Starting on February 4, 2010, in Florianópolis, Brazil, she visited five other places before ending in Trinidad on February 18, 2010. According to Pollstar, the tour earned $17.2 million between January 1, and June 30, 2010, which added onto her total of $86 million for her first 93 concerts in 2009,[99] brings the tour total to $103.2 million for the 97 shows.[100] While Knowles was on tour, she played at a Las Vegas residency at the Encore Theater in Las Vegas. Titled I Am... Yours, the August 2, 2009, show was recorded and later released as a DVD, audio CD and television special in late November 2009.[101] Various performances on the tour were filmed worldwide for a live DVD, I Am... World Tour, which was released on November 30, 2010.[102]
Singles[editar]
On October 8, 2008, Knowles premiered two lead singles from the album.[103] One single was taken from the "I Am... " disc while the other was taken from the "Sasha Fierce" disc to demonstrate the concept of dueling personalities of Knowles, highlighted by the integral album.[25][28] The first lead single "If I Were a Boy" peaked at three on the US Billboard Hot 100,[104] topped eight charts worldwide and reached top ten in many other charts.[105] "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" was the second lead single and peaked at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming Knowles' fifth number-one single,[104] and was also successful in other international markets, peaking in top ten positions around the world.[106] The singles were certified 2× platinum[107] and 4× platinum[107] respectively by Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). "Diva" was released as a US-only single and peaked at nineteen on the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming Knowles' twelfth top twenty single and at number three on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.[108] It was certified Gold by RIAA.[107] The next single "Halo" was serviced internationally and peaked at number five in the US Billboard Hot 100,[104] and proved to be commercially successful reaching top ten around the world.[109] It was certified double-platinum in early 2010 by the RIAA.[107] "Ego" was a US-only single released on May 19, 2009, and subsequently came up with a remix featuring additional vocals from Kanye West.[13] It peaked at thirty-nine the US Billboard Hot 100 and number three on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.[104] The song was certified Gold by RIAA.[107] Following announcements of the I Am... Tour, two more singles were initially lined up, namely "Broken-Hearted Girl" and "Sweet Dreams" though they switched order to become the sixth and seventh singles respectively.[110] "Sweet Dreams" reached top ten in most countries[104] though it did top the New Zealand Singles chart,[111] and was certified platinum in the United States.[107] "Broken-Hearted Girl", the seventh single, reached the top forty in charts around the world, despite never being certified nor released in the United States.[112] More than one year after the album's release, "Video Phone" was released as the eighth single from the album with a music video and digital download release taking form of an extended remix featuring American electropop artist, Lady Gaga. Like its predecessor, it reached top forty in countries around the world, peaked at number 65 in the US.[104] It also became Knowles' fourteenth number-one on the US Dance Club Chart.[113] As of July 2010, the digital tracks from the album have sold a combined total of 12.3 million units in the United States.[114] According to Columbia Records, the album has sold 15 million digital singles worldwide.[115]
Commercial performance[editar]
I Am... Sasha Fierce made its first debut at number five on Japan's Oricon international albums chart and subsequently moved to the top spot on the chart, becoming Knowles' third number-one album in that country.[116] The album debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200, selling 482,000 units in its first week and giving Knowles her third consecutive number one album in the US.[117] Eventually, Knowles became the third female artist of the 2000s decade to have her first three albums debut at the top spot of the US Billboard 200 albums chart.[118] The album sold 1,459,000 copies in 6 weeks of release in 2008 alone[119] and was the tenth best selling album of 2008 according to Billboard.[120] With this achievement, Beyonce eventually equaled Garth Brooks, Mariah Carey, and Shania Twain for placing an album in Nielsen SoundScan's year-end top 10 for the fifth time.[121] The album later emerged as the second best selling album of 2009 in the US itself.[122] It has been certified double platinum by in the US by the Recording Industry Association of America.[123] As of April 2011, the album has sold around 2.9 million copies in the United States according to Nielsen SoundScan.[124] In the United Kingdom, the album debuted at number ten on November 29, 2008, becoming Knowles' lowest-debuting album despite having higher first week sales than her previous album, B'Day.[125] Following Knowles' performance at the 2008 The X Factor finale with winner Alexandra Burke, the album moved up to number nine on December 27, 2008.[126] Due to the success of its singles in the United Kingdom and especially due to the success of "Sweet Dreams", I Am...Sasha Fierce rose from number five to its highest peak of number two in its thirty-ninth week on the chart, which was the week of August 16, 2009.[127]
In Ireland, I Am... Sasha Fierce debuted at number three,[128] making it Knowles' second top three album in that country. It would later go to top the Irish charts for two consecutive weeks in early January 2009,[129][130] giving Knowles her second Irish number-one album.[131] In Australia, I Am... Sasha Fierce debuted at number nine in late November 2008[132] and peaked at number eight in early January 2009.[133] Following the success of singles "Sweet Dreams" and "Broken-Hearted Girl", the album rebounded to a new peak of three on two separate occasions in October 2009 and it was certified triple-platinum on November 23, 2009.[134] In New Zealand, the album debuted at number 16 in late November 2008[135] and initially peaked at number six in early March 2009.[136] After growing popularity of its singles, especially "Sweet Dreams", the album upped to a new peak of three on September 21, 2009.[137] The album was certified Platinum on April 26, 2009, (after twenty-three weeks on the chart) shipping over 15,000 copies to retailers.[138] In Spain, the album debuted and peaked at number 7 on November 26, 2008,[139] and was certified platinum for shipment of over 60,000 copies on October 26, 2009.[140] The album went on to be certified diamond in Brazil.[141] With this achievement, Beyoncé was described as a "sales phenomenon" by Alexandre Schiavo. With 182 thousand copies sold between January 2009 and October 2009, I Am ... Sasha Fierce ranked third among the most sold albums in the country.[142] After the 52nd Grammy Awards ceremony, I Am... Sasha Fierce either ascended several albums charts or re-entered others and set new peaks in countries such as Switzerland, Austria, and Portugal in February 2010.[143][144][145] As of March 2011, the album has sold over seven million copies worldwide.[146]
Critical reception[editar]
Calificaciones | |
---|---|
Fuente | Calificación |
Allmusic | [18] |
Robert Christgau | (B)[147] |
Entertainment Weekly | (B+)[25] |
The Guardian | [16] |
Los Angeles Times | (favorable)[15] |
Pitchfork Media | (5.7/10)[40] |
Rolling Stone | [50] |
Slant Magazine | [148] |
Spin | (4/10)[149] |
The Village Voice | (favorable)[150] |
Upon its release, I Am... Sasha Fierce received mixed to positive reviews from most music critics.[151] At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 62, based on 24 reviews, which indicates "generally favorable reviews".[151] Slant Magazine's Sal Cinquemani commented that "The strength of I Am…Sasha Fierce...is its individual songs [...] a testament to Beyoncé as one of today's most reliable singles artists", but also noted "the real disparity is her inability to reconcile the adult-contemporary schmaltz of I Am with the more modern, edgy sounds of Sasha Fierce."[148] Adam Mattera of The Observer gave it two out of five stars and noted both discs for lacking depth, stating "Disc 1 is too busy chasing radio formats to expose any genuine soul.... The Sasha side cuts straight to business with the single-minded 'Radio'...and a succession of independent woman anthems such as 'Single Ladies' and 'Diva', which will no doubt inspire drag queens the world over but leave most others bemused".[152] Pitchfork Media's Ryan Dombal viewed it as a regression from her previous album B'Day and stated "Nobody wins the Beyoncé vs. Sasha battle—often, the listener loses".[40] Allmusic writer Andy Kellman found its double-disc "gimmick" "flimsy" and favored its second disc's "decent, if easily forgettable, upbeat pop".[18] He expressed that on its I Am... disc, "Beyoncé feels each line to the fullest extent, which almost rescues the set's staidness".[18] In his consumer guide for MSN Music, critic Robert Christgau gave the album a B rating and named it "dud of the month",[147] indicating "a bad record whose details rarely merit further thought".[153] Christgau described its "split-personality bit" as "deeply vapid" and wrote that "there are three good songs on this 11-track artifact".[147]
Jonah Weiner of Blender gave it three out of five stars and stated "Beyoncé is still a beauty-shop feminist, quick with the smack-downs, and she still describes the rattling rush of love with preternatural poise".[33] Amy Linden of Vibe stated "Ironically, it's the more tame (and nameless) persona that's the most intriguing, commanding and sexual. ... Beyoncé sounds relaxed, confident and, if for no other reason than the fact that you can't hear her trying, hits the mark".[154] Matos Michaelangelo of The A.V. Club gave the album a B− rating even though he said that "The two halves wouldn't necessarily sound better shuffled together—both are pretty uneven."[155] Stacey Anderson of Spin commented that its first disc "meanders over [...] down-tempo cuts" and called Sasha "an intriguing but diluted direction".[149] The Village Voice's Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond found its I Am... disc incohesive, but stated "Sasha Fierce suffers no such identity crisis. Brassy, big-headed, confrontational, and witty, each incendiary track challenges you to leave your inhibitions at coat-check".[150] Christian Hoard of Rolling Stone noted that its slow songs are "full of bland self-affirmation and saggy lines", but wrote that "the 'Sasha' disc boasts Beyoncé's most adventurous music yet".[50] Colin McGuire of PopMatters called the album "a little rough around the edges at times" and viewed its Sasha Fierce disc as "a far more compelling trip down dance-lane".[30] Daniel Brockman of The Phoenix gave the album three stars out of four and recommended to "skip directly to disc two".[156] Leah Greenblatt of Entertainment Weekly wrote that the album offers "two compelling sides" of Knowles and stated "The collection might have been better served had she edited it down to one disc, rather than belabor what ultimately seems like a marketing gimmick. And while fans will surely speculate, there's little in the lyrics that feels more revealing than previous emotional fire-starters."[25]
Recognition and accolades[editar]
Leah Greenblatt of Entertainment Weekly ranked I Am…Sasha Fierce at number two on his list of the 10 Best Albums of 2008, stating that "'If I Were a Boy' and 'Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)' are undoubtedly album highlights; still, the surprise here is how consistently satisfying the rest of it is – even the less showy tracks blossom on repeated listening."[157] Mark Edward Nero of About.com ranked it at the ninth place on his list of the Best R&B Albums of 2008.[158] Christian Gerard of NBC Washington placed I Am... Sasha Fierce on his list of "Honorable Mentions" while writing the list for the Best Albums of 2008.[159] Agence France-Presse of ABS-CBN News and Current Affairs recognized the album as the twelfth best selling one of 2008.[160] On December 6, 2010, on the occasion of the second anniversary of the debut of the album on the US Billboard 200 albums chart, Kyle Anderso of MTV News wrote an article on Knowles alter ego, titled "Beyoncé's Alter-Ego Tops The Charts: Wake-Up Video" in which I Am... Sasha Fierce production and composition was praised and told to be Knowles' "best and boldest" work yet.[161] The album was ranked number twelve on the list of Best Albums of the Decade in Rolling Stone's Reader's Poll.[162]
I Am... Sasha Fierce also won a 2009 Soul Train Award for Album of the Year.[163] The album garnered a nomination in the category Favorite Album for Soul/R&B at the 2009 American Music Awards, where Knowles, however, won the Favorite Female R&B Artist award.[164] Knowles also won Best R&B Artists at the 2009 BET Awards.[165] However, she lost the same award to Alicia Keys at the 2010 BET Awards.[166] Similarly, Knowles was nominated for Best International Female Solo Artist 2009 BRIT Awards[167] at the 2009 Meteor Awards (Ireland),[168] and at the 2010 International Dance Music Awards.[169] In 2009 itself, Knowles won the Best International Act accolade at the Music of Black Origin Awards (United Kingdom), where I Am... Sasha Fierce was also nominated for Best Album.[170] At the 2009 MTV Europe Music Awards, Knowles was recognized as the Best Female Artist. During the same ceremony, "Single Ladies" won Best video accolade and "Halo" was the winner in the category Best Song.[171]
I Am... Sasha Fierce was nominated for the Outstanding Album award at the 2009 NAACP Image Award,[172] and for International Album of the Year (Album international de l'année) at the 2010 NRJ Music Award.[173] At the 2010 OVMA World Awards, Knowles won Artist of the Year as well as Best R&B Artist, however, the album lost in the category Album of the Year.[174] Knowles was also nominated for Favorite Female Artist and for Favorite R&B Artist at the 36th People's Choice Awards[175] as well as at the 2010 Teen Choice Awards,[176] and in the categories World's Best R&B Artist and World's Best Pop Artist at the 2010 World Music Awards.[177] I Am... Sasha Fierce and its singles earned Knowles eight Grammy Award nominations, including Album of the Year.[178] It ultimately won Best Contemporary R&B Album. "Single Ladies" won Song of the Year, Best R&B Song and Best Female R&B Vocal Performance at the 52nd Grammy Awards on January 31, 2010. "Halo" won in the category Best Female Pop Vocal Performance and it was also nominated for Record of the Year.[179]
Track listing[editar]
I Am... | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
N.º | Título | Escritor(es) | Producer(s) | Duración | ||||||
1. | «If I Were a Boy» | Toby Gad, BC Jean | Gad, Beyoncé Knowles | 4:10 | ||||||
2. | «Halo» | Knowles, Ryan Tedder, E. Kidd Bogart | Tedder, Knowles | 4:21 | ||||||
3. | «Disappear» | Amanda Ghost, Hugo Chakrabongse, Dave McCracken, Ian Dench, Knowles | Ghost, McCracken, Dench, Knowles | 4:28 | ||||||
4. | «Broken-Hearted Girl» | Kenneth Edmonds, Mikkel S. Eriksen, Tor Erik Hermansen, Knowles | StarGate, Knowles | 4:39 | ||||||
5. | «Ave Maria» | Knowles, Ghost, Dench, Makeba Riddick, Eriksen, Hermansen | StarGate, Knowles | 3:42 | ||||||
6. | «Satellites» | Ghost, McCracken, Dench, Knowles | Ghost, McCracken, Dench, Knowles | 3:07 | ||||||
Digital bonus track | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
N.º | Título | Escritor(es) | Producer(s) | Duración | ||||||
7. | «Save the Hero» | Knowles, Ali Tamposi, Rico Love, James Scheffer | Rico Love | 4:34 | ||||||
Deluxe edition bonus tracks | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
N.º | Título | Escritor(es) | Producer(s) | Duración | ||||||
7. | «Smash Into You» | Christopher Stewart, Terius Nash, Thaddis Harrell, Knowles | Tricky Stewart, The-Dream, Knowles | 4:31 | ||||||
8. | «That's Why You're Beautiful» | Andrew Hey, James Fauntleroy II, Knowles | Andrew Hey, Knowles | 3:41 | ||||||
Mexican and Spanish iTunes Store bonus track | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
N.º | Título | Escritor(es) | Producer(s) | Duración | ||||||
10. | «Si Yo Fuera un Chico» | Gad, Knowles | 4:09 | |||||||
Sasha Fierce | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
N.º | Título | Escritor(es) | Producer(s) | Duración | ||||||
1. | «Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)» | Stewart, Nash, Harrell, Knowles | Tricky Stewart, The-Dream | 3:13 | ||||||
2. | «Radio» | Scheffer, Rico Love, Dwayne Nesmith, Knowles | Jim Jonsin, D-Town, Rico Love, Knowles | 3:38 | ||||||
3. | «Diva» | Knowles, Shondrae Crawford, Sean Garrett | Bangladesh, Sean Garrett, Knowles | 3:21 | ||||||
4. | «Sweet Dreams» | Knowles, Scheffer, Wayne Wilkins, Rico Love | Jim Jonsin, Wilkins, Rico Love, Knowles | 3:28 | ||||||
5. | «Video Phone» | Knowles, Crawford, Garrett, Angela Beyincé | Bangladesh, Sean Garrett, Knowles | 3:35 | ||||||
Deluxe edition bonus tracks | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
N.º | Título | Escritor(es) | Producer(s) | Duración | ||||||
6. | «Hello» | Knowles, Ramon Owen, David Quiñones, Bogart | REO, Knowles | 4:17 | ||||||
7. | «Ego» | Elvis Williams, Harold Lilly, Knowles | BlacElvis, Lilly, Knowles | 3:56 | ||||||
8. | «Scared of Lonely» | Rodney Jerkins, LaShawn Daniels, Crystal Johnson, Rico Love, Solange Knowles, B. Knowles | Jerkins, B. Knowles | 3:42 | ||||||
9. | «Why Don't You Love Me» (pre-order bonus track) | B. Knowles, S. Knowles, Angela Beyincé, Eddie Smith III, Jesse Rankins, Jonathan Wells | Bama Boyz, B. Knowles | 3:37 | ||||||
2009 deluxe edition[editar]
N.º | Título | Música | Duración | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | «If I Were a Boy» | Toby Gad, BC Jean | 4:10 | |
2. | «Halo» | Beyoncé Knowles, Ryan Tedder, Evan Kidd Bogart | 4:21 | |
3. | «Disappear» | Knowles, Amanda Ghost, Hugo Chakrabongse, Dave McCracken, Ian Dench | 4:28 | |
4. | «Broken-Hearted Girl» | Kenneth "Babyface" Edmond, Mikkel S. Eriksen, Tor Erik Hermansen, Knowles | 4:39 | |
5. | «Ave Maria» | Knowles, Ghost, Dench, Makeba, Eriksen, Hermansen | 3:42 | |
6. | «Smash into You» | Knowles, Stewart, Nash, T. Harrell | 4:31 | |
7. | «Satellites» | Ghost, McCracken, Dench, Knowles | 3:07 | |
8. | «That's Why You're Beautiful» | Andrew Hey, James Fauntleroy II, Knowles | 3:41 | |
9. | «Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)» | Christopher Stewart, Terius Nash, Thaddis "Kuk" Harrell, Knowles | 3:13 | |
10. | «Radio» | Scheffer, Rico Love, Dwayne Nesmith, Knowles | 3:38 | |
11. | «Diva» | Knowles, Shondrae Crawford, Sean Garrett | 3:21 | |
12. | «Sweet Dreams» | Knowles, Scheffer, Wayne Wilkins, Love | 3:28 | |
13. | «Video Phone» | Knowles, Crawford, Garrett, Angela Beyincé | 3:35 | |
14. | «Hello» | Knowles, Ramon Owen, David Quiñones, Bogart | 4:16 | |
15. | «Ego» | Elvis "BlacElvis" Williams, Harold Lilly, Knowles | 3:56 | |
16. | «Scared of Lonely» | Darkchild, LaShawn Daniels, Cristyle, Love, Solange Knowles, B. Knowles | 3:42 | |
17. | «Poison» | Johntá Austin, Mikkel S. Eriksen, Tor Erik Hermansen, Knowles | 4:02 | |
18. | «Video Phone» (Extended Remix featuring Lady Gaga[180]) | Knowles, Lady Gaga (remix only), Shondrae Crawford, Sean Garrett | 5:04 | |
19. | «Why Don't You Love Me» (Wal-Mart only[181]) | B. Knowles, S. Knowles, Angela Beyincé, Bama Boyz | 3:37 | |
Platinum edition[editar]
In September 2009, an enhanced two-disc version of the album was released, its first disc featuring 16 tracks from the original version with four bonus audio tracks, and its second disc, the video collection from Above and Beyoncé, including seven music videos.[182]
N.º | Título | Escritor(es) | Duración | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | «Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)» | Christopher Stewart, Terius Nash, Thaddis "Kuk" Harrell, Knowles | 3:13 | |
2. | «Diva» | Knowles, Shondrae Crawford, Sean Garrett | 3:21 | |
3. | «Ego» | Elvis "BlacElvis" Williams, Harold Lilly, Knowles | 3:56 | |
4. | «Halo» | Beyoncé Knowles, Ryan Tedder, Evan Kidd Bogart | 4:21 | |
5. | «If I Were a Boy» | Toby Gad, BC Jean | 4:10 | |
6. | «Smash into You» | Knowles, Stewart, Nash, T. Harrell | 4:31 | |
7. | «Sweet Dreams» | Knowles, Scheffer, Wayne Wilkins, Rico Love | 3:28 | |
8. | «Broken-Hearted Girl» | Kenneth "Babyface" Edmond, Mikkel S. Eriksen, Tor Erik Hermansen, Knowles | 4:39 | |
9. | «Scared of Lonely» | Darkchild, LaShawn Daniels, Cristyle, Rico Love, Solange Knowles, B. Knowles | 3:42 | |
10. | «That's Why You're Beautiful» | Andrew Hey, James Fauntleroy II, Knowles | 3:41 | |
11. | «Hello» | Knowles, Ramon Owen, David Quiñones, Bogart | 4:16 | |
12. | «Radio» | Knowles, Scheffer, Love, Dwayne Nesmith | 4:16 | |
13. | «Video Phone» | Knowles, Crawford, Garrett, Angela Beyincé | 3:35 | |
14. | «Ego» (Remix featuring Kanye West) | Elvis "BlacElvis" Williams, Harold Lilly, Knowles | 4:44 | |
15. | «Why Don't You Love Me» | B. Knowles, S. Knowles, Angela Beyincé, Bama Boyz | 3:37 | |
16. | «Honesty» | Billy Joel, Ramone, Knowles | 3:47 | |
17. | «Save the Hero» | Knowles, Ali Tamposi, Rico Love, James Scheffer | 4:34 | |
18. | «Satellites» | Ghost, McCracken, Dench, Knowles | 3:07 | |
19. | «Disappear» | Knowles, Amanda Ghost, Hugo Chakrabongse, Dave McCracken, Ian Dench | 4:28 | |
20. | «Ave Maria» | Knowles, Ghost, Dench, Makeba, Eriksen, Hermansen | 3:42 | |
UK iTunes Store bonus tracks[183] | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
N.º | Título | Duración | ||||||||
21. | «Ego» (Slang "Big Ego" Club Remix) | 6:18 | ||||||||
22. | «Diva» (Karmatronic Club Remix) | 5:05 | ||||||||
DVD Video Collection | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
N.º | Título | Duración | ||||||||
1. | «If I Were a Boy» | 5:05 | ||||||||
2. | «Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)» | 3:19 | ||||||||
3. | «Diva» | 4:05 | ||||||||
4. | «Halo» | 3:45 | ||||||||
5. | «Broken-Hearted Girl» | 4:40 | ||||||||
6. | «Ego» (Remix featuring Kanye West) | 4:53 | ||||||||
7. | «Ego» (Fan Exclusive) | 3:58 | ||||||||
8. | «Sweet Dreams» | 4:01 | ||||||||
9. | «Behind the Scenes» | 20:00 | ||||||||
The Bonus Tracks EP[editar]
I Am... Sasha Fierce – The Bonus Tracks EP[66][184] | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
N.º | Título | Escritor(es) | Duración | |||||||
1. | «Video Phone» (Extended Remix featuring Lady Gaga) | Knowles, Lady Gaga, Shondrae Crawford, Sean Garrett | 5:04 | |||||||
2. | «Why Don't You Love Me» | B. Knowles, S. Knowles, Angela Beyincé, Bama Boyz | 3:37 | |||||||
3. | «Poison» | Johntá Austin, Mikkel S. Eriksen, Tor Erik Hermansen, Knowles | 4:02 | |||||||
- Notes
- The deluxe edition on iTunes contains the videos for "If I Were a Boy" and "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)".[185]
- On iTunes Spain and Mexico, the album was released with a bonus track, "Si Yo Fuera un Chico" (the Spanish version of "If I Were a Boy"), whilst the Mexican physical edition included it as a bonus track.[186]
Personnel[editar]
Credits are taken from the album's liner notes.[6]
- Managerial
- Performance credits
- Visuals and imagery
- Instruments
- Technical and production