Soulful (Ruben Studdard album)

Edit links
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Soulful
The Underdogs
Ruben Studdard chronology
Soulful
(2003) 		I Need an Angel
(2004)
Singles from Soulful
  1. "Sorry 2004"
    Released: December 12, 2003
  2. "What If"
    Released: 2004

Soulful is the debut studio album from

second-season American Idol winner Ruben Studdard, released on December 9, 2003 by J Records. The record received mixed reviews from critics divided over the quality of the track listing and Ruben's vocal performance. Soulful debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and spawned two singles: "Sorry 2004
" and "What If".

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
Entertainment WeeklyC[1]
Mojo[3]
People[4]
Rolling Stone[5]
Slant Magazine[6]
USA Today[7]
Variety(negative)[8]

Soulful garnered mixed reviews from

Keith Phipps said that the show favorite ballads were the highlights compared to more uptempo tracks like "No Ruben" and "What Is Sexy", concluding that following in this direction shows that "even the most obviously talented contestant to walk the Idol stage seems fated to be forever a glorified karaoke champ."[9] Sal Cinquemani of Slant Magazine also found the ballads Studdard performed on the show showcase his strengths more than tracks like "Don't Quit On Me" and "Take the Shot" that are "insufferably repetitive and tuneless", calling the overall record "a painfully predictable mix of traditional R&B glop and comparatively forced contemporary hip-hop."[6] Barry Walters from Rolling Stone heavily criticized the songwriters and producers for crafting material that sounds like "Broadway ripoffs of hip-hop-inspired R&B", concluding that "Studdard does the best he can, but the people behind him and the other Idols simply aren't trying."[5]

Commercial performance

The album debuted at number one on the

Platinum by the RIAA in January 2004. In the U.S. the album sold an estimated 1,779,000 copies.[11]

Track listing

Soulful track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."
Johntá Austin
  • Kevin Hicks
  • Keri Hilson
    		• Jazze Pha4:07
    11."Don't Quit on Me"
    • Dean
    • Lilly
    		Swizz Beatz3:18
    12."After the Candles Burn"
    		Dre & Vidal3:31
    Bonus track(s)
    No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
    13."Flying Without Wings"
    		The Underdogs3:44
    14."We Have Not Forgotten" (featuring Fred Hammond)
    • Hammond
    • Noel Hall
    		Hammond4:39

    Notes

    Sample credits

    • "No Ruben" contains a sample of the recording "Hold On (I Feel Our Love Is Changing)" by
      B.B. King & The Crusaders
      .
    • "What is Sexy" contains interpolations from "Real Love," written by Nathaniel Robinson Jr, Kirk Robinson, Mark Morales, and Cory Rooney.
    • "Can I Get Your Attention" contains a sample of the recording "It's Over" by Cameo.

    Personnel

    Adapted from AllMusic.[12]

    • Kamel Abdo – engineer
    • Kwaku Alston – photography
    • June Ambrose – stylist
    • Maxi Anderson – background vocals
    • David Ashton – Pro Tools, vocal engineer
    • Elena Barere – concert master, violin
    • Davis A. Barnett – viola
    • Bob Becker – viola
    • Eric Bell – background vocals
    • Cecilia Bereal-Powell – background vocals
    • Joseph Jr. Bereal – background vocals
    • Latanya Bereal – vocal contractor, background vocals
    • Melissa Bereal – background vocals
    • Charlie Bisharat – violin
    • Jim Bottari – engineer, string engineer
    • Paul Boutin – engineer
    • Joel Bowers – background vocals
    • Felecia Bowles – choir/chorus, group member
    • Leslie Brathwaite – mixing
    • Chandler Bridges – Pro Tools
    • Jacqueline Bridges – choir/chorus, group member
    • Jamie Brown – choir/chorus, group member
    • David Campbell – arranger, string arrangements
    • Terrence Cash – assistant engineer
    • Rob Chiarelli – mixing
    • Steve Churchyard – engineer
    • Tanisha J. Cidel – choir/chorus, group member
    • Melvin Coleman – producer
    • Steve Conover – engineer
    • Larry Corbett – cello
    • Cenovia Cummins – violin
    • Ashley Davis – background vocals
    • Clive Davis – producer
    • Kevin KD Davis – mixing
    • Mike Davis – assistant
    • Vidal Davis – instrumentation, mixing, producer
    • Eric Dawkins – vocal director, background vocals
    • Andrea Derby – production coordination
    • Joel Derouin – concert master
    • Vincent Dilorenzo – engineer
    • Jonathan Dinklage – violin
    • PamKenyon Donald – production manager
    • Crystal Drummer – background vocals
    • Nathan East – bass
    • Fat Joe – featured artist, guest artist, primary artist
    • Lawrence Feldman – flute
    • Steve Ferrera – drums
    • Barry Finclair – violin
    • Angela Fisher – background vocals
    • Steve Fisher – assistant
    • Ghislaine Fleischmann – violin
    • Bruce Fraser – engineer
    • John Frye – mixing
    • Simon Fuller – management
    • Armen Garabedian – violin
    • Berj Garabedian – violin
    • Chris Gehringer – mastering
    • Serban Ghenea – mixing
    • Larry Gold – conductor, string arrangements
    • Peter Gordon – French horn
    • Gordon Goss – assistant engineer
    • Irv Gotti – producer
    • Hart Gunther – assistant engineer
    • Noel Hall – keyboards
    • Fred Hammond – drum programming, featured artist, guest artist, mixing, primary artist, vocals, background vocals
    • Ray Hammond – mixing engineer
    • Kevin Hanson – guitar
    • Andre Harris – instrumentation, mixing, producer
    • Dabling Harward – editing, engineer
    • Al Hemberger – engineer, mixing
    • Dino Hermann – Pro Tools
    • Kevin Hicks – producer
    • Larry Jackson –
      A&R
    • Mark Jaimes – guitar
    • Jazze Pha – producer
    • Suzie Katayama – cello
    • Rich Keller – mixing
    • Andrew Kennedy – background vocals
    • Eric King – background vocals
    • Olga Konopelsky – violin
    • Emma Kummrow – violin
    • Charlene Kwas – violin
    • Edward Lawson – background vocals
    • Ricky Lawson – drums
    • Chris LeBeau – artwork
    • Lil Ronnie – instrumentation, producer
    • Harold Lilly – producer, vocal producer, background vocals
    • Vince Lionti – viola
    • Richard Locker – cello
    • Jennie Lorenzo – cello
    • Kev Mahoney – assistant engineer
    • Harvey Mason Jr. – group member, producer
    • John McGlinchey – assistant
    • James McMillan – arranger, producer
    • Kevin Milburn – background vocals
    • David Earl Miller – choir/chorus, group member
    • Cindy Mizelle – guest artist, background vocals
    • Rob Mounsey – conductor, guest artist, keyboards, piano, string arrangements
    • Peter Murray – keyboards, piano
    • Peter Nocella – viola
    • Sid Page – violin
    • Alyssa Park – violin
    • Bob Peterson – violin
    • Greg Phillinganes – keyboards
    • Malcolm Pollack – engineer
    • Postmaster – programming
    • James Poyser – piano
    • Karie Prescott – viola
    • Pretty Tony – featured artist, guest artist, primary artist
    • Alex Reverberi – engineer
    • Michele Richards – violin
    • Tim Roberts – assistant
    • Mark Robertson – violin
    • Evan Rogers – producer
    • Jonn Savannah – Pro Tools
    • Jon Smeltz – mixing
    • Dan Smith – cello
    • Richard Sortomme – violin
    • Brian Springer – engineer
    • Ruben Studdard – primary artist, vocals, background vocals
    • Carl Sturken – guitar, keyboards, producer
    • Swizz Beatz – producer
    • Igor Szwec – violin
    • Damon Thomas – group member, producer
    • Gerard Thomas – producer
    • Michael Thompson – guitar
    • Tribe Called Judah – choir/chorus, group
    • The Underdogs – group, instrumentation, producer
    • Josefina Vergara – violin
    • Alonzo Vargas – assistant engineer
    • Tommie Walker – drum programming
    • Doc Wiley – engineer
    • Anthony Wilkins – background vocals
    • Evan Wilson – viola
    • Kevin Wilson – assistant engineer, engineer
    • Mike "Hitman" Wilson – engineer
    • John Wittenberg – violin
    • Joey Woolfalk – guitar
    • A.J. Wright – choir/chorus
    • Gavyn Wright – orchestra leader
    • Alexis Yraola – art direction, design
    • Helen Zeigler – choir/chorus, group member

    Charts

    Certifications

    Certifications and sales for Soulful
    Region Certification Certified units/sales
    United States (RIAA)[17] Platinum 1,000,000^

    ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

    See also

    References

    1. ^ a b c Browne, David (December 19, 2003). "Soulful". Entertainment Weekly. Time Inc. Retrieved August 9, 2011.
    2. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Soulful - Ruben Studdard". AllMusic. Retrieved August 9, 2011.
    3. ^ Album reviews at CD Universe
    4. ^ a b "Picks and Pans Review: Soulful". People. Time Inc. January 12, 2004. Retrieved November 25, 2012.
    5. ^ a b Walters, Barry (January 7, 2004). "Ruben Studdard: Soulful". Rolling Stone. Wenner Media. Archived from the original on January 1, 2009. Retrieved August 9, 2011.
    6. ^ a b Cinquemani, Sal (December 12, 2003). "Ruben Studdard - Soulful". Slant Magazine. Retrieved November 25, 2012.
    7. Gannett Company
      . Retrieved January 21, 2013.
    8. ^ "Ruben Studdard". Variety. 2004-03-28. Archived from the original on 2017-02-16.
    9. Phipps, Keith (December 16, 2003). "Ruben Studdard: Soulful". The A.V. Club. The Onion
      . Retrieved November 25, 2012.
    10. ^ Nelson, Chris (December 18, 2003). "Who Becomes An Idol Most?". The New York Times. Retrieved February 26, 2014.
    11. ^ Moss, Corey (March 7, 2006). "'American Idol': No Love For 'Idol' Losers". MTV. Archived from the original on April 11, 2006. Retrieved February 5, 2007.
    12. ^ "Soulful – Ruben Studdard | Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved December 8, 2016.
    13. ^ "Ruben Studdard Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved June 3, 2018.
    14. ^ "Ruben Studdard Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved June 3, 2018.
    15. ^ "Year-End Charts: Billboard 200 Albums - 2004". Billboard. Retrieved December 17, 2018.
    16. ^ "Year-End Charts: R&B/Hip-Hop Albums - 2004". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 19, 2015. Retrieved December 19, 2018.
    17. ^ "American album certifications – Ruben Studdard – Soulful". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved June 3, 2018.
    Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Soulful_(Ruben_Studdard_album)&oldid=1167645259"