Unexpected (Michelle Williams album)
Unexpected | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | August 12, 2008 | |||
Recorded | 2007–2008 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 43:27 | |||
Label |
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Producer |
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Michelle Williams chronology | ||||
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Singles from Unexpected | ||||
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Unexpected is the third solo
Recording sessions for the album originally began in 2005, with the songs being mostly mid-tempo
Upon its release, the album earned positive reviews from critics, with many complimenting Williams's decision to breakaway from her earlier projects, the album's production and the overall direction of the album. Unexpected debuted and peaked at number forty-two and number eleven on the US Billboard 200 and US Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts respectively, selling 14,618 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The album spawned three singles – "We Break the Dawn", which preceded the release of the album, "The Greatest" and "Hello Heartbreak".[1] Unexpected was Williams' last release through Columbia.
Background
With the release of two previous albums, Heart to Yours and Do You Know, Williams had established herself as a promising success in the gospel music industry, topping and dominating the US Billboard Gospel Albums chart in 2002,[3][4] selling over 200,000 units of her debut album[5] and 78,000 of her second.[6] Williams had also pursued acting, starring in the Broadway musical Aida in 2003[7][8] and the 2007 touring production of The Color Purple[9] which earned her an award for "Lead Female Actress" in 2008 at the 18th Annual NAACP Theatre Awards.[10] In addition to this, Williams made her television debut via three episodes on UPN's Half & Half as "Naomi".[11]
In 2005 however, during an interview with
Production and development
The "first sketch" of Unexpected is believed to have been made up of primarily contemporary R&B music, partially due to a previously-unreleased song titled "Stay for a Minute", dated to 2006, that Williams released for free online via her Twitter in 2010 and statements made by herself and former-bandmate Beyoncé in 2005 and 2006.[13] However, Williams explained throughout many of the promotional interviews and television appearances for the album, that her mother "challenged" her "to record another album" – something that "people could dance to" – and so Williams started recording songs that drew inspiration from dance and electronic music to form another album.
While explaining this story (shortly before performing) for Fox Light she heralded Unexpected as being "the best one out of two".[14][15][16] Williams discussed during interviews for FuseOnDemand and Fox News, that the album title came about after she was asked by her manager "to sum up" the "album with one word", at which point she replied "unexpected" and thus the album was titled.[15][17] With two chart-topping contemporary gospel albums to her name, Williams revealed the reason for the dramatic change in sound and genre for Unexpected in an interview with Clayton Perry of Blogcritics in which she cited her "heart" as her sole inspiration for the change she orchestrated – "not because people told [her] or people wanted [her] to" but because she "wanted to". She also discussed that it was during the production of Unexpected that she was introduced to and began experimenting with different "sound effects" and elements of electronic music.[18]
Release and promotion
The album's release date was first announced to be August 12, 2008, but was unexpectedly changed to October 7, 2008 to allow more time to promote the album.
Three singles were released in support of Unexpected. "
"
Critical reception
Aggregate scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
IOL | [41] |
Slant Magazine | [42] |
Vibe | (Positive)[43] |
Unexpected received positive reviews. At
Entertainment Weekly editor Josette Compton wrote that Unexpected "pumps with technodriven tracks like "Hello Heartbreak" (which is reminiscent of Kylie Minogue) and made-for-radio cuts like the lead off single, "We Break the Dawn." Although the album's effervescent club feel tapers off near the end, when the songs grow formulaic, the album's charm could still give Michelle Williams a shot at the charts."[40] Robin Carolan of Slant Magazine called the Unexpected a "fairly decent album and by far the least pretentious, unashamedly pop record to be made by a Destiny's Child member so far." She noted that Williams had "stepped outside of the confines of the church and into the dark of the clubs, embracing au courant euro-pop sounds, and it's a move that works well for her."[42] Andy Cooper, writing for Cross Rhythms, felt that "though the production quality is undoubtedly extremely high, the lyrical focus will be a big disappointment to anyone looking for some gospel inspiration. The teen girl audience would appear to be the target once again, and much digital trickery has been brought into play to help Michelle sound (and look) younger. It's a great R&B pop record musically, but with songs such as "Lucky Girl" and "Hungover" it's unexpectedly shallow."[39] Vibe magazine declared Unexpected "natural, pleasant and brutally honest, opening the eyes of those who slept on Williams' skills."[43]
Commercial performance
In October 2008, Unexpected debuted on the US
In January 2009, Williams confirmed in a video blog that she and a production team were putting the finishing touches for a remix version of the album due for release in North America and Asia[50] going on to later state in June 2009 via Twitter that Unexpected would receive a full UK re-release and that "Hello Heartbreak" would be the first single set for release in August 2009.[51] Williams also confirmed in July 2009 that the London division of Sony Music was considering a re-issue of the album which created the opportunity to record some new songs. Furthermore, she revealed that the new remix album was almost complete and puts a hip hop and/or jazz spin on some the original album's tracks. She also said that some of the new remixes could also be released as part of the UK re-issue.[52] However, by the end of 2009, no further confirmation or news concerning the remix album or UK re-release was provided and therefore it is most likely that the ideas were scrapped.
Track listing
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Unexpected" (Intro) | Raymond "Shonny B" Hilton | 0:44 | |
2. | " StarGate | 3:58 | ||
11. | "Unexpected" |
|
| 3:37 |
12. | "Thank U" |
|
| 3:45 |
13. | "Too Young for Love" |
| 3:56 |
3:53 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
14. | "Hello Heartbreak" (Matty's Body and Soul Mix) |
|
| 8:38 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
14. | "We Break the Dawn" (Karmatronic Radio Remix Edit) |
|
| 2:54 |
15. | "Hello Heartbreak" (Matty's Body and Soul Mix) |
|
| 8:38 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
15. | "We Break the Dawn" (music video) |
|
| 3:51 |
Notes
- ^[a] signifies vocal producer(s)
- ^[b] signifies co-producer(s)
- ^[c] signifies additional producer(s)
Personnel
Credits are taken from the album's liner notes.[53]
Performers
- Lead vocals – Michelle Williams
- Guest vocals – Flo Rida
- Backing vocals – Michelle Williams, Keli Nicole Price, LeChe D. Martin, Rico Love, Ravaughn Brown, Branden Burns, Treasure Dais
Musicians
- Bass guitar – Ethan Farmer, Frank Romano
- Guitar – Frank Romano
- Other instrumentation – Soulshock & Karlin, Jazz Nixon, Wayne Wilkins
Technical and production
- Soulshock & Karlin
- Engineering – Andrew Frampton, Dan Naim, Dave Lopez, Jazz Nixon, Joe Gonzalez, Mikkel S. Ericksen, Wayne Wilkins
- Engineering assistants – Christian Plata
- Mastering– Chris Gehringer
- Mixing – Dan Naim, Jean-Marie Horvat, Josh Butler, Manny Marroquin, Phil Tan, Wayne Wilkins
- Mixing assistants – Josh Houghkirk
- Soulshock & Karlin, Vyente Ruffin, Wayne Wilkins
- Programming – Andrew Frampton, Jason Pennock, Wayne Wilkins
- Vocal production – Rico Love
Charts
Chart (2008) | Peak position |
---|---|
Japanese Albums (Oricon)[54] | 115 |
38 | |
US Billboard 200[55] | 42 |
US | 24 |
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[57] | 11 |
Release history
Region | Date | Label |
---|---|---|
Japan[58] | August 12, 2008 | Sony BMG |
Chile[59] | September 26, 2008 | |
United Kingdom[60] | September 29, 2008 | |
Poland[61] | September 30, 2008 | |
United States[2] | October 7, 2008 | Columbia |
Europe[2] | December 5, 2008 | Sony BMG |
References
- ^ a b c "Williams In A Dance Mood On Second Solo Disc". Billboard.com. Retrieved March 22, 2008.
- ^ a b c Unexpected: Michelle Williams: Music
- Billboard.com. Retrieved January 15, 2011.
- ^ "Ask Billboard: Another Child of Destiny". Billboard. Retrieved April 28, 2008.
- ^ Ogunnaike, Lola (November 14, 2004). "Beyoncé's Second Date With Destiny's Child". The New York Times. Retrieved April 17, 2008.
- ^ "Williams In A Dance Mood On Third Solo Disc". Billboard. Retrieved April 28, 2008.
- ^ Reid, Shaheem (November 5, 2003). "DC's Michelle Williams Preps For 'Aida,' Plans To 'Keep It Real' On Next Solo LP". MTV. Retrieved April 25, 2011.
- Playbill.com. Archived from the originalon October 21, 2012. Retrieved April 25, 2011.
- ^ Chaundy, Joanna (2007). "DESTINY'S MICHELLE WILLIAMS TO STAR IN COLOUR PURPLE". Blues & Soul. Retrieved April 25, 2011.
- playbill.com. Archived from the originalon October 21, 2012. Retrieved April 26, 2011.
- ^ a b Lu, Angela (February 14, 2006). "Michelle Williams Takes HIV-Positive Role For TV-Acting Debut". MTV. Retrieved April 25, 2011.
- ^ Moss, Corey (September 21, 2005). "Destiny's Child Look Back With #1's Before Going Their Separate Ways". MTV. Retrieved April 25, 2011.
- ^ "Michelle Williams Interview and Promotion On Loose Women (UK)". Loose Women. Retrieved January 8, 2011.[dead YouTube link]
- ^ "Michelle Williams Interview". FuseOnDemand. 2008. Archived from the original on August 15, 2012. Retrieved January 8, 2011.
- ^ a b "Michelle Williams – Fox News NY 06.08". Fox News. Retrieved January 8, 2011.[dead YouTube link]
- ^ "Michelle Williams – The Greatest (Live @ FOX Light)". Fox Light. Retrieved January 8, 2011.
- ^ "Michelle Williams Interview (February 2010)". FuseOnDemand. February 2010. Retrieved January 8, 2011.
- ^ Perry, Clayton (November 4, 2008). "Interview: Michelle Williams (of Destiny's Child) – Singer and Actress". Blogcritics. Retrieved January 8, 2011.
- ^ a b Melinda (July 23, 2008). "Interview: Michelle Williams (of Destiny's Child) – Singer and Actress". RnB Music Blod. Archived from the original on September 15, 2011. Retrieved January 8, 2011.
- ^ "Blazing Swarm: Solange – 12 Unreleased Tracks". Blazing Swarm. April 26, 2010. Retrieved April 26, 2011.
- Billboard.com.
- ^ Joszor, Njai (July 11, 2008). "Michelle Williams Dances Straight To #1 With 'We Break The Dawn'". Singersroom.com. Archived from the original on January 5, 2013. Retrieved April 12, 2011.
- ^ "The Official Charts Company – Michelle Williams – We Break The Dawn". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 30, 2011.
- Mahasz. Mahasz.
- ^ "Michelle Williams – We Break the Dawn MP3 Downloads – 7digital". 7digital. Billboard. Archived from the original on December 26, 2010. Retrieved January 15, 2011.
- ^ "VIDEO: MICHELLE WILLIAMS – 'THE GREATEST'". Rap-Up. October 21, 2008. Retrieved April 26, 2011.
- ^ a b "Michelle Williams – Allmusic – Billboard Singles". Allmusic. Retrieved April 30, 2011.
- ^ "ew Video: Michelle Williams – The Greatest – Digg". Neon Limelight. Digg. Archived from the original on January 21, 2013. Retrieved January 15, 2011.
- ^ "Video Premiere: Michelle Williams' 'The Greatest'". Ace Showbiz. October 21, 2008.
{{cite web}}
: Missing or empty|url=
(help) - ^ Thomas, R. (October 21, 2008). "Video Review: Michelle Williams – "The Greatest"". Slant Magazine. Archived from the original on June 5, 2011. Retrieved April 30, 2011.
- ^ "MICHELLE MAKES BILLBOARD'S BEST OF 2000S LIST". Michelle Williams Online. December 11, 2009. Archived from the original on January 13, 2010. Retrieved January 11, 2010.
- ^ "United States Hot Dance Club Songs Best of the Decade". Billboard (Nielsen Business Media). Retrieved 14 August 2010.
- ^ Williams, Michelle (June 27, 2009). "Hello Heartbreak is gonna be my UK single being released in July!!!! Yayyyyyyyyy!!!!". Twitter. Retrieved April 30, 2011.
- Billboard.com. 2008.[dead link]
- ^ a b "Unexpected reviews at Metacritic.com". Metacritic.
- ^ About.com. Archived from the originalon June 15, 2011. Retrieved January 8, 2011.
- Allmusic. Retrieved January 8, 2011.
- ^ Billboard.com.
- ^ a b Cooper, Andy. "Michelle Williams – Unexpected". Cross Rhythms. Retrieved January 8, 2011.
- ^ a b Compton, Josette (September 30, 2008). "Unexpected". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved August 25, 2023.
- IOL. 28 January 2009. Retrieved 22 August 2017.
- ^ a b Carolan, Robin (October 6, 2008). "Michelle Williams: Unexpected". Slant Magazine. Retrieved January 8, 2011.
- ^ Vibe Magazine. 2008. Archived from the originalon 2008-10-13. Retrieved 2008-10-24.
- ^ "MICHELLE WILLIAMS: Destiny's offspring". Blues & Soul.
- ^ "Hits Daily Double: Previous Album Sales Chart". HITS Daily Double. Archived from the original on January 25, 2013. Retrieved September 6, 2012.
- ^ "Unexpected – Michelle Williams". Billboard. Retrieved January 8, 2011.
- ^ a b "Official R&B Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 25, 2020.
- ^ "Michelle Williams Parts Ways With Mathew Knowles' Management". Billboard. Retrieved January 13, 2013.
- ^ Caulfield, Keith (April 20, 2013). "Michelle Williams Prepping Fourth Album, Due This Summer". Billboard. Retrieved April 20, 2013.
- ^ "Video Blog Goodness: Michelle Williams Talks Unexpected Remix Album, Lashes Out At Haters". Neon Limelight. Retrieved January 13, 2009.
- ^ "RealMichelleW: Hello Heartbreak is gonna be my UK single being released in July!!!! Yayyyyyyyyy!!!!". Twitter. Retrieved June 27, 2009.
- ^ "Music – Interview – Michelle Williams". Digital Spy. 29 June 2009. Retrieved June 29, 2009.
- ^ Music World Entertainment (2008). Michelle Williams – Unexpected (liner notes). Columbia Records.
- ^ "アンエクスペクテッド | ミッシェル・ウィリアムス | ORICON NEWS" (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on February 12, 2022. Retrieved February 12, 2022 – via Wayback Machine.
- ^ "Michelle Williams Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved December 29, 2012.
- ^ "Michelle Williams Chart History (Digital Albums)".[dead link] Billboard. Retrieved October 2, 2021.
- ^ "Michelle Williams Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved December 29, 2012.
- ^ "Unexpected(2BonusTracks)[CD] -Michelle Williams". HMV. Retrieved April 26, 2011.
- ^ Bazuca Archived 2011-07-07 at the Wayback Machine Unexpected by Michelle Williams, Chilean release date.
- ^ "Michelle Williams (Destinys Child): Unexpected (2008): CD: hmv.com". HMV. Retrieved April 26, 2011.
- ^ SonyBMG Archived 2007-12-24 at the Wayback Machine