Simply Deep
Encyclopedia
Simply Deep is the debut solo album by American
singer Kelly Rowland
, first released by Columbia Records
on October 28, 2002 in North America, and by February 3, 2003 throughout most international territories. Recorded within the three weeks during the hiatus of former group Destiny's Child
and upon the success of worldwide number-one hit single "Dilemma
", a collaboration with rapper Nelly
, the album facilitated Rowland in becoming a viable solo star. The album features guest appearances from Nelly
, Solange Knowles
and Joe Budden
.
Simply Deep debuted and peaked at number twelve on the Billboard 200
in the US, selling 77,000 copies on the first week. It eventually sold 600,000 copies and was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America
in 2003. The album also topped the UK Albums Chart
. It garnered two nominations at the TMF Awards
at Holland, and eventually won both trophies, including Best R&B International Artist. The single "Dilemma" won a Grammy Award for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration with Nelly
. Simply Deep has sold more than 2 million copies worldwide, becoming one of the most successful albums of 2003.
In late-2003, nearly a year after Simply Deeps initial release, Rowland embarked on a European tour, the Simply Deeper Tour
, to promote the album. Visiting seventeen venues, Rowland embarked on the tour in the United Kingdom
on September 13, 2003 and concluded it on October 6, 2003 in Paris, France.
group Destiny's Child
in the late 1990s. While recording their third studio album, Survivor, in late 2000, the band announced that members of the group would disband for a short period to produce solo albums in the coming years, which they hoped would boost interest in Destiny's Child. The idea of individual releases emanated from the group's manager, Mathew Knowles
. With different types of music for each member to produce, the albums were not intended to compete on the charts as Destiny's Child's management strategically planned to stagger the release of each group member's album to maximise sales. While Michelle Williams
became the first to release a debut solo album, Heart to Yours
, in April 2002, Knowles debuted on the big screen, starring in the comedy film Austin Powers in Goldmember
, and started recording her solo debut Dangerously in Love
(2003). Meanwhile, Rowland collaborated with American rapper Nelly
on the song "Dilemma
" as a featured artist. The second single to be lifted from the his album Nellyville
(2002), it became a worldwide number-one hit that year, leading her label Columbia Records
to advance the release date of her debut solo album from 2003 to late 2002.
and Sound-on-Sound Studio in New York
, Stankonia Recording Studio in Atlanta
, Audio Vision Recording Studios in Miami Beach
, and The Enterprise in Burbank
, Henson Recording Studios
and The Record Plant in Los Angeles
, Heeba Jeeba Studios in Sherman Oaks and the Real FM Sound and Nature's Finest Studios in Hollywood. Several record producers and songwriters collaborated with Rowland on the album, including Damon Elliott
, Mark J. Feist
, Rob Fusari
, Rich Harrison
, Teron Beal
, Billy Mann, Damon Sharpe
, and Robert "Big Bert" Smith
, the latter who contributed "Love/Hate," a song co-written by fellow singer Brandy
. Solange Knowles
, Beyoncé's younger sister, wrote and co-produced three songs on Simply Deep.
Rowland who felt pressured by high exepectations, coming from Destiny's Child, was initially terrified by recording solo. "It was a challenge and I did that creatively and vocally," she later revealed, "I was very nervous, but I came through with flying colors because of my family and, of course, Destiny's Child. There were days in the studio where I would run out, like, 'I'm frustrated! I don't wanna do this!' And they would calm me and tell me that everything was gonna be okay. I got through it because of them." Rowland eventually overcame her fears during the process as her newfound independence offered her an opportunity to branch out and try new things. In fact, she co-wrote three songs on the album and came up with the vocal arrangements for several tracks. Musically, the album took Rowland's solo work further into an alternative music mixture, which she described as a "weired fusion [of] a little bit of Sade
and a little bit of rock
."
in collaboration with Music World Music on October 28, 2002 in both the United States
and Canada
. The album would not be released worldwide until February 3, 2003. The album yielded three singles. "Stole
," a rock pop-influenced mid-tempo track about loss, was released as the album's lead single. The song entered the top twenty on the majority of the charts it appeared on, reaching the top five in Australia
, Ireland
, New Zealand
and the United Kingdom
, where it remains her highest-charting solo single to date.
The album's second single was an up-tempo track entitled "Can't Nobody
". The final single, "Train on a Track
", was featured on the soundtrack of the romantic comedy
film Maid in Manhattan
(2003).
gave the album a generally favorable review, writing that "on the whole the album sticks closely to the standard urban-diva formula, mixing garage twitchers with the usual billing and cooing on ballads such as "Haven't Told You". But it's all done with style and intelligence, whether she's luxuriating in the loneliness of "Everytime You Walk Out That Door" or evoking the momentum of the first flush of love in "Train on a Track"." Lisa Verrico of The Times
stated "on first listen, Simply Deep does everything but live up to its title. It sounds like a shallow stroll through the poppier end of urban music [...] But give it another listen and [it] does grow on you if you’re looking for an easy-on-the-ear album. It is a pleasant listen." Joy Dunbar, writing for BBC Music
, noted that while "the albums main weakness is that it tries to offer too much diversity and Kelly tries too hard to stand outside her former incarnation," it was a must-have for fans of R&B music, adding: "Simply Deep endeavours to demonstrate another side of Kelly Rowland, as a song writer and an independent solo artist [...] The in frequent high points make this a must for your collection."
In her review for Simply Deep, Caroline Sullivan of The Guardian
wrote, "Rowland is no longer a mere backing vocalist for Beyoncé Knowles
. But while she undoubtedly has talent to burn, her first solo album is a mildly disappointing setting for it. A top-flight example of the American inclination toward lush but lightweight soul, it makes all the right R&B noises without engaging the emotions." She gave it three out of five stars. Sal Cinquemani of Slant
dismissed the ballads on Simply Deep as "all gloppy-goo and no soul; but through it all Rowland manages to keep her cool. The album's best tracks, the light and breezy "Train on a Track" and "(Love Lives In) Strange Places," infuse the singer's lush harmonies with acoustic guitars and poetic wordplay." He especially criticized Solange Knowles
' contribution to the album, noting her "icky [and] laughable lyrics" as the worst on Simply Deep which he rated two and a half out of five stars. Jon Caramanica of Entertainment Weekly
commented that "Rowland, at times, seems like Destiny's adopted child, never receiving a full helping of Knowles-family adulation. Alas, her first solo project doesn't pull her out from Beyonce's shadow. She needs added star power: Her backup-singer instincts leave even the hottest songs herre feeling somewhat chilly." Craig Seymour
of Vibe was generally disappointed with the album, writing: "Rowland's solo album marks an attempt to further establish herself as a singular talent, but the effort is as misguided as the Nelly hookup was savvy [...] An abundance of of cheesy folk/R&B numbers make Rowland come off like Brandy
fronting as India.Arie
." He gave Simply Deep one and a half out of five stars.
, the official albums chart in the United States, on November 9, 2002, selling 77,000 units in its first week of release. Simultaneously, the album also charted on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
tally, reaching number three behind LL Cool J
's 10
(2002) and Gerald Levert
's The G Spot (2002). By the end of the year, Simply Deep was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America
(RIAA). It went on to sell more than 600,000 copies in the U.S.
Released to even bigger success in international territories, in the United Kingdom, the album debuted at number-one on the UK Albums Chart
on February 15, 2003, selling more than 100,000 copies in its first week. It received both a silver and a gold certification by the British Phonographic Industry
(BPI) the following week, and by April 2011, had been certified platinum for shipping 300,000 units. Simply Deep also reached the top spot on the Irish Albums Chart
and was certified gold by the Irish Recorded Music Association
(IRMA). Elsewhere in Europe, the album managed to enter the top ten in Denmark and the top twenty in Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, and Switzerland. Across Oceania, it placed fifth and seventh on the Australian and the New Zealand Albums Chart, in the week of January 26, 2003,
Simply Deep is the debut solo album by American
singer Kelly Rowland
, first released by Columbia Records
on October 28, 2002 in North America, and by February 3, 2003 throughout most international territories. Recorded within the three weeks during the hiatus of former group Destiny's Child
and upon the success of worldwide number-one hit single "Dilemma
", a collaboration with rapper Nelly
, the album facilitated Rowland in becoming a viable solo star. The album features guest appearances from Nelly
, Solange Knowles
and Joe Budden
.
Simply Deep debuted and peaked at number twelve on the Billboard 200
in the US, selling 77,000 copies on the first week. It eventually sold 600,000 copies and was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America
in 2003. The album also topped the UK Albums Chart
. It garnered two nominations at the TMF Awards
at Holland, and eventually won both trophies, including Best R&B International Artist. The single "Dilemma" won a Grammy Award for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration with Nelly
. Simply Deep has sold more than 2 million copies worldwide, becoming one of the most successful albums of 2003.
In late-2003, nearly a year after Simply Deeps initial release, Rowland embarked on a European tour, the Simply Deeper Tour
, to promote the album. Visiting seventeen venues, Rowland embarked on the tour in the United Kingdom
on September 13, 2003 and concluded it on October 6, 2003 in Paris, France.
group Destiny's Child
in the late 1990s. While recording their third studio album, Survivor, in late 2000, the band announced that members of the group would disband for a short period to produce solo albums in the coming years, which they hoped would boost interest in Destiny's Child. The idea of individual releases emanated from the group's manager, Mathew Knowles
. With different types of music for each member to produce, the albums were not intended to compete on the charts as Destiny's Child's management strategically planned to stagger the release of each group member's album to maximise sales. While Michelle Williams
became the first to release a debut solo album, Heart to Yours
, in April 2002, Knowles debuted on the big screen, starring in the comedy film Austin Powers in Goldmember
, and started recording her solo debut Dangerously in Love
(2003). Meanwhile, Rowland collaborated with American rapper Nelly
on the song "Dilemma
" as a featured artist. The second single to be lifted from the his album Nellyville
(2002), it became a worldwide number-one hit that year, leading her label Columbia Records
to advance the release date of her debut solo album from 2003 to late 2002.
and Sound-on-Sound Studio in New York
, Stankonia Recording Studio in Atlanta
, Audio Vision Recording Studios in Miami Beach
, and The Enterprise in Burbank
, Henson Recording Studios
and The Record Plant in Los Angeles
, Heeba Jeeba Studios in Sherman Oaks and the Real FM Sound and Nature's Finest Studios in Hollywood. Several record producers and songwriters collaborated with Rowland on the album, including Damon Elliott
, Mark J. Feist
, Rob Fusari
, Rich Harrison
, Teron Beal
, Billy Mann, Damon Sharpe
, and Robert "Big Bert" Smith
, the latter who contributed "Love/Hate," a song co-written by fellow singer Brandy
. Solange Knowles
, Beyoncé's younger sister, wrote and co-produced three songs on Simply Deep.
Rowland who felt pressured by high exepectations, coming from Destiny's Child, was initially terrified by recording solo. "It was a challenge and I did that creatively and vocally," she later revealed, "I was very nervous, but I came through with flying colors because of my family and, of course, Destiny's Child. There were days in the studio where I would run out, like, 'I'm frustrated! I don't wanna do this!' And they would calm me and tell me that everything was gonna be okay. I got through it because of them." Rowland eventually overcame her fears during the process as her newfound independence offered her an opportunity to branch out and try new things. Musically, the album took Rowland's solo work further into an alternative music mixture, which she described as a "weired fusion [of] a little bit of Sade
and a little bit of rock
."
in collaboration with Music World Music on October 28, 2002 in both the United States
and Canada
. The album would not be released worldwide until February 3, 2003. The album yielded three singles. "Stole
," a rock pop-influenced mid-tempo track about loss, was released as the album's lead single. The song entered the top twenty on the majority of the charts it appeared on, reaching the top five in Australia
, Ireland
, New Zealand
and the United Kingdom
, where it remains her highest-charting solo single to date.
The album's second single was an up-tempo track entitled "Can't Nobody
". The final single, "Train on a Track
", was featured on the soundtrack of the romantic comedy
film Maid in Manhattan
(2003).
gave the album a generally favorable review, writing that "on the whole the album sticks closely to the standard urban-diva formula, mixing garage twitchers with the usual billing and cooing on ballads such as "Haven't Told You". But it's all done with style and intelligence, whether she's luxuriating in the loneliness of "Everytime You Walk Out That Door" or evoking the momentum of the first flush of love in "Train on a Track"." Lisa Verrico of The Times
stated "on first listen, Simply Deep does everything but live up to its title. It sounds like a shallow stroll through the poppier end of urban music [...] But give it another listen and [it] does grow on you if you’re looking for an easy-on-the-ear album. It is a pleasant listen." Joy Dunbar, writing for BBC Music
, noted that while "the albums main weakness is that it tries to offer too much diversity and Kelly tries too hard to stand outside her former incarnation," it was a must-have for fans of R&B music, adding: "Simply Deep endeavours to demonstrate another side of Kelly Rowland, as a song writer and an independent solo artist [...] The in frequent high points make this a must for your collection."
In her review for Simply Deep, Caroline Sullivan of The Guardian
wrote, "Rowland is no longer a mere backing vocalist for Beyoncé Knowles
. But while she undoubtedly has talent to burn, her first solo album is a mildly disappointing setting for it. A top-flight example of the American inclination toward lush but lightweight soul, it makes all the right R&B noises without engaging the emotions." She gave it three out of five stars. Sal Cinquemani of Slant
dismissed the ballads on Simply Deep as "all gloppy-goo and no soul; but through it all Rowland manages to keep her cool. The album's best tracks, the light and breezy "Train on a Track" and "(Love Lives In) Strange Places," infuse the singer's lush harmonies with acoustic guitars and poetic wordplay." He especially criticized Solange Knowles
' contribution to the album, noting her "icky [and] laughable lyrics" as the worst on Simply Deep which he rated two and a half out of five stars. Jon Caramanica of Entertainment Weekly
commented that "Rowland, at times, seems like Destiny's adopted child, never receiving a full helping of Knowles-family adulation. Alas, her first solo project doesn't pull her out from Beyonce's shadow. She needs added star power: Her backup-singer instincts leave even the hottest songs herre feeling somewhat chilly." Craig Seymour
of Vibe was generally disappointed with the album, writing: "Rowland's solo album marks an attempt to further establish herself as a singular talent, but the effort is as misguided as the Nelly hookup was savvy [...] An abundance of of cheesy folk/R&B numbers make Rowland come off like Brandy
fronting as India.Arie
." He gave Simply Deep one and a half out of five stars.
, the official albums chart in the United States, on November 9, 2002, selling 77,000 units in its first week of release. Simultaneously, the album also charted on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
tally, reaching number three behind LL Cool J
's 10
(2002) and Gerald Levert
's The G Spot (2002). By the end of the year, Simply Deep was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America
(RIAA). It went on to sell more than 600,000 copies in the U.S.
Released to even bigger success in international territories, in the United Kingdom, the album debuted at number-one on the UK Albums Chart
on February 15, 2003, selling more than 100,000 copies in its first week. It received both a silver and a gold certification by the British Phonographic Industry
(BPI) the following week, and by April 2011, had been certified platinum for shipping 300,000 units. Simply Deep also reached the top spot on the Irish Albums Chart
and was certified gold by the Irish Recorded Music Association
(IRMA). Elsewhere in Europe, the album managed to enter the top ten in Denmark and the top twenty in Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, and Switzerland. Across Oceania, it placed fifth and seventh on the Australian and the New Zealand Albums Chart, in the week of January 26, 2003,
Simply Deep is the debut solo album by American
singer Kelly Rowland
, first released by Columbia Records
on October 28, 2002 in North America, and by February 3, 2003 throughout most international territories. Recorded within the three weeks during the hiatus of former group Destiny's Child
and upon the success of worldwide number-one hit single "Dilemma
", a collaboration with rapper Nelly
, the album facilitated Rowland in becoming a viable solo star. The album features guest appearances from Nelly
, Solange Knowles
and Joe Budden
.
Simply Deep debuted and peaked at number twelve on the Billboard 200
in the US, selling 77,000 copies on the first week. It eventually sold 600,000 copies and was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America
in 2003. The album also topped the UK Albums Chart
. It garnered two nominations at the TMF Awards
at Holland, and eventually won both trophies, including Best R&B International Artist. The single "Dilemma" won a Grammy Award for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration with Nelly
. Simply Deep has sold more than 2 million copies worldwide, becoming one of the most successful albums of 2003.
In late-2003, nearly a year after Simply Deeps initial release, Rowland embarked on a European tour, the Simply Deeper Tour
, to promote the album. Visiting seventeen venues, Rowland embarked on the tour in the United Kingdom
on September 13, 2003 and concluded it on October 6, 2003 in Paris, France.
group Destiny's Child
in the late 1990s. While recording their third studio album, Survivor, in late 2000, the band announced that members of the group would disband for a short period to produce solo albums in the coming years, which they hoped would boost interest in Destiny's Child. The idea of individual releases emanated from the group's manager, Mathew Knowles
. With different types of music for each member to produce, the albums were not intended to compete on the charts as Destiny's Child's management strategically planned to stagger the release of each group member's album to maximise sales. While Michelle Williams
became the first to release a debut solo album, Heart to Yours
, in April 2002, Knowles debuted on the big screen, starring in the comedy film Austin Powers in Goldmember
, and started recording her solo debut Dangerously in Love
(2003). Meanwhile, Rowland collaborated with American rapper Nelly
on the song "Dilemma
" as a featured artist. The second single to be lifted from the his album Nellyville
(2002), it became a worldwide number-one hit that year, leading her label Columbia Records
to advance the release date of her debut solo album from 2003 to late 2002.
and Sound-on-Sound Studio in New York
, Stankonia Recording Studio in Atlanta
, Audio Vision Recording Studios in Miami Beach
, and The Enterprise in Burbank
, Henson Recording Studios
and The Record Plant in Los Angeles
, Heeba Jeeba Studios in Sherman Oaks and the Real FM Sound and Nature's Finest Studios in Hollywood. Several record producers and songwriters collaborated with Rowland on the album, including Damon Elliott
, Mark J. Feist
, Rob Fusari
, Rich Harrison
, Teron Beal
, Billy Mann, Damon Sharpe
, and Robert "Big Bert" Smith
, the latter who contributed "Love/Hate," a song co-written by fellow singer Brandy
. Solange Knowles
, Beyoncé's younger sister, wrote and co-produced three songs on Simply Deep.
Rowland who felt pressured by high exepectations, coming from Destiny's Child, was initially terrified by recording solo. "It was a challenge and I did that creatively and vocally," she later revealed, "I was very nervous, but I came through with flying colors because of my family and, of course, Destiny's Child. There were days in the studio where I would run out, like, 'I'm frustrated! I don't wanna do this!' And they would calm me and tell me that everything was gonna be okay. I got through it because of them." Rowland eventually overcame her fears during the process as her newfound independence offered her an opportunity to branch out and try new things. Musically, the album took Rowland's solo work further into an alternative music mixture, which she described as a "weired fusion [of] a little bit of Sade
and a little bit of rock
."
in collaboration with Music World Music on October 28, 2002 in both the United States
and Canada
. The album would not be released worldwide until February 3, 2003. The album yielded three singles. "Stole
," a rock pop-influenced mid-tempo track about loss, was released as the album's lead single. The song entered the top twenty on the majority of the charts it appeared on, reaching the top five in Australia
, Ireland
, New Zealand
and the United Kingdom
, where it remains her highest-charting solo single to date.
The album's second single was an up-tempo track entitled "Can't Nobody
". The final single, "Train on a Track
", was featured on the soundtrack of the romantic comedy
film Maid in Manhattan
(2003).
gave the album a generally favorable review, writing that "on the whole the album sticks closely to the standard urban-diva formula, mixing garage twitchers with the usual billing and cooing on ballads such as "Haven't Told You". But it's all done with style and intelligence, whether she's luxuriating in the loneliness of "Everytime You Walk Out That Door" or evoking the momentum of the first flush of love in "Train on a Track"." Lisa Verrico of The Times
stated "on first listen, Simply Deep does everything but live up to its title. It sounds like a shallow stroll through the poppier end of urban music [...] But give it another listen and [it] does grow on you if you’re looking for an easy-on-the-ear album. It is a pleasant listen." Joy Dunbar, writing for BBC Music
, noted that while "the albums main weakness is that it tries to offer too much diversity and Kelly tries too hard to stand outside her former incarnation," it was a must-have for fans of R&B music, adding: "Simply Deep endeavours to demonstrate another side of Kelly Rowland, as a song writer and an independent solo artist [...] The in frequent high points make this a must for your collection."
In her review for Simply Deep, Caroline Sullivan of The Guardian
wrote, "Rowland is no longer a mere backing vocalist for Beyoncé Knowles
. But while she undoubtedly has talent to burn, her first solo album is a mildly disappointing setting for it. A top-flight example of the American inclination toward lush but lightweight soul, it makes all the right R&B noises without engaging the emotions." She gave it three out of five stars. Sal Cinquemani of Slant
dismissed the ballads on Simply Deep as "all gloppy-goo and no soul; but through it all Rowland manages to keep her cool. The album's best tracks, the light and breezy "Train on a Track" and "(Love Lives In) Strange Places," infuse the singer's lush harmonies with acoustic guitars and poetic wordplay." He especially criticized Solange Knowles
' contribution to the album, noting her "icky [and] laughable lyrics" as the worst on Simply Deep which he rated two and a half out of five stars. Jon Caramanica of Entertainment Weekly
commented that "Rowland, at times, seems like Destiny's adopted child, never receiving a full helping of Knowles-family adulation. Alas, her first solo project doesn't pull her out from Beyonce's shadow. She needs added star power: Her backup-singer instincts leave even the hottest songs herre feeling somewhat chilly." Craig Seymour
of Vibe was generally disappointed with the album, writing: "Rowland's solo album marks an attempt to further establish herself as a singular talent, but the effort is as misguided as the Nelly hookup was savvy [...] An abundance of of cheesy folk/R&B numbers make Rowland come off like Brandy
fronting as India.Arie
." He gave Simply Deep one and a half out of five stars.
, the official albums chart in the United States, on November 9, 2002, selling 77,000 units in its first week of release. Simultaneously, the album also charted on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
tally, reaching number three behind LL Cool J
's 10
(2002) and Gerald Levert
's The G Spot (2002). By the end of the year, Simply Deep was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America
(RIAA). It went on to sell more than 600,000 copies in the U.S.
Released to even bigger success in international territories, in the United Kingdom, the album debuted at number-one on the UK Albums Chart
on February 15, 2003, selling more than 100,000 copies in its first week. It received both a silver and a gold certification by the British Phonographic Industry
(BPI) the following week, and by April 2011, had been certified platinum for shipping 300,000 units. Simply Deep also reached the top spot on the Irish Albums Chart
and was certified gold by the Irish Recorded Music Association
(IRMA). Elsewhere in Europe, the album managed to enter the top ten in Denmark and the top twenty in Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, and Switzerland. Across Oceania, it placed fifth and seventh on the Australian and the New Zealand Albums Chart, in the week of January 26, 2003, and was certified gold by both the Australian Recording Industry Association
(ARIA) and the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand
(RIANZ). In addition, the album became a gold-seller in Canada
, Hong Kong
and Singapore
, resulting into a worldwide sales total of two million copies, making it Rowland's best-selling solo album to date.
Managerial and imagery
Performance credits
Instruments
Technical and production
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singer Kelly Rowland
Kelly Rowland
Kelendria Trene "Kelly" Rowland is an American singer, songwriter, actress, dancer, and television personality. She rose to fame as one of the founding members of the American girl group Destiny's Child...
, first released by Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
on October 28, 2002 in North America, and by February 3, 2003 throughout most international territories. Recorded within the three weeks during the hiatus of former group Destiny's Child
Destiny's Child
Destiny's Child was an American R&B girl group whose final line-up comprised lead singer Beyoncé Knowles alongside Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams. Formed in 1997 in Houston, Texas, Destiny's Child members began their musical endeavors in their pre-teens under the name Girl's Tyme...
and upon the success of worldwide number-one hit single "Dilemma
Dilemma (song)
"Dilemma" is a song by the American rapper Nelly, featuring R&B singer Kelly Rowland. The single was released in 2002 from the Nelly's album Nellyville, and Rowland's album Simply Deep...
", a collaboration with rapper Nelly
Nelly
Cornell Iral Haynes, Jr. , better known by his stage name Nelly, is an Grammy Award winning American rapper and actor. He has performed with the rap group St. Lunatics since 1993 and signed to Universal Records in 1999. Under Universal, Nelly began his solo career in 2000 with his debut album...
, the album facilitated Rowland in becoming a viable solo star. The album features guest appearances from Nelly
Nelly
Cornell Iral Haynes, Jr. , better known by his stage name Nelly, is an Grammy Award winning American rapper and actor. He has performed with the rap group St. Lunatics since 1993 and signed to Universal Records in 1999. Under Universal, Nelly began his solo career in 2000 with his debut album...
, Solange Knowles
Solange Knowles
Solange Piaget Knowles , who performs under the mononym Solange, is an American singer-songwriter, actress, model, dancer, and DJ. Knowles was born and raised in Houston, Texas along with her older sister singer Beyoncé, a former member of R&B group Destiny's Child...
and Joe Budden
Joe Budden
-Early life:Budden was born in Spanish Harlem, but lived in Queens until he was 12 and from there moved to Jersey City, New Jersey. He is one of five boys...
.
Simply Deep debuted and peaked at number twelve on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
in the US, selling 77,000 copies on the first week. It eventually sold 600,000 copies and was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
in 2003. The album also topped the UK Albums Chart
UK Albums Chart
The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
. It garnered two nominations at the TMF Awards
TMF Awards
The TMF Awards are an annual television awards show broadcast live on TMF .The first Dutch TMF Awards were held in 1995, as a brand extension to the recently launched local Dutch music channel TMF. The show was very small and held in the company cafeteria...
at Holland, and eventually won both trophies, including Best R&B International Artist. The single "Dilemma" won a Grammy Award for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration with Nelly
Nelly
Cornell Iral Haynes, Jr. , better known by his stage name Nelly, is an Grammy Award winning American rapper and actor. He has performed with the rap group St. Lunatics since 1993 and signed to Universal Records in 1999. Under Universal, Nelly began his solo career in 2000 with his debut album...
. Simply Deep has sold more than 2 million copies worldwide, becoming one of the most successful albums of 2003.
In late-2003, nearly a year after Simply Deeps initial release, Rowland embarked on a European tour, the Simply Deeper Tour
Simply Deeper Tour
The Simply Deeper Tour was a 2003 European concert tour by American pop/R&B singer Kelly Rowland, to help promote her debut solo album Simply Deep.It is estimated the tour grossed over $16 million based on 17 concerts reported to Billboard....
, to promote the album. Visiting seventeen venues, Rowland embarked on the tour in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
on September 13, 2003 and concluded it on October 6, 2003 in Paris, France.
Background
Rowland launched her singing career with all-female R&BContemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B is a music genre that combines elements of hip hop, soul, R&B and funk.Although the abbreviation “R&B” originates from traditional rhythm and blues music, today the term R&B is most often used to describe a style of African American music originating after the demise of disco in...
group Destiny's Child
Destiny's Child
Destiny's Child was an American R&B girl group whose final line-up comprised lead singer Beyoncé Knowles alongside Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams. Formed in 1997 in Houston, Texas, Destiny's Child members began their musical endeavors in their pre-teens under the name Girl's Tyme...
in the late 1990s. While recording their third studio album, Survivor, in late 2000, the band announced that members of the group would disband for a short period to produce solo albums in the coming years, which they hoped would boost interest in Destiny's Child. The idea of individual releases emanated from the group's manager, Mathew Knowles
Mathew Knowles
Mathew Knowles is an American music executive and manager. He is the father and former manager of R&B singer Beyoncé , Knowles also managed Kelly Rowland as well as girl group Destiny's Child . He was also the manager of Solange Knowles.-Manager and producer:Knowles is an alumnus of Fisk...
. With different types of music for each member to produce, the albums were not intended to compete on the charts as Destiny's Child's management strategically planned to stagger the release of each group member's album to maximise sales. While Michelle Williams
Michelle Williams (singer)
Tenitra Michelle Williams , commonly known as Michelle Williams, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer and actress...
became the first to release a debut solo album, Heart to Yours
Heart to Yours
Heart to Yours is the first solo album by American singer Michelle Williams. Released on April 16, 2002, by Sanctuary and Columbia Records it became the first solo release of any Destiny's Child member...
, in April 2002, Knowles debuted on the big screen, starring in the comedy film Austin Powers in Goldmember
Austin Powers in Goldmember
Austin Powers in Goldmember is a 2002 American spy comedy film and the third installment of the Austin Powers series starring Mike Myers in the title role. The movie was directed by Jay Roach, and co-written by Mike Myers and Michael McCullers. Myers also plays the roles of Dr. Evil, Goldmember,...
, and started recording her solo debut Dangerously in Love
Dangerously in Love
Dangerously in Love is the debut solo album of American R&B singer Beyoncé Knowles, released on June 22, 2003, by Columbia Records. Recording sessions for the album took place in 2002 to 2003 at several studios, during the hiatus of her then-group Destiny's Child...
(2003). Meanwhile, Rowland collaborated with American rapper Nelly
Nelly
Cornell Iral Haynes, Jr. , better known by his stage name Nelly, is an Grammy Award winning American rapper and actor. He has performed with the rap group St. Lunatics since 1993 and signed to Universal Records in 1999. Under Universal, Nelly began his solo career in 2000 with his debut album...
on the song "Dilemma
Dilemma (song)
"Dilemma" is a song by the American rapper Nelly, featuring R&B singer Kelly Rowland. The single was released in 2002 from the Nelly's album Nellyville, and Rowland's album Simply Deep...
" as a featured artist. The second single to be lifted from the his album Nellyville
Nellyville
- Personnel :Credits for Nellyville adapted from Allmusic.* Nelly - Executive Producer* Ryan Bowser - Producer* Sandy Brummels - Art Direction* C-Love - Executive Producer* Luis Conte - Percussion* James Duncan - Assistant Engineer...
(2002), it became a worldwide number-one hit that year, leading her label Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
to advance the release date of her debut solo album from 2003 to late 2002.
Recording
To get done within deadline, the singer was forced to rush the album within three weeks only. Recording sessions for the album took place at several recording studios, including Studio 353, The Hit FactoryThe Hit Factory
The Hit Factory was a recording studio in New York City famous for its clientele. It was officially closed for business April 1, 2005 whereas other Hit Factory studio locations remained open, such as in Miami, Florida.-History:...
and Sound-on-Sound Studio in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, Stankonia Recording Studio in Atlanta
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
, Audio Vision Recording Studios in Miami Beach
Miami Beach, Florida
Miami Beach is a coastal resort city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States, incorporated on March 26, 1915. The municipality is located on a barrier island between the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay, the latter which separates the Beach from Miami city proper...
, and The Enterprise in Burbank
Burbank, California
Burbank is a city in Los Angeles County in Southern California, United States, north of downtown Los Angeles. The estimated population in 2010 was 103,340....
, Henson Recording Studios
Henson Recording Studios
Henson Recording Studios was established in 2000 at the former A&M Studios. The remake of We Are the World was recorded at Henson Recording Studios in February 2010 to benefit the Haiti earthquake victims....
and The Record Plant in Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, Heeba Jeeba Studios in Sherman Oaks and the Real FM Sound and Nature's Finest Studios in Hollywood. Several record producers and songwriters collaborated with Rowland on the album, including Damon Elliott
Damon Elliott
Damon Elliott , commonly known as Dame, is an American producer, writer, composer, recording artist and entrepreneur. His production genre’s include pop, hip hop, rock, R&B, gospel, and more recently, country....
, Mark J. Feist
Mark J. Feist
Mark J. Feist is a multi-platinum producer/songwriter who has contributed to the sale of over 25 million records worldwide. Feist currently resides in Los Angeles, California.- Early Age :...
, Rob Fusari
Rob Fusari
Rob Fusari is a record producer and songwriter, possibly best known for his work with American recording artist Lady Gaga.-Early life:Born and raised in Livingston, New Jersey, Fusari began studying classical piano at age eight, and became so skilled as a pianist, that he started performing in...
, Rich Harrison
Rich Harrison
Rich Harrison is a Grammy Award-winning record producer and songwriter from Washington, D.C.. He is primarily an R&B/Hip-Hop producer...
, Teron Beal
Teron Beal
Teron Beal is an American singer/songwriter born in Tyler, Texas. He has also written songs for Michael Jackson, Jennifer Lopez, P!nk, Kelly Rowland, Chrisette Michele, Robyn, Jaheim and others....
, Billy Mann, Damon Sharpe
Damon Sharpe
Damon Sharpe is an award-winning music producer and songwriter who works in Los Angeles. He has contributed many recognizable songs to popular culture and has been involved with the production of various popular albums that cumulatively have sold over 34 million copies.-Early life:Sharpe was born...
, and Robert "Big Bert" Smith
Big Bert
Robert Anthony Smith, professionally known as Big Bert or Robert Anthony, is an American record producer, composer, songwriter and musician, who made his break in the industry when Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins consulted him to join his Darkchild collective in the late 1990s...
, the latter who contributed "Love/Hate," a song co-written by fellow singer Brandy
Brandy Norwood
Brandy Rayana Norwood , known professionally as Brandy, is an American singer-songwriter, producer, actress, and dancer. In 2009, she introduced her rap alter-ego Bran'Nu....
. Solange Knowles
Solange Knowles
Solange Piaget Knowles , who performs under the mononym Solange, is an American singer-songwriter, actress, model, dancer, and DJ. Knowles was born and raised in Houston, Texas along with her older sister singer Beyoncé, a former member of R&B group Destiny's Child...
, Beyoncé's younger sister, wrote and co-produced three songs on Simply Deep.
Rowland who felt pressured by high exepectations, coming from Destiny's Child, was initially terrified by recording solo. "It was a challenge and I did that creatively and vocally," she later revealed, "I was very nervous, but I came through with flying colors because of my family and, of course, Destiny's Child. There were days in the studio where I would run out, like, 'I'm frustrated! I don't wanna do this!' And they would calm me and tell me that everything was gonna be okay. I got through it because of them." Rowland eventually overcame her fears during the process as her newfound independence offered her an opportunity to branch out and try new things. In fact, she co-wrote three songs on the album and came up with the vocal arrangements for several tracks. Musically, the album took Rowland's solo work further into an alternative music mixture, which she described as a "weired fusion [of] a little bit of Sade
Sade (band)
Sade is a British smooth jazz band that formed in 1983, named for Nigerian lead singer Sade Adu. Their music features elements of R&B, soul, jazz, and soft rock....
and a little bit of rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
."
Release
Simply Deep was released through Columbia RecordsColumbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
in collaboration with Music World Music on October 28, 2002 in both the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. The album would not be released worldwide until February 3, 2003. The album yielded three singles. "Stole
Stole (song)
"Stole" is a song by American singer Kelly Rowland. It was written and co-produced by Dane Deviller, Sean Hosein and Steve Kipner and recorded for Rowland's solo album Simply Deep...
," a rock pop-influenced mid-tempo track about loss, was released as the album's lead single. The song entered the top twenty on the majority of the charts it appeared on, reaching the top five in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
and the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, where it remains her highest-charting solo single to date.
The album's second single was an up-tempo track entitled "Can't Nobody
Can't Nobody
"Can't Nobody" is an R&B song performed by American singer Kelly Rowland. Penned and produced by Rich Harrison for Rowland's solo debut album Simply Deep , it incorporates elements of Trouble Funk's 1982 record "Let's Get Small", written by band members Robert "Syke Dyke" Reed and Tony Fisher.The...
". The final single, "Train on a Track
Train on a Track
"Train on a Track" is a pop/R&B song written by American producer Rob Fusari, Tiaa Wells, Balewa Muhammad and Sylvester Jordan for Kelly Rowland's solo debut album Simply Deep . It also was co-produced by Fusari and received a generally positive reception from music critics...
", was featured on the soundtrack of the romantic comedy
Romantic Comedy
Romantic Comedy can refer to* Romantic Comedy , a 1979 play written by Bernard Slade* Romantic Comedy , a 1983 film adapted from the play and starring Dudley Moore and Mary Steenburgen...
film Maid in Manhattan
Maid in Manhattan
Maid in Manhattan is a 2002 romantic comedy film directed by Wayne Wang about a hotel maid and a high profile politician who fall in love starring Jennifer Lopez, Ralph Fiennes, and Natasha Richardson. It is based on a story by John Hughes who is credited using a pseudonym. The original music score...
(2003).
Critical reception
Upon its release, Simply Deep received generally mixed to lukewarm reviews from most music critics. British morning newspaper The IndependentThe Independent
The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
gave the album a generally favorable review, writing that "on the whole the album sticks closely to the standard urban-diva formula, mixing garage twitchers with the usual billing and cooing on ballads such as "Haven't Told You". But it's all done with style and intelligence, whether she's luxuriating in the loneliness of "Everytime You Walk Out That Door" or evoking the momentum of the first flush of love in "Train on a Track"." Lisa Verrico of The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
stated "on first listen, Simply Deep does everything but live up to its title. It sounds like a shallow stroll through the poppier end of urban music [...] But give it another listen and [it] does grow on you if you’re looking for an easy-on-the-ear album. It is a pleasant listen." Joy Dunbar, writing for BBC Music
BBC Music
BBC Music is a team working in the department of Audio and Music Interactive at the BBC. Responsible for the BBC Music website - the portal site to music content across the BBC website....
, noted that while "the albums main weakness is that it tries to offer too much diversity and Kelly tries too hard to stand outside her former incarnation," it was a must-have for fans of R&B music, adding: "Simply Deep endeavours to demonstrate another side of Kelly Rowland, as a song writer and an independent solo artist [...] The in frequent high points make this a must for your collection."
In her review for Simply Deep, Caroline Sullivan of The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
wrote, "Rowland is no longer a mere backing vocalist for Beyoncé Knowles
Beyoncé Knowles
Beyoncé Giselle Knowles , often known simply as Beyoncé, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, she enrolled in various performing arts schools and was first exposed to singing and dancing competitions as a child...
. But while she undoubtedly has talent to burn, her first solo album is a mildly disappointing setting for it. A top-flight example of the American inclination toward lush but lightweight soul, it makes all the right R&B noises without engaging the emotions." She gave it three out of five stars. Sal Cinquemani of Slant
Slant Magazine
Slant Magazine is an online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New York Film Festival.- History :...
dismissed the ballads on Simply Deep as "all gloppy-goo and no soul; but through it all Rowland manages to keep her cool. The album's best tracks, the light and breezy "Train on a Track" and "(Love Lives In) Strange Places," infuse the singer's lush harmonies with acoustic guitars and poetic wordplay." He especially criticized Solange Knowles
Solange Knowles
Solange Piaget Knowles , who performs under the mononym Solange, is an American singer-songwriter, actress, model, dancer, and DJ. Knowles was born and raised in Houston, Texas along with her older sister singer Beyoncé, a former member of R&B group Destiny's Child...
' contribution to the album, noting her "icky [and] laughable lyrics" as the worst on Simply Deep which he rated two and a half out of five stars. Jon Caramanica of Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
commented that "Rowland, at times, seems like Destiny's adopted child, never receiving a full helping of Knowles-family adulation. Alas, her first solo project doesn't pull her out from Beyonce's shadow. She needs added star power: Her backup-singer instincts leave even the hottest songs herre feeling somewhat chilly." Craig Seymour
Craig Seymour
Craig Seymour is an American writer, photographer, celebrity interviewer, music critic and former stripper. He was born in Washington, D.C.. He has written for The Washington Post, Entertainment Weekly, Vibe, and Spin, among other publications, and has served as pop music critic for The Buffalo...
of Vibe was generally disappointed with the album, writing: "Rowland's solo album marks an attempt to further establish herself as a singular talent, but the effort is as misguided as the Nelly hookup was savvy [...] An abundance of of cheesy folk/R&B numbers make Rowland come off like Brandy
Brandy Norwood
Brandy Rayana Norwood , known professionally as Brandy, is an American singer-songwriter, producer, actress, and dancer. In 2009, she introduced her rap alter-ego Bran'Nu....
fronting as India.Arie
India.Arie
India.Arie is a Grammy Award-winning American singer-songwriter and record producer . She has sold over 3.3 million records in the U.S. and 10 million worldwide. She has won four Grammy Awards from her 21 nominations, including Best R&B Album.-Background:Simpson was born in Denver, Colorado...
." He gave Simply Deep one and a half out of five stars.
Commercial performance
Simply Deep peaked at number twelve on the Billboard 200Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
, the official albums chart in the United States, on November 9, 2002, selling 77,000 units in its first week of release. Simultaneously, the album also charted on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The name of the chart was changed from Top R&B Albums in 1999...
tally, reaching number three behind LL Cool J
LL Cool J
James Todd Smith , better known as LL Cool J , is an American rapper, entrepreneur, and actor...
's 10
10 (LL Cool J album)
-Charts:Albums – Billboard Singles – Billboard...
(2002) and Gerald Levert
Gerald Levert
Gerald Levert was an American R&B singer. Gerald Levert sang with his brother, Sean Levert, and friend Marc Gordon in the R&B trio LeVert. He was also a part of LSG, an R&B supergroup comprising Keith Sweat, Johnny Gill, and Levert...
's The G Spot (2002). By the end of the year, Simply Deep was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
(RIAA). It went on to sell more than 600,000 copies in the U.S.
Released to even bigger success in international territories, in the United Kingdom, the album debuted at number-one on the UK Albums Chart
UK Albums Chart
The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
on February 15, 2003, selling more than 100,000 copies in its first week. It received both a silver and a gold certification by the British Phonographic Industry
British Phonographic Industry
The British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association.-Structure:Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all four "major" record companies , associate members such as manufacturers and distributors, and hundreds of independent music companies...
(BPI) the following week, and by April 2011, had been certified platinum for shipping 300,000 units. Simply Deep also reached the top spot on the Irish Albums Chart
Irish Albums Chart
The Irish Albums Chart is the Irish music industry standard albums popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on its behalf by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured electronically...
and was certified gold by the Irish Recorded Music Association
Irish Recorded Music Association
Irish Recorded Music Association is the Irish record industry association. IRMA is a non-profit association set up to manage and control the music industry in the Republic of Ireland.-Goals and activities:...
(IRMA). Elsewhere in Europe, the album managed to enter the top ten in Denmark and the top twenty in Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, and Switzerland. Across Oceania, it placed fifth and seventh on the Australian and the New Zealand Albums Chart, in the week of January 26, 2003,
Simply Deep is the debut solo album by American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singer Kelly Rowland
Kelly Rowland
Kelendria Trene "Kelly" Rowland is an American singer, songwriter, actress, dancer, and television personality. She rose to fame as one of the founding members of the American girl group Destiny's Child...
, first released by Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
on October 28, 2002 in North America, and by February 3, 2003 throughout most international territories. Recorded within the three weeks during the hiatus of former group Destiny's Child
Destiny's Child
Destiny's Child was an American R&B girl group whose final line-up comprised lead singer Beyoncé Knowles alongside Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams. Formed in 1997 in Houston, Texas, Destiny's Child members began their musical endeavors in their pre-teens under the name Girl's Tyme...
and upon the success of worldwide number-one hit single "Dilemma
Dilemma (song)
"Dilemma" is a song by the American rapper Nelly, featuring R&B singer Kelly Rowland. The single was released in 2002 from the Nelly's album Nellyville, and Rowland's album Simply Deep...
", a collaboration with rapper Nelly
Nelly
Cornell Iral Haynes, Jr. , better known by his stage name Nelly, is an Grammy Award winning American rapper and actor. He has performed with the rap group St. Lunatics since 1993 and signed to Universal Records in 1999. Under Universal, Nelly began his solo career in 2000 with his debut album...
, the album facilitated Rowland in becoming a viable solo star. The album features guest appearances from Nelly
Nelly
Cornell Iral Haynes, Jr. , better known by his stage name Nelly, is an Grammy Award winning American rapper and actor. He has performed with the rap group St. Lunatics since 1993 and signed to Universal Records in 1999. Under Universal, Nelly began his solo career in 2000 with his debut album...
, Solange Knowles
Solange Knowles
Solange Piaget Knowles , who performs under the mononym Solange, is an American singer-songwriter, actress, model, dancer, and DJ. Knowles was born and raised in Houston, Texas along with her older sister singer Beyoncé, a former member of R&B group Destiny's Child...
and Joe Budden
Joe Budden
-Early life:Budden was born in Spanish Harlem, but lived in Queens until he was 12 and from there moved to Jersey City, New Jersey. He is one of five boys...
.
Simply Deep debuted and peaked at number twelve on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
in the US, selling 77,000 copies on the first week. It eventually sold 600,000 copies and was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
in 2003. The album also topped the UK Albums Chart
UK Albums Chart
The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
. It garnered two nominations at the TMF Awards
TMF Awards
The TMF Awards are an annual television awards show broadcast live on TMF .The first Dutch TMF Awards were held in 1995, as a brand extension to the recently launched local Dutch music channel TMF. The show was very small and held in the company cafeteria...
at Holland, and eventually won both trophies, including Best R&B International Artist. The single "Dilemma" won a Grammy Award for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration with Nelly
Nelly
Cornell Iral Haynes, Jr. , better known by his stage name Nelly, is an Grammy Award winning American rapper and actor. He has performed with the rap group St. Lunatics since 1993 and signed to Universal Records in 1999. Under Universal, Nelly began his solo career in 2000 with his debut album...
. Simply Deep has sold more than 2 million copies worldwide, becoming one of the most successful albums of 2003.
In late-2003, nearly a year after Simply Deeps initial release, Rowland embarked on a European tour, the Simply Deeper Tour
Simply Deeper Tour
The Simply Deeper Tour was a 2003 European concert tour by American pop/R&B singer Kelly Rowland, to help promote her debut solo album Simply Deep.It is estimated the tour grossed over $16 million based on 17 concerts reported to Billboard....
, to promote the album. Visiting seventeen venues, Rowland embarked on the tour in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
on September 13, 2003 and concluded it on October 6, 2003 in Paris, France.
Background
Rowland launched her singing career with all-female R&BContemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B is a music genre that combines elements of hip hop, soul, R&B and funk.Although the abbreviation “R&B” originates from traditional rhythm and blues music, today the term R&B is most often used to describe a style of African American music originating after the demise of disco in...
group Destiny's Child
Destiny's Child
Destiny's Child was an American R&B girl group whose final line-up comprised lead singer Beyoncé Knowles alongside Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams. Formed in 1997 in Houston, Texas, Destiny's Child members began their musical endeavors in their pre-teens under the name Girl's Tyme...
in the late 1990s. While recording their third studio album, Survivor, in late 2000, the band announced that members of the group would disband for a short period to produce solo albums in the coming years, which they hoped would boost interest in Destiny's Child. The idea of individual releases emanated from the group's manager, Mathew Knowles
Mathew Knowles
Mathew Knowles is an American music executive and manager. He is the father and former manager of R&B singer Beyoncé , Knowles also managed Kelly Rowland as well as girl group Destiny's Child . He was also the manager of Solange Knowles.-Manager and producer:Knowles is an alumnus of Fisk...
. With different types of music for each member to produce, the albums were not intended to compete on the charts as Destiny's Child's management strategically planned to stagger the release of each group member's album to maximise sales. While Michelle Williams
Michelle Williams (singer)
Tenitra Michelle Williams , commonly known as Michelle Williams, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer and actress...
became the first to release a debut solo album, Heart to Yours
Heart to Yours
Heart to Yours is the first solo album by American singer Michelle Williams. Released on April 16, 2002, by Sanctuary and Columbia Records it became the first solo release of any Destiny's Child member...
, in April 2002, Knowles debuted on the big screen, starring in the comedy film Austin Powers in Goldmember
Austin Powers in Goldmember
Austin Powers in Goldmember is a 2002 American spy comedy film and the third installment of the Austin Powers series starring Mike Myers in the title role. The movie was directed by Jay Roach, and co-written by Mike Myers and Michael McCullers. Myers also plays the roles of Dr. Evil, Goldmember,...
, and started recording her solo debut Dangerously in Love
Dangerously in Love
Dangerously in Love is the debut solo album of American R&B singer Beyoncé Knowles, released on June 22, 2003, by Columbia Records. Recording sessions for the album took place in 2002 to 2003 at several studios, during the hiatus of her then-group Destiny's Child...
(2003). Meanwhile, Rowland collaborated with American rapper Nelly
Nelly
Cornell Iral Haynes, Jr. , better known by his stage name Nelly, is an Grammy Award winning American rapper and actor. He has performed with the rap group St. Lunatics since 1993 and signed to Universal Records in 1999. Under Universal, Nelly began his solo career in 2000 with his debut album...
on the song "Dilemma
Dilemma (song)
"Dilemma" is a song by the American rapper Nelly, featuring R&B singer Kelly Rowland. The single was released in 2002 from the Nelly's album Nellyville, and Rowland's album Simply Deep...
" as a featured artist. The second single to be lifted from the his album Nellyville
Nellyville
- Personnel :Credits for Nellyville adapted from Allmusic.* Nelly - Executive Producer* Ryan Bowser - Producer* Sandy Brummels - Art Direction* C-Love - Executive Producer* Luis Conte - Percussion* James Duncan - Assistant Engineer...
(2002), it became a worldwide number-one hit that year, leading her label Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
to advance the release date of her debut solo album from 2003 to late 2002.
Recording
To get done within deadline, the singer was forced to rush the album within three weeks only. Recording sessions for the album took place at several recording studios, including Studio 353, The Hit FactoryThe Hit Factory
The Hit Factory was a recording studio in New York City famous for its clientele. It was officially closed for business April 1, 2005 whereas other Hit Factory studio locations remained open, such as in Miami, Florida.-History:...
and Sound-on-Sound Studio in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, Stankonia Recording Studio in Atlanta
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
, Audio Vision Recording Studios in Miami Beach
Miami Beach, Florida
Miami Beach is a coastal resort city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States, incorporated on March 26, 1915. The municipality is located on a barrier island between the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay, the latter which separates the Beach from Miami city proper...
, and The Enterprise in Burbank
Burbank, California
Burbank is a city in Los Angeles County in Southern California, United States, north of downtown Los Angeles. The estimated population in 2010 was 103,340....
, Henson Recording Studios
Henson Recording Studios
Henson Recording Studios was established in 2000 at the former A&M Studios. The remake of We Are the World was recorded at Henson Recording Studios in February 2010 to benefit the Haiti earthquake victims....
and The Record Plant in Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, Heeba Jeeba Studios in Sherman Oaks and the Real FM Sound and Nature's Finest Studios in Hollywood. Several record producers and songwriters collaborated with Rowland on the album, including Damon Elliott
Damon Elliott
Damon Elliott , commonly known as Dame, is an American producer, writer, composer, recording artist and entrepreneur. His production genre’s include pop, hip hop, rock, R&B, gospel, and more recently, country....
, Mark J. Feist
Mark J. Feist
Mark J. Feist is a multi-platinum producer/songwriter who has contributed to the sale of over 25 million records worldwide. Feist currently resides in Los Angeles, California.- Early Age :...
, Rob Fusari
Rob Fusari
Rob Fusari is a record producer and songwriter, possibly best known for his work with American recording artist Lady Gaga.-Early life:Born and raised in Livingston, New Jersey, Fusari began studying classical piano at age eight, and became so skilled as a pianist, that he started performing in...
, Rich Harrison
Rich Harrison
Rich Harrison is a Grammy Award-winning record producer and songwriter from Washington, D.C.. He is primarily an R&B/Hip-Hop producer...
, Teron Beal
Teron Beal
Teron Beal is an American singer/songwriter born in Tyler, Texas. He has also written songs for Michael Jackson, Jennifer Lopez, P!nk, Kelly Rowland, Chrisette Michele, Robyn, Jaheim and others....
, Billy Mann, Damon Sharpe
Damon Sharpe
Damon Sharpe is an award-winning music producer and songwriter who works in Los Angeles. He has contributed many recognizable songs to popular culture and has been involved with the production of various popular albums that cumulatively have sold over 34 million copies.-Early life:Sharpe was born...
, and Robert "Big Bert" Smith
Big Bert
Robert Anthony Smith, professionally known as Big Bert or Robert Anthony, is an American record producer, composer, songwriter and musician, who made his break in the industry when Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins consulted him to join his Darkchild collective in the late 1990s...
, the latter who contributed "Love/Hate," a song co-written by fellow singer Brandy
Brandy Norwood
Brandy Rayana Norwood , known professionally as Brandy, is an American singer-songwriter, producer, actress, and dancer. In 2009, she introduced her rap alter-ego Bran'Nu....
. Solange Knowles
Solange Knowles
Solange Piaget Knowles , who performs under the mononym Solange, is an American singer-songwriter, actress, model, dancer, and DJ. Knowles was born and raised in Houston, Texas along with her older sister singer Beyoncé, a former member of R&B group Destiny's Child...
, Beyoncé's younger sister, wrote and co-produced three songs on Simply Deep.
Rowland who felt pressured by high exepectations, coming from Destiny's Child, was initially terrified by recording solo. "It was a challenge and I did that creatively and vocally," she later revealed, "I was very nervous, but I came through with flying colors because of my family and, of course, Destiny's Child. There were days in the studio where I would run out, like, 'I'm frustrated! I don't wanna do this!' And they would calm me and tell me that everything was gonna be okay. I got through it because of them." Rowland eventually overcame her fears during the process as her newfound independence offered her an opportunity to branch out and try new things. Musically, the album took Rowland's solo work further into an alternative music mixture, which she described as a "weired fusion [of] a little bit of Sade
Sade (band)
Sade is a British smooth jazz band that formed in 1983, named for Nigerian lead singer Sade Adu. Their music features elements of R&B, soul, jazz, and soft rock....
and a little bit of rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
."
Release
Simply Deep was released through Columbia RecordsColumbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
in collaboration with Music World Music on October 28, 2002 in both the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. The album would not be released worldwide until February 3, 2003. The album yielded three singles. "Stole
Stole (song)
"Stole" is a song by American singer Kelly Rowland. It was written and co-produced by Dane Deviller, Sean Hosein and Steve Kipner and recorded for Rowland's solo album Simply Deep...
," a rock pop-influenced mid-tempo track about loss, was released as the album's lead single. The song entered the top twenty on the majority of the charts it appeared on, reaching the top five in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
and the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, where it remains her highest-charting solo single to date.
The album's second single was an up-tempo track entitled "Can't Nobody
Can't Nobody
"Can't Nobody" is an R&B song performed by American singer Kelly Rowland. Penned and produced by Rich Harrison for Rowland's solo debut album Simply Deep , it incorporates elements of Trouble Funk's 1982 record "Let's Get Small", written by band members Robert "Syke Dyke" Reed and Tony Fisher.The...
". The final single, "Train on a Track
Train on a Track
"Train on a Track" is a pop/R&B song written by American producer Rob Fusari, Tiaa Wells, Balewa Muhammad and Sylvester Jordan for Kelly Rowland's solo debut album Simply Deep . It also was co-produced by Fusari and received a generally positive reception from music critics...
", was featured on the soundtrack of the romantic comedy
Romantic Comedy
Romantic Comedy can refer to* Romantic Comedy , a 1979 play written by Bernard Slade* Romantic Comedy , a 1983 film adapted from the play and starring Dudley Moore and Mary Steenburgen...
film Maid in Manhattan
Maid in Manhattan
Maid in Manhattan is a 2002 romantic comedy film directed by Wayne Wang about a hotel maid and a high profile politician who fall in love starring Jennifer Lopez, Ralph Fiennes, and Natasha Richardson. It is based on a story by John Hughes who is credited using a pseudonym. The original music score...
(2003).
Critical reception
Upon its release, Simply Deep received generally mixed to lukewarm reviews from most music critics. British morning newspaper The IndependentThe Independent
The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
gave the album a generally favorable review, writing that "on the whole the album sticks closely to the standard urban-diva formula, mixing garage twitchers with the usual billing and cooing on ballads such as "Haven't Told You". But it's all done with style and intelligence, whether she's luxuriating in the loneliness of "Everytime You Walk Out That Door" or evoking the momentum of the first flush of love in "Train on a Track"." Lisa Verrico of The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
stated "on first listen, Simply Deep does everything but live up to its title. It sounds like a shallow stroll through the poppier end of urban music [...] But give it another listen and [it] does grow on you if you’re looking for an easy-on-the-ear album. It is a pleasant listen." Joy Dunbar, writing for BBC Music
BBC Music
BBC Music is a team working in the department of Audio and Music Interactive at the BBC. Responsible for the BBC Music website - the portal site to music content across the BBC website....
, noted that while "the albums main weakness is that it tries to offer too much diversity and Kelly tries too hard to stand outside her former incarnation," it was a must-have for fans of R&B music, adding: "Simply Deep endeavours to demonstrate another side of Kelly Rowland, as a song writer and an independent solo artist [...] The in frequent high points make this a must for your collection."
In her review for Simply Deep, Caroline Sullivan of The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
wrote, "Rowland is no longer a mere backing vocalist for Beyoncé Knowles
Beyoncé Knowles
Beyoncé Giselle Knowles , often known simply as Beyoncé, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, she enrolled in various performing arts schools and was first exposed to singing and dancing competitions as a child...
. But while she undoubtedly has talent to burn, her first solo album is a mildly disappointing setting for it. A top-flight example of the American inclination toward lush but lightweight soul, it makes all the right R&B noises without engaging the emotions." She gave it three out of five stars. Sal Cinquemani of Slant
Slant Magazine
Slant Magazine is an online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New York Film Festival.- History :...
dismissed the ballads on Simply Deep as "all gloppy-goo and no soul; but through it all Rowland manages to keep her cool. The album's best tracks, the light and breezy "Train on a Track" and "(Love Lives In) Strange Places," infuse the singer's lush harmonies with acoustic guitars and poetic wordplay." He especially criticized Solange Knowles
Solange Knowles
Solange Piaget Knowles , who performs under the mononym Solange, is an American singer-songwriter, actress, model, dancer, and DJ. Knowles was born and raised in Houston, Texas along with her older sister singer Beyoncé, a former member of R&B group Destiny's Child...
' contribution to the album, noting her "icky [and] laughable lyrics" as the worst on Simply Deep which he rated two and a half out of five stars. Jon Caramanica of Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
commented that "Rowland, at times, seems like Destiny's adopted child, never receiving a full helping of Knowles-family adulation. Alas, her first solo project doesn't pull her out from Beyonce's shadow. She needs added star power: Her backup-singer instincts leave even the hottest songs herre feeling somewhat chilly." Craig Seymour
Craig Seymour
Craig Seymour is an American writer, photographer, celebrity interviewer, music critic and former stripper. He was born in Washington, D.C.. He has written for The Washington Post, Entertainment Weekly, Vibe, and Spin, among other publications, and has served as pop music critic for The Buffalo...
of Vibe was generally disappointed with the album, writing: "Rowland's solo album marks an attempt to further establish herself as a singular talent, but the effort is as misguided as the Nelly hookup was savvy [...] An abundance of of cheesy folk/R&B numbers make Rowland come off like Brandy
Brandy Norwood
Brandy Rayana Norwood , known professionally as Brandy, is an American singer-songwriter, producer, actress, and dancer. In 2009, she introduced her rap alter-ego Bran'Nu....
fronting as India.Arie
India.Arie
India.Arie is a Grammy Award-winning American singer-songwriter and record producer . She has sold over 3.3 million records in the U.S. and 10 million worldwide. She has won four Grammy Awards from her 21 nominations, including Best R&B Album.-Background:Simpson was born in Denver, Colorado...
." He gave Simply Deep one and a half out of five stars.
Commercial performance
Simply Deep peaked at number twelve on the Billboard 200Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
, the official albums chart in the United States, on November 9, 2002, selling 77,000 units in its first week of release. Simultaneously, the album also charted on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The name of the chart was changed from Top R&B Albums in 1999...
tally, reaching number three behind LL Cool J
LL Cool J
James Todd Smith , better known as LL Cool J , is an American rapper, entrepreneur, and actor...
's 10
10 (LL Cool J album)
-Charts:Albums – Billboard Singles – Billboard...
(2002) and Gerald Levert
Gerald Levert
Gerald Levert was an American R&B singer. Gerald Levert sang with his brother, Sean Levert, and friend Marc Gordon in the R&B trio LeVert. He was also a part of LSG, an R&B supergroup comprising Keith Sweat, Johnny Gill, and Levert...
's The G Spot (2002). By the end of the year, Simply Deep was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
(RIAA). It went on to sell more than 600,000 copies in the U.S.
Released to even bigger success in international territories, in the United Kingdom, the album debuted at number-one on the UK Albums Chart
UK Albums Chart
The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
on February 15, 2003, selling more than 100,000 copies in its first week. It received both a silver and a gold certification by the British Phonographic Industry
British Phonographic Industry
The British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association.-Structure:Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all four "major" record companies , associate members such as manufacturers and distributors, and hundreds of independent music companies...
(BPI) the following week, and by April 2011, had been certified platinum for shipping 300,000 units. Simply Deep also reached the top spot on the Irish Albums Chart
Irish Albums Chart
The Irish Albums Chart is the Irish music industry standard albums popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on its behalf by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured electronically...
and was certified gold by the Irish Recorded Music Association
Irish Recorded Music Association
Irish Recorded Music Association is the Irish record industry association. IRMA is a non-profit association set up to manage and control the music industry in the Republic of Ireland.-Goals and activities:...
(IRMA). Elsewhere in Europe, the album managed to enter the top ten in Denmark and the top twenty in Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, and Switzerland. Across Oceania, it placed fifth and seventh on the Australian and the New Zealand Albums Chart, in the week of January 26, 2003,
Simply Deep is the debut solo album by American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singer Kelly Rowland
Kelly Rowland
Kelendria Trene "Kelly" Rowland is an American singer, songwriter, actress, dancer, and television personality. She rose to fame as one of the founding members of the American girl group Destiny's Child...
, first released by Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
on October 28, 2002 in North America, and by February 3, 2003 throughout most international territories. Recorded within the three weeks during the hiatus of former group Destiny's Child
Destiny's Child
Destiny's Child was an American R&B girl group whose final line-up comprised lead singer Beyoncé Knowles alongside Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams. Formed in 1997 in Houston, Texas, Destiny's Child members began their musical endeavors in their pre-teens under the name Girl's Tyme...
and upon the success of worldwide number-one hit single "Dilemma
Dilemma (song)
"Dilemma" is a song by the American rapper Nelly, featuring R&B singer Kelly Rowland. The single was released in 2002 from the Nelly's album Nellyville, and Rowland's album Simply Deep...
", a collaboration with rapper Nelly
Nelly
Cornell Iral Haynes, Jr. , better known by his stage name Nelly, is an Grammy Award winning American rapper and actor. He has performed with the rap group St. Lunatics since 1993 and signed to Universal Records in 1999. Under Universal, Nelly began his solo career in 2000 with his debut album...
, the album facilitated Rowland in becoming a viable solo star. The album features guest appearances from Nelly
Nelly
Cornell Iral Haynes, Jr. , better known by his stage name Nelly, is an Grammy Award winning American rapper and actor. He has performed with the rap group St. Lunatics since 1993 and signed to Universal Records in 1999. Under Universal, Nelly began his solo career in 2000 with his debut album...
, Solange Knowles
Solange Knowles
Solange Piaget Knowles , who performs under the mononym Solange, is an American singer-songwriter, actress, model, dancer, and DJ. Knowles was born and raised in Houston, Texas along with her older sister singer Beyoncé, a former member of R&B group Destiny's Child...
and Joe Budden
Joe Budden
-Early life:Budden was born in Spanish Harlem, but lived in Queens until he was 12 and from there moved to Jersey City, New Jersey. He is one of five boys...
.
Simply Deep debuted and peaked at number twelve on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
in the US, selling 77,000 copies on the first week. It eventually sold 600,000 copies and was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
in 2003. The album also topped the UK Albums Chart
UK Albums Chart
The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
. It garnered two nominations at the TMF Awards
TMF Awards
The TMF Awards are an annual television awards show broadcast live on TMF .The first Dutch TMF Awards were held in 1995, as a brand extension to the recently launched local Dutch music channel TMF. The show was very small and held in the company cafeteria...
at Holland, and eventually won both trophies, including Best R&B International Artist. The single "Dilemma" won a Grammy Award for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration with Nelly
Nelly
Cornell Iral Haynes, Jr. , better known by his stage name Nelly, is an Grammy Award winning American rapper and actor. He has performed with the rap group St. Lunatics since 1993 and signed to Universal Records in 1999. Under Universal, Nelly began his solo career in 2000 with his debut album...
. Simply Deep has sold more than 2 million copies worldwide, becoming one of the most successful albums of 2003.
In late-2003, nearly a year after Simply Deeps initial release, Rowland embarked on a European tour, the Simply Deeper Tour
Simply Deeper Tour
The Simply Deeper Tour was a 2003 European concert tour by American pop/R&B singer Kelly Rowland, to help promote her debut solo album Simply Deep.It is estimated the tour grossed over $16 million based on 17 concerts reported to Billboard....
, to promote the album. Visiting seventeen venues, Rowland embarked on the tour in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
on September 13, 2003 and concluded it on October 6, 2003 in Paris, France.
Background
Rowland launched her singing career with all-female R&BContemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B is a music genre that combines elements of hip hop, soul, R&B and funk.Although the abbreviation “R&B” originates from traditional rhythm and blues music, today the term R&B is most often used to describe a style of African American music originating after the demise of disco in...
group Destiny's Child
Destiny's Child
Destiny's Child was an American R&B girl group whose final line-up comprised lead singer Beyoncé Knowles alongside Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams. Formed in 1997 in Houston, Texas, Destiny's Child members began their musical endeavors in their pre-teens under the name Girl's Tyme...
in the late 1990s. While recording their third studio album, Survivor, in late 2000, the band announced that members of the group would disband for a short period to produce solo albums in the coming years, which they hoped would boost interest in Destiny's Child. The idea of individual releases emanated from the group's manager, Mathew Knowles
Mathew Knowles
Mathew Knowles is an American music executive and manager. He is the father and former manager of R&B singer Beyoncé , Knowles also managed Kelly Rowland as well as girl group Destiny's Child . He was also the manager of Solange Knowles.-Manager and producer:Knowles is an alumnus of Fisk...
. With different types of music for each member to produce, the albums were not intended to compete on the charts as Destiny's Child's management strategically planned to stagger the release of each group member's album to maximise sales. While Michelle Williams
Michelle Williams (singer)
Tenitra Michelle Williams , commonly known as Michelle Williams, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer and actress...
became the first to release a debut solo album, Heart to Yours
Heart to Yours
Heart to Yours is the first solo album by American singer Michelle Williams. Released on April 16, 2002, by Sanctuary and Columbia Records it became the first solo release of any Destiny's Child member...
, in April 2002, Knowles debuted on the big screen, starring in the comedy film Austin Powers in Goldmember
Austin Powers in Goldmember
Austin Powers in Goldmember is a 2002 American spy comedy film and the third installment of the Austin Powers series starring Mike Myers in the title role. The movie was directed by Jay Roach, and co-written by Mike Myers and Michael McCullers. Myers also plays the roles of Dr. Evil, Goldmember,...
, and started recording her solo debut Dangerously in Love
Dangerously in Love
Dangerously in Love is the debut solo album of American R&B singer Beyoncé Knowles, released on June 22, 2003, by Columbia Records. Recording sessions for the album took place in 2002 to 2003 at several studios, during the hiatus of her then-group Destiny's Child...
(2003). Meanwhile, Rowland collaborated with American rapper Nelly
Nelly
Cornell Iral Haynes, Jr. , better known by his stage name Nelly, is an Grammy Award winning American rapper and actor. He has performed with the rap group St. Lunatics since 1993 and signed to Universal Records in 1999. Under Universal, Nelly began his solo career in 2000 with his debut album...
on the song "Dilemma
Dilemma (song)
"Dilemma" is a song by the American rapper Nelly, featuring R&B singer Kelly Rowland. The single was released in 2002 from the Nelly's album Nellyville, and Rowland's album Simply Deep...
" as a featured artist. The second single to be lifted from the his album Nellyville
Nellyville
- Personnel :Credits for Nellyville adapted from Allmusic.* Nelly - Executive Producer* Ryan Bowser - Producer* Sandy Brummels - Art Direction* C-Love - Executive Producer* Luis Conte - Percussion* James Duncan - Assistant Engineer...
(2002), it became a worldwide number-one hit that year, leading her label Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
to advance the release date of her debut solo album from 2003 to late 2002.
Recording
To get done within deadline, the singer was forced to rush the album within three weeks only. Recording sessions for the album took place at several recording studios, including Studio 353, The Hit FactoryThe Hit Factory
The Hit Factory was a recording studio in New York City famous for its clientele. It was officially closed for business April 1, 2005 whereas other Hit Factory studio locations remained open, such as in Miami, Florida.-History:...
and Sound-on-Sound Studio in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, Stankonia Recording Studio in Atlanta
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
, Audio Vision Recording Studios in Miami Beach
Miami Beach, Florida
Miami Beach is a coastal resort city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States, incorporated on March 26, 1915. The municipality is located on a barrier island between the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay, the latter which separates the Beach from Miami city proper...
, and The Enterprise in Burbank
Burbank, California
Burbank is a city in Los Angeles County in Southern California, United States, north of downtown Los Angeles. The estimated population in 2010 was 103,340....
, Henson Recording Studios
Henson Recording Studios
Henson Recording Studios was established in 2000 at the former A&M Studios. The remake of We Are the World was recorded at Henson Recording Studios in February 2010 to benefit the Haiti earthquake victims....
and The Record Plant in Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, Heeba Jeeba Studios in Sherman Oaks and the Real FM Sound and Nature's Finest Studios in Hollywood. Several record producers and songwriters collaborated with Rowland on the album, including Damon Elliott
Damon Elliott
Damon Elliott , commonly known as Dame, is an American producer, writer, composer, recording artist and entrepreneur. His production genre’s include pop, hip hop, rock, R&B, gospel, and more recently, country....
, Mark J. Feist
Mark J. Feist
Mark J. Feist is a multi-platinum producer/songwriter who has contributed to the sale of over 25 million records worldwide. Feist currently resides in Los Angeles, California.- Early Age :...
, Rob Fusari
Rob Fusari
Rob Fusari is a record producer and songwriter, possibly best known for his work with American recording artist Lady Gaga.-Early life:Born and raised in Livingston, New Jersey, Fusari began studying classical piano at age eight, and became so skilled as a pianist, that he started performing in...
, Rich Harrison
Rich Harrison
Rich Harrison is a Grammy Award-winning record producer and songwriter from Washington, D.C.. He is primarily an R&B/Hip-Hop producer...
, Teron Beal
Teron Beal
Teron Beal is an American singer/songwriter born in Tyler, Texas. He has also written songs for Michael Jackson, Jennifer Lopez, P!nk, Kelly Rowland, Chrisette Michele, Robyn, Jaheim and others....
, Billy Mann, Damon Sharpe
Damon Sharpe
Damon Sharpe is an award-winning music producer and songwriter who works in Los Angeles. He has contributed many recognizable songs to popular culture and has been involved with the production of various popular albums that cumulatively have sold over 34 million copies.-Early life:Sharpe was born...
, and Robert "Big Bert" Smith
Big Bert
Robert Anthony Smith, professionally known as Big Bert or Robert Anthony, is an American record producer, composer, songwriter and musician, who made his break in the industry when Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins consulted him to join his Darkchild collective in the late 1990s...
, the latter who contributed "Love/Hate," a song co-written by fellow singer Brandy
Brandy Norwood
Brandy Rayana Norwood , known professionally as Brandy, is an American singer-songwriter, producer, actress, and dancer. In 2009, she introduced her rap alter-ego Bran'Nu....
. Solange Knowles
Solange Knowles
Solange Piaget Knowles , who performs under the mononym Solange, is an American singer-songwriter, actress, model, dancer, and DJ. Knowles was born and raised in Houston, Texas along with her older sister singer Beyoncé, a former member of R&B group Destiny's Child...
, Beyoncé's younger sister, wrote and co-produced three songs on Simply Deep.
Rowland who felt pressured by high exepectations, coming from Destiny's Child, was initially terrified by recording solo. "It was a challenge and I did that creatively and vocally," she later revealed, "I was very nervous, but I came through with flying colors because of my family and, of course, Destiny's Child. There were days in the studio where I would run out, like, 'I'm frustrated! I don't wanna do this!' And they would calm me and tell me that everything was gonna be okay. I got through it because of them." Rowland eventually overcame her fears during the process as her newfound independence offered her an opportunity to branch out and try new things. Musically, the album took Rowland's solo work further into an alternative music mixture, which she described as a "weired fusion [of] a little bit of Sade
Sade (band)
Sade is a British smooth jazz band that formed in 1983, named for Nigerian lead singer Sade Adu. Their music features elements of R&B, soul, jazz, and soft rock....
and a little bit of rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
."
Release
Simply Deep was released through Columbia RecordsColumbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
in collaboration with Music World Music on October 28, 2002 in both the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. The album would not be released worldwide until February 3, 2003. The album yielded three singles. "Stole
Stole (song)
"Stole" is a song by American singer Kelly Rowland. It was written and co-produced by Dane Deviller, Sean Hosein and Steve Kipner and recorded for Rowland's solo album Simply Deep...
," a rock pop-influenced mid-tempo track about loss, was released as the album's lead single. The song entered the top twenty on the majority of the charts it appeared on, reaching the top five in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
and the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, where it remains her highest-charting solo single to date.
The album's second single was an up-tempo track entitled "Can't Nobody
Can't Nobody
"Can't Nobody" is an R&B song performed by American singer Kelly Rowland. Penned and produced by Rich Harrison for Rowland's solo debut album Simply Deep , it incorporates elements of Trouble Funk's 1982 record "Let's Get Small", written by band members Robert "Syke Dyke" Reed and Tony Fisher.The...
". The final single, "Train on a Track
Train on a Track
"Train on a Track" is a pop/R&B song written by American producer Rob Fusari, Tiaa Wells, Balewa Muhammad and Sylvester Jordan for Kelly Rowland's solo debut album Simply Deep . It also was co-produced by Fusari and received a generally positive reception from music critics...
", was featured on the soundtrack of the romantic comedy
Romantic Comedy
Romantic Comedy can refer to* Romantic Comedy , a 1979 play written by Bernard Slade* Romantic Comedy , a 1983 film adapted from the play and starring Dudley Moore and Mary Steenburgen...
film Maid in Manhattan
Maid in Manhattan
Maid in Manhattan is a 2002 romantic comedy film directed by Wayne Wang about a hotel maid and a high profile politician who fall in love starring Jennifer Lopez, Ralph Fiennes, and Natasha Richardson. It is based on a story by John Hughes who is credited using a pseudonym. The original music score...
(2003).
Critical reception
Upon its release, Simply Deep received generally mixed to lukewarm reviews from most music critics. British morning newspaper The IndependentThe Independent
The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
gave the album a generally favorable review, writing that "on the whole the album sticks closely to the standard urban-diva formula, mixing garage twitchers with the usual billing and cooing on ballads such as "Haven't Told You". But it's all done with style and intelligence, whether she's luxuriating in the loneliness of "Everytime You Walk Out That Door" or evoking the momentum of the first flush of love in "Train on a Track"." Lisa Verrico of The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
stated "on first listen, Simply Deep does everything but live up to its title. It sounds like a shallow stroll through the poppier end of urban music [...] But give it another listen and [it] does grow on you if you’re looking for an easy-on-the-ear album. It is a pleasant listen." Joy Dunbar, writing for BBC Music
BBC Music
BBC Music is a team working in the department of Audio and Music Interactive at the BBC. Responsible for the BBC Music website - the portal site to music content across the BBC website....
, noted that while "the albums main weakness is that it tries to offer too much diversity and Kelly tries too hard to stand outside her former incarnation," it was a must-have for fans of R&B music, adding: "Simply Deep endeavours to demonstrate another side of Kelly Rowland, as a song writer and an independent solo artist [...] The in frequent high points make this a must for your collection."
In her review for Simply Deep, Caroline Sullivan of The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
wrote, "Rowland is no longer a mere backing vocalist for Beyoncé Knowles
Beyoncé Knowles
Beyoncé Giselle Knowles , often known simply as Beyoncé, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, she enrolled in various performing arts schools and was first exposed to singing and dancing competitions as a child...
. But while she undoubtedly has talent to burn, her first solo album is a mildly disappointing setting for it. A top-flight example of the American inclination toward lush but lightweight soul, it makes all the right R&B noises without engaging the emotions." She gave it three out of five stars. Sal Cinquemani of Slant
Slant Magazine
Slant Magazine is an online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New York Film Festival.- History :...
dismissed the ballads on Simply Deep as "all gloppy-goo and no soul; but through it all Rowland manages to keep her cool. The album's best tracks, the light and breezy "Train on a Track" and "(Love Lives In) Strange Places," infuse the singer's lush harmonies with acoustic guitars and poetic wordplay." He especially criticized Solange Knowles
Solange Knowles
Solange Piaget Knowles , who performs under the mononym Solange, is an American singer-songwriter, actress, model, dancer, and DJ. Knowles was born and raised in Houston, Texas along with her older sister singer Beyoncé, a former member of R&B group Destiny's Child...
' contribution to the album, noting her "icky [and] laughable lyrics" as the worst on Simply Deep which he rated two and a half out of five stars. Jon Caramanica of Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
commented that "Rowland, at times, seems like Destiny's adopted child, never receiving a full helping of Knowles-family adulation. Alas, her first solo project doesn't pull her out from Beyonce's shadow. She needs added star power: Her backup-singer instincts leave even the hottest songs herre feeling somewhat chilly." Craig Seymour
Craig Seymour
Craig Seymour is an American writer, photographer, celebrity interviewer, music critic and former stripper. He was born in Washington, D.C.. He has written for The Washington Post, Entertainment Weekly, Vibe, and Spin, among other publications, and has served as pop music critic for The Buffalo...
of Vibe was generally disappointed with the album, writing: "Rowland's solo album marks an attempt to further establish herself as a singular talent, but the effort is as misguided as the Nelly hookup was savvy [...] An abundance of of cheesy folk/R&B numbers make Rowland come off like Brandy
Brandy Norwood
Brandy Rayana Norwood , known professionally as Brandy, is an American singer-songwriter, producer, actress, and dancer. In 2009, she introduced her rap alter-ego Bran'Nu....
fronting as India.Arie
India.Arie
India.Arie is a Grammy Award-winning American singer-songwriter and record producer . She has sold over 3.3 million records in the U.S. and 10 million worldwide. She has won four Grammy Awards from her 21 nominations, including Best R&B Album.-Background:Simpson was born in Denver, Colorado...
." He gave Simply Deep one and a half out of five stars.
Commercial performance
Simply Deep peaked at number twelve on the Billboard 200Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
, the official albums chart in the United States, on November 9, 2002, selling 77,000 units in its first week of release. Simultaneously, the album also charted on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The name of the chart was changed from Top R&B Albums in 1999...
tally, reaching number three behind LL Cool J
LL Cool J
James Todd Smith , better known as LL Cool J , is an American rapper, entrepreneur, and actor...
's 10
10 (LL Cool J album)
-Charts:Albums – Billboard Singles – Billboard...
(2002) and Gerald Levert
Gerald Levert
Gerald Levert was an American R&B singer. Gerald Levert sang with his brother, Sean Levert, and friend Marc Gordon in the R&B trio LeVert. He was also a part of LSG, an R&B supergroup comprising Keith Sweat, Johnny Gill, and Levert...
's The G Spot (2002). By the end of the year, Simply Deep was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
(RIAA). It went on to sell more than 600,000 copies in the U.S.
Released to even bigger success in international territories, in the United Kingdom, the album debuted at number-one on the UK Albums Chart
UK Albums Chart
The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
on February 15, 2003, selling more than 100,000 copies in its first week. It received both a silver and a gold certification by the British Phonographic Industry
British Phonographic Industry
The British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association.-Structure:Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all four "major" record companies , associate members such as manufacturers and distributors, and hundreds of independent music companies...
(BPI) the following week, and by April 2011, had been certified platinum for shipping 300,000 units. Simply Deep also reached the top spot on the Irish Albums Chart
Irish Albums Chart
The Irish Albums Chart is the Irish music industry standard albums popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on its behalf by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured electronically...
and was certified gold by the Irish Recorded Music Association
Irish Recorded Music Association
Irish Recorded Music Association is the Irish record industry association. IRMA is a non-profit association set up to manage and control the music industry in the Republic of Ireland.-Goals and activities:...
(IRMA). Elsewhere in Europe, the album managed to enter the top ten in Denmark and the top twenty in Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, and Switzerland. Across Oceania, it placed fifth and seventh on the Australian and the New Zealand Albums Chart, in the week of January 26, 2003, and was certified gold by both the Australian Recording Industry Association
Australian Recording Industry Association
The Australian Recording Industry Association is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry which was established in 1983 by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers which was formed in 1956...
(ARIA) and the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand
Recording Industry Association of New Zealand
The Recording Industry Association of New Zealand is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists who sell music in New Zealand...
(RIANZ). In addition, the album became a gold-seller in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
and Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, resulting into a worldwide sales total of two million copies, making it Rowland's best-selling solo album to date.
Track listing
Personnel
Credits are taken from the album's liner notes.Managerial and imagery
- A&RA&RArtists and repertoire is the division of a record label that is responsible for talent scouting and overseeing the artistic development of recording artists. It also acts as a liaison between artists and the record label.- Finding talent :...
– Theresa LaBarbera Whites - Art Direction – Fabiola Caceres, Ian Cuttler
- Executive producerExecutive producerAn executive producer is a producer who is not involved in any technical aspects of the film making or music process, but who is still responsible for the overall production...
s – Mathew KnowlesMathew KnowlesMathew Knowles is an American music executive and manager. He is the father and former manager of R&B singer Beyoncé , Knowles also managed Kelly Rowland as well as girl group Destiny's Child . He was also the manager of Solange Knowles.-Manager and producer:Knowles is an alumnus of Fisk...
, Kelly Rowland - PhotographyPhotographyPhotography is the art, science and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film...
– Isabel Snyder
Performance credits
- Vocals – Kelly Rowland
- Vocal assistance – Sherrie Ford, Jeanette Olsson
Instruments
- acoustic guitarAcoustic guitarAn acoustic guitar is a guitar that uses only an acoustic sound board. The air in this cavity resonates with the vibrational modes of the string and at low frequencies, which depend on the size of the box, the chamber acts like a Helmholtz resonator, increasing or decreasing the volume of the sound...
– Billy Mann - celloCelloThe cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is...
– Kati Raitinen, Peter Tornblom - electric guitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
– Nick Moroch - guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
– Romeo Antonio, Mats Berntoft, Svein H. Martinsen, Isaac Phillips, Sergio Ponzo, Stanka Simeonova
- violaViolaThe viola is a bowed string instrument. It is the middle voice of the violin family, between the violin and the cello.- Form :The viola is similar in material and construction to the violin. A full-size viola's body is between and longer than the body of a full-size violin , with an average...
– Tonstudio Bauer, Torbjorn Helander, Mikael Sjogren - bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
– Mark J. FeistMark J. FeistMark J. Feist is a multi-platinum producer/songwriter who has contributed to the sale of over 25 million records worldwide. Feist currently resides in Los Angeles, California.- Early Age :... - drums – Mark J. Feist
- violin – Christian Bergqvist, Ulrika Frankmar, Jan Isaksson, Roger Johnsson, Stanka Simeonova, Stanka Simeonova, Monika Stankkoliska
Technical and production
- EngineerEngineerAn engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...
ing – Blake English, Paul Falcone, John Frye, Franny G, Jaime Sickora, Spider, Kevin Thomas - Engineering assistance – Jun Ishizeki, Flip Osman, Daniel Milazzo
- MasteringAudio masteringMastering, a form of audio post-production, is the process of preparing and transferring recorded audio from a source containing the final mix to a data storage device ; the source from which all copies will be produced...
: Tom Coyne
- MixingAudio mixing (recorded music)In audio recording, audio mixing is the process by which multiple recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated and effects such as reverb may...
: Tony Maserati, Dave Pensado, Richard Travali - Production – Anders Barrén, Dane Deviller, Mark J. FeistMark J. FeistMark J. Feist is a multi-platinum producer/songwriter who has contributed to the sale of over 25 million records worldwide. Feist currently resides in Los Angeles, California.- Early Age :...
,Sean Hosein, Heeba Jeeba, Steve Kipner, Faltone Moore, Jany Schella, Damon Sharpe - Vocal production – Teron BealTeron BealTeron Beal is an American singer/songwriter born in Tyler, Texas. He has also written songs for Michael Jackson, Jennifer Lopez, P!nk, Kelly Rowland, Chrisette Michele, Robyn, Jaheim and others....
, Brandy NorwoodBrandy NorwoodBrandy Rayana Norwood , known professionally as Brandy, is an American singer-songwriter, producer, actress, and dancer. In 2009, she introduced her rap alter-ego Bran'Nu....
, Kelly Rowland, Tiaa Wells
Weekly charts
| Chart (2002–03) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums Chart ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... |
5 |
| Austrian Albums Chart Ö3 Austria Top 40 Ö3 Austria Top 40 is the name of the official Austrian singles chart, as well as the radio show which presents it, aired Fridays on Hitradio Ö3. The show presents the Austrian singles, ringtones and downloads chart. It premiered on 26 November 1968 as Disc Parade and was presented by Ernst Grissemann... |
42 |
| Belgian Albums Chart Ultratop 50 Ultratop 50 singles, often just Ultratop 50, is the weekly chart of fifty best-selling singles in Flanders, Belgium, and is produced and published by the Ultratop organization. The chart has existed since March 31, 1995... (Flanders) |
33 |
| Belgian Albums Chart Ultratop 50 Ultratop 50 singles, often just Ultratop 50, is the weekly chart of fifty best-selling singles in Flanders, Belgium, and is produced and published by the Ultratop organization. The chart has existed since March 31, 1995... (Wallonia) |
47 |
| Danish Albums Chart | 5 |
| French Albums Chart | 47 |
| German Albums Chart | 14 |
| Irish Albums Chart Irish Albums Chart The Irish Albums Chart is the Irish music industry standard albums popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on its behalf by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured electronically... |
1 |
| New Zealand Albums Chart | 7 |
| Norwegian Albums Chart | 14 |
| Polish Album Chart OLiS OLiS is the official list of the highest selling music albums in Poland. The list exists since October 23, 2000 and is provided by ZPAV.... |
21 |
| Swedish Albums Chart | 32 |
| Swiss Albums Chart | 17 |
| UK Albums Chart UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... |
1 |
| US Billboard 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
12 |
| US R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The name of the chart was changed from Top R&B Albums in 1999... |
3 |
Certifications
Chart procession and succession
Release history
| Region | Date |
|---|---|
| Australia Australia Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area... |
October 22, 2002 |
| Canada Canada Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean... |
|
| Italy Italy Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and... |
|
| Mexico Mexico The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of... |
|
| United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
|
| Japan Japan Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south... |
January 22, 2003 |
| Austria Austria Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the... |
February 3, 2003 |
| France France The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France... |
|
| Ireland Ireland Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth... |
|
| Germany Germany Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate... |
February 10, 2003 |
External links
- Simply Deep at DiscogsDiscogsDiscogs, short for discographies, is a website and database of information about audio recordings, including commercial releases, promotional releases, and bootleg or off-label releases. The Discogs servers, currently hosted under the domain name discogs.com, are owned by Zink Media, Inc., and are...