Heart to Yours

Infobox Album |
Name = Heart to Yours
Type = Studio
Artist = Michelle Williams


Released = flagicon|US April 16, 2002
flagicon|UK May 13, 2002
flagicon|Japan September 13, 2002
flagicon|Germany December 2, 2003
Recorded = 2002
Genre = R&B, gospel
Length = 47:55
Label = Sanctuary, Columbia
Producer = Buster, Warryn Campbell, Shirley Caesar, H.R. Crump, Damon Elliott, Luther "Mano" Hanes, Paul Hemphill, Michael E. Mathis, Kayla Parker, Shavoni, Bubba Smith, Erron Williams
Reviews =
* Allmusic Rating|4|5Cite web |last=Ruhlmann |first=William |title=Album Review: Michelle Williams - Heart to Yours |url=http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:21520roai48b |work=Allmusic |publisher=Macrovision Company |accessdate=2008-04-17]
*"Rolling Stone" (mixed)Cite web |last=Hopkins |first=Tracy |title=Michelle Williams: Heart to Yours |url=http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/michellewilliams/albums/album/158005/review/5943022/heart_to_yours |work=Rolling Stone |date=2002-04-16 |accessdate=2008-04-17]
Last album = –
This album = "Heart To Yours"
(2002)
Next album = "Do You Know"
(2004)
Misc =Singles
Name = "Heard A Word"
Type = Studio
single 1 = Heard A Word
single 1 date = 2002

"Heart to Yours" is the solo debut album by American singer Michelle Williams released on April 16 2002 via Sanctuary and Columbia Records. With lyrics attesting to a relationship to God, the album features tributes to the victims of the September 11, 2001 attacks in the United States.

Although the album received mixed reviews from critics, it peaked at number one on the "Billboard" Gospel charts with nearly 20,000 copies sold in one week, becoming 2002's biggest selling album of the that genre in the U.S.

Background and production

In late 2000, while recording their third album, "Survivor", Destiny's Child already revealed that they would produce solo albums, although no signed deals took place yet. [Cite news |last=vanHorn |first=Teri |title=Destiny's Child Solo CDs Won't Compete With Group, Each Other |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1375022/20001208/destinys_child.jhtml |work=MTV News |date=2000-12-08 |accessdate=2008-04-17] After the release of "Survivor", the group announced in late 2001 a temporary break-up to focus on solo projects, including working on their own albums. [Cite news |last=Kaufman |first=Gil |title=Destiny's Child's Long Road To Fame (The Song Isn't Called 'Survivor' For Nothing) |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1504044/20050613/destinys_child.jhtml |work=MTV News |date=2005-06-13 |accessdate=2008-04-17] Right before they went on their respective solo projects, the group released a holiday album, "8 Days of Christmas".

Williams found working in the studio with several musical collaborators, including Damon Elliott, Warren Campbell and gospel producer HR Crump. Williams' brother, Erron Williams, also produced some of the track in the album. Williams also co-wrote five of the songs.Cite news |last=Moss |first=Corey |title=Destiny's Child Solo Gospel Album Features 9/11 Tribute |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1452910/20020315/story.jhtml |work=MTV News |date=2002-03-15 |accessdate=2008-04-17]

Content

Generally, the album features gospel music, with lyrics that are inspirational about building relationship with God. The opening track and lead single of the album, "Heard a Word", sums up the theme of the album, with its chorus: "I heard a word/ Saying you'll be fine/ I heard a word that would ease my troubled mind/ Took all the hurt away/ Warmed me up inside like a summer day/ So glad you'd never break your promises." Other songs are tributes to the victims of the September 11, 2001 attacks in the United States: "Heart to Yours" and "Better Place" were inspired by the catastrophic event, while the latter is also an emotional tribute to those who lost loved ones who died in the attack.

The album also features guest vocals by various artist. Destiny's Child band mates appear in "Gospel Medley", a song originally produced for their 2001 album, "Survivor". Other guest include Carl Thomas on the new version of BeBe & CeCe Winans' "Heaven", a bonus track of the album; Men of Standard's Isaac Carree and Lowell C. Pye on "You Care for Me"; Mary Mary on "So Glad"; and Shirley Caesar on "Steal Away to Jesus", a ballad which was included on the release of Caesar's 2001 album, "Hymns".Cite news |last=vanHorn |first=Teri |title=Independent Women Of Destiny's Child Coordinate Solo Projects |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1449919/20011011/destinys_child.jhtml |work=MTV News |date=2001-10-11 |accessdate=2008-04-17]

Release

While her musical cohorts were taking their projects to wrap up, Williams' management strategically planned a successive release of their albums to avoid "rival" on the charts. With span of one year, Williams eventually released "Heart to Yours" on April 16, 2002 in the United States, ahead of Kelly Rowland's 2002 album, "Simply Deep", and Beyoncé Knowles' 2003 "Dangerously in Love", all debut releases.

Critical reviews

"Heart to Yours" received mixed reviews from critics. Tracy Hopkins of the "Rolling Stone" magazine said that despite Williams' collaborations with contemporary gospel singers, "only reinforce the thin-piped vocalist's shortcomings". Hopkins wrote that although Williams "is in the right place", her vocals are "too quiet" and the production is too "tame to start a real Holy Ghost party". While the latter was making Williams' voice as her subject, William Ruhlmann of Allmusic commented that the singer "has transformed herself from kitten to tiger, belting out the words with absolute conviction". Ruhlmann complimented the non-hasty production of the album, supporting that its because "there are different producers on nearly every track, and the arrangements for the most part are state-of-the-art urban contemporary efforts".

Commercial reception

Although "Heart to Yours" failed to dominate the U.S. "Billboard" 200, it gained success on "Billboard" components charts. The album debuted on the "Billboard" Top Gospel Albums chart at number one. With combined chart success after peaking at number three on the "Billboard" Top Contemporary Christian Albums, "Heart to Yours" became 2002's top-selling album. [Cite news |title=Music World/Columbia Records Set to Release 'Unexpected,' the New Full-Length Studio Album From Grammy-Winning Musical Artist Michelle Williams |url=http://www.forbes.com/prnewswire/feeds/prnewswire/2008/04/01/prnewswire200804020001PR_NEWS_USPR_____NYW052.html |work=PR Newswire |publisher=Forbes |date=2008-04-01 |accessdate=2008-04-17] On the main album chart in the U.S., the "Billboard" 200, the album reached number fifty-seven on May 4, 2002. [Cite web |title=Michelle Williams: Heart to Yours |url=http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/discography/index.jsp?pid=319481&aid=530489 |work=Billboard |publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc |accessdate=2008-04-17] According to "The New York Times", "Heart to Yours" sold 203,622 domestically. [Cite web |last=Ogunnaike |first=Lola |title=Beyoncé's Second Date With Destiny's Child |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/14/arts/music/14ogun.html |work=The New York Times |date=2004-11-14 |accessdate=2008-04-17]

Track listing

Credits

* Executive producers: Mathew Knowles
* Producer: Scott Shavoni Parker, Buster, Warryn Campbell, Shirley Caesar, H.R. Crump, Damon Elliott, Luther "Mano" Hanes, Paul Hemphill, Michael E. Mathis, Kayla Parker, Bubba Smith, Erron Williams
* Vocal producer: H.R. Crump, Kayla Parker
* Vocal assistance: Lisa Butts, Isaac Carree, Gene Conyers, Damon Elliott, Donald Gore, Kayla Parker, Lowell Pye
* Engineers: Wayne Allison, Rich Balmer,Shavoni, Buster, Cedric Courtois, Larry Sturm, Peter Thyssen, Dan Workman
* Mixing: Buster, Thor Laewe, Kevin Parker, Larry Sturm
* A&R: Kim Burse, Alvin Williams
* Art Direction: Ian Cuttler, Kris Feldman
* Design: Frank Carbonari, Ian Cuttler
* Photography: Christopher Kolk
* Sean Dancy - keyboard
* Eric Darken - percussion
* Israel Embry - keyboard
* Barry Green - trombone
* John Hammond - drums
* Criss Johnson - guitar
* Chris Kent - bass
* Sam Levine - saxophone
* Michael E. Mathis - piano
* Steve Patrick - trumpet
* Maurice Rodgers - organ, keyboard
* Shavoni - bass, drums
* Eric Walls - guitar

References