Heartbreak on Hold is the second studio album by British singer Alexandra Burke. Syco and RCA Records made it available digitally on June 1, 2012, and in physical format on June 4. It is her final release for both record labels, which she left between 2012 and the following year. Following the success of her debut studio album, Overcome (2009), Burke began work on her sophomore album in late 2010. Described by Burke as a record full of "risks", she worked with a diverse group of artists and producers, including Cutfather, Erick Morillo, Autumn Rowe, and Ben Adams, among others. Additionally, Burke co-wrote three tracks on the album.
Musically, Heartbreak on Hold is an electronic dance record that combines house, eurodance, R&B, and club notes. The majority of the album's themes were loosely inspired by Burke's split from her partner Jermaine Defoe in 2012, with the lyrics covering a wide range of topics including freedom, female empowerment, love, heartbreak, and feelings during the relationship with Defoe. Heartbreak on Hold was delayed several times before its release due to the reasons for her departure from Syco and constant rescheduling after signing with RCA, eventually limiting promotional activities to the UK and Europe.
Music critics gave Heartbreak on Hold mixed reviews. Publications were divided on the record's material, production quality, and overall execution, with the majority of criticism directed the albums lack of charisma and originality throughout. Commercially, the album underperformed significantly, peaking in the top forty in Ireland, Scotland, and the United Kingdom. To promote the album, two singles were released: "Elephant" and "Let It Go". The former song was a commercial success in the United Kingdom, while the latter underperformed. Burke also made several appearances in Europe to promote the album.
Background and production
Following the success of her debut studio albumOvercome (2009), Burke confirmed in September 2010 that she was in the early stages of writing her sophomore album, emphasising her desire to take "risks" on new material.[1] She started working two months later, and by December, half of the record was finished.[2] She explained the process, saying, "We’re just getting down and dirty with the next album. I’m going to take a lot more risks and it's going to be insane."[3]
Burke expressed interest in collaborating with American artists and producers Bruno Mars, Ne-Yo, and StarGate for the record in early 2011, and revealed that she expected producer RedOne to finish the second half of the album.[4] She confirmed that she had collaborated with an "amazing" American artist, but declined to reveal more; "I went to New York in December and it just happened; it wasn't planned. At 7 a.m., I recorded a song with a talented male artist."[5]
Burke temporarily paused work on the record to embark on her All Night Long Tour, which ran from January to August 2011 in the United Kingdom. The tour lasted over seven months, after which they resumed work on the album. She confirmed that the album would be finished by the end of the tour month.[6] Around the same time, she signed an album deal with RCA Records and intended to release it on both RCA and Syco Music.[7] In August, she confirmed her role as an executive producer, stating, "With this one, I haven't let anything go past these ears. I approve everything."[4]
In July 2011, American artist Autumn Rowe confirmed her involvement in the album, saying, “I've cut the first record on hers that I ever did, which is going to be on her album, but I can't tell you the name – we did that whole song in 45 minutes. She walked in, I was like, 'Nice to meet you, I love you, let's go'. 45 minutes later, the record was done. Boom."[8] Colombian DJ Erick Morillo confirmed his involvement in the recording, revealing the track "Elephant" as a collaboration between him and Burke.[9] According to Burke, a large portion of the record featured duets, but the idea was scrapped because it interfered with "the message [she] is trying to get across."[10] By mid-August 2011, Burke confirmed the completion of the album.[10]
Sound and content
American singer-songwriter Autumn Rowe (pictured) collaborated with Burke on her song "Fire".
Heartbreak on Hold marks a musical departure from her debut, Overcome, which was an R&B album with soul and pop influences.[11] Burke confirmed the albums sonic transition from Overcome, saying, “I've gone in a slightly different direction [...] It's not completely different but it's going to be a lot sexier and a lot more fun."[12] She described the material as "colorful" and "over-the-top".[13] Regarding this departure, she emphasized by saying "A second album should not sound like the first one. I want to better myself and that takes hard work and time. My music has always been R&B and pop, but my voice is soulful. I want every genre of music in a blender: mix it together, the outcome is me."[1] According to AllMusic writer Matt Collar, "Heartbreak on Hold, finds the singer shifting away from the pop/R&B of her debut to a more dance-andclub-oriented sound."[14]
The album opens with the title track, a europop song with rave-inspired synths and heavy bass lines that serves as the albums musical centrepiece.[15][16] "Elephant" is one of two songs co-written by Burke that was inspired by 1990s music and culture; musically, it is a heavy electro-driven track with autotune and vocoder effects on Burke's vocals.[15][17] "Let It Go" is a 90s-style house-club song about letting go and having fun.[18] "This Love Will Survive" is a love song with additional orchestral instrumentation and a "rousy" melody similar to the work of British band Coldplay.[14] Burke referred to "Fire" as a "sexy, female-empowering" song sung over a heavy house beat.[14][19] Critics likened "Fire" and "This Love Will Survive" to works by American artists Lady Gaga and Robin S.[14] "Between the Sheets" is the album's first midtempo track, with a slower beat that contrasts with the rest of the record's dance-heavy sound.[20] The song's lyrics focus on sex and its importance in relationships.[19]
Michael Woods produced "Daylight Robbery," an EDM song about a guy who "steals your heart and you didn't expect it."[19] "Tonight" was originally produced and performed by Russian musician DJ Smash and Fast Foods under the name "Wave".[19] Another dance song, "Tonight," was covered by Romanian singer Inna for her album Party Never Ends (2013).[21] "Love You That Much" was written as a tribute to Burke's fan base and is a musical uptempo dance number similar to Australian singer Kylie Minogue's work.[14] Burke describes "Oh La La" as a song about making that guy work for it, citing the lyrics "If you want me for the night, even for the first kiss, put your money where your mouth is," while it samples Crystal Waters' dance single "Gypsy Woman".[22] "Sitting on Top of the World" is a song with lyrics about her childhood lifestyle, memories, and having fun while learning life lessons from her parents.[19] Burke's piano ballad "What Money Can't Buy" is one of the album's three songs co-written by her.[22]
Release and formats
Heartbreak on Hold and its singles were repeatedly delayed before being released. Burke had hoped to release the album later that year, but it was pushed back. British media speculated that its shelved date was chosen to avoid conflicts with albums released by other X Factor alumni that year, including Matt Cardle, Cher Lloyd, One Direction, and Leona Lewis.[23] Burke also stated that "Elephant" would be released as a single in September, which did not occur, prompting Burke to apologise.[24] Three months later, she confirmed that the album would be postponed until 2012 so she could complete it.[25][26]
Burke told Digital Spy that the album's single, "Elephant," was delayed from February to March 2012.[27] In April, she revealed the album's title, Heartbreak on Hold, and that it would be released on June 4, 2012.[28] Regarding the album's title, she explained: "When I first heard the song [Heartbreak on Hold] it spoke a lot about what I'd been through in the past year-and-a-half in terms of making my album, stuff that went on in my personal life and I'm the kind of girl that has learnt to turn anything negative into a positive."[19] A month later, she revealed the album's artwork and tracklist, as well as a 30-second sample of each song.[29][30]
Heartbreak on Hold was only physically distributed in Europe, Ireland, and the United Kingdom.[22] On June 1, 2012, a promotional copy of the album was printed, with standard versions following a few days later. The CD version had 12 tracks in total, all formatted in a standard jewel case.[22] The digital version added four new tracks: two original recordings, "Devil in Me" and "Beating Still," as well as acoustic versions of the title track and "Let It Go."[31] Eventually, the album became available through digital and streaming services worldwide.[32][33]
Singles and live appearances
Colombian-American DJ Erick Morillo (pictured) featured on Burke's single "Elephant"
The album's lead single, "Elephant," features DJ and co-producer Erick Morillo. Following several delays, the song was released on March 9, 2012, in both physical and digital formats, with each version including remixes of the track.[34] Music critics gave the song mixed reviews, with disagreements about its production, sound, and Burke's performance. Commercially, it was a success in the UK, peaking at number three on the UK Singles Chart, her second-highest performance to date.[35][36] In early April 2012, a music video was released showing the singer and backup dancers having fun while performing in an underground facility.[37]
"Let It Go" was the album's second single, released on May 22, 2015. The digital formats featured several remixes of the single.[38] The track received mixed reviews, with some citing production issues and a lack of originality. However, some critics praised its catchiness. Commercially, the single underperformed in the UK, peaking at 33 on the UK Singles Chart, her lowest-performing single to date.[39] Burke originally planned a third single with a male artist. However, the idea never materialised, and plans were abandoned.[40]
Burke promoted her album by appearing on several television and live shows. Burke first performed "Let It Go" on The Voice of Ireland season finale on April 29, 2012, and on Lorraine, a breakfast television show in the United Kingdom, on May 22, 2012, where she also gave an interview about the song and Heartbreak on Hold.[41][42] Burke then performed an acoustic version of the title track "Heartbreak on Hold" on the daytime talk show Loose Women.[43] She played a live acoustic set in Le Mans, France, on June 15, 2012, and at Signal 1's Stoke 2012 Live festival weekend the next day.[44][45]
Burke recorded four songs in front of a small crowd for an event called "An Audience with Alexandra Burke". That Grapejuice recorded the performance and uploaded it on their website.[46] Burke performed at Manchester's MEN Arena on July 19, 2012, and again at Liverpool Arena for Radio City Live 2012 on July 21.[47][48] One day later, Burke appeared on KEY 103 Live in Manchester alongside One Direction, Rizzle Kicks, Little Mix and Will Young, as well as at Party In The Park in Leeds.[49][50] Burke gave a concert in London's Hyde Park on August 2 as part of BT's London Live celebrations of the 2012 Summer Olympics.[51] On September 15, Burke headlined Scotland's Youth Beatz music festival.[52]
Heartbreak on Hold received mixed reviews from music critics. AllMusic's Matt Collar was fairly positive, writing, "Burke delivers a handful of high-energy electro-house-inflected material that showcases her yearning, passionate vocal style."[14] He also praised the overall sound and production value, saying "these are hot, modern productions which, while deriving inspiration from the early-'90s club sound, never sound anything less than fresh."[14] Robert Corspey of Digital Spy also praised the record's sound and simplicity, saying, "The message [on Heartbreak on Hold] is simple: to forget life's troubles and have a good time. Which would be fine, if the charts weren't already clogged up with similar affirmations to the same Euro-pop tune."[16]
Some critics were divided on Burke's material and lack of character. Jenny Mensah from 4Music praised the slower songs and specific melodies, writing, "Alexandra Burke’s second album has some catchy tunes, smooth sounds and great production. However, where this album works best is when it blends the right amount of beats, synths and vocal licks.”[53] Simon Gage from Daily Express agreed, writing: "It seems to be very little charisma on this new album of driving pop/dance that she insists has an emotional underpinning.”[54] Caroline Sullivan from The Guardian said "The album falls back on the Auto-Tuned pyrotechnics and clinical club-pop that has currently turned the singles chart into a featureless wasteland, Burke follows a well-travelled road, losing her likable personality en route.”[15]
Other critics dismissed the effort as a whole; Andy Gill from The Independent felt that “the plethora of producers [on Heartbreak on Hold] renders the music blandly generic, another round of Guetta-style synth-stomps and incessant keyboard vamps, largely interchangeable with those on Rihanna's and Madonna's last albums.”[20]The Observer's writer Hermione Hoby was particularly negative, writing "Heartbreak On Hold is a strong argument for a moratorium on songs featuring effects-laden instances of the word "tonight". It seems to feature in almost every track on Alexandra Burke's second album of relentlessly unimaginative house, each excessively Auto-Tuned Euro-club banger indistinguishable from the next."[20]
Commercial performance
Heartbreak on Hold underperformed in the UK. The album debuted at number 18 on the UK Albums Chart, selling 6,731 copies in its first week, a significant drop from her previous album Overcome, which sold 132,065 units in its debut week.[56] In its third week, it had dropped to number 92 with 1,565 units sold, and by July 2012, the album had sold 10,571 units in the UK, accounting for 4.73% of Overcome's total three-week sales of 223,407 units.[57] The album peaked at number 27 on Ireland's regional albums chart, making it her lowest charting effort. In Scotland, it reached number 20 on the Scottish Albums Chart. The album, along with its singles, performed poorly, and numerous articles reported that the UK's national radio stations refused to include the album's content on their playlists.[58][59]
Leona Louise Lewis is a British singer, songwriter, actress, and model. Born and raised in Islington, Inner London, she later attended the BRIT School for Performing Arts and Technology in Croydon. Lewis achieved national recognition when she won the third series of the television talent show The X Factor in 2006, winning a £1 million recording contract with Syco Music. Her winner's single, a cover of Kelly Clarkson's "A Moment Like This", peaked at number one for four weeks on the UK Singles Chart and broke a world record by reaching 50,000 digital downloads within 30 minutes. In February 2007, Lewis signed a five-album contract in the United States with Clive Davis's record label, J Records.
Digital Dog are an English remix/production duo consisting of Steve Cornish and Nick Mace. The duo also produce under the aliases Jack Rokka and Elek-Tro Junkies.
"Unbreakable" is a song by Irish boy band Westlife. It was released on 4 November 2002 by RCA Records and Syco Music as the first and only single from their first greatest hits album, Unbreakable – The Greatest Hits Volume 1 (2002). The song was written by Jörgen Elofsson and John Reid, and produced by Steve Mac. It was composed in the traditional verse–chorus form in G major, with the group's vocals ranging from the chords of D4 to C♯6.
Syco Music, originally and formerly S Records, was a division of Syco Entertainment which operated from 2002 until 2020. The label was founded by British entrepreneur, record executive and media personality Simon Cowell, whom was formerly employed at Bertelsmann Music Group (BMG).
Eoghan Karl Christopher Quigg is an Irish singer from Northern Ireland, who was the last contestant eliminated in the fifth series of the music talent contest The X Factor in 2008.
Alexandra Imelda Cecelia Ewen Burke is an English singer, songwriter and actress. She won the fifth series of the talent television show The X Factor in 2008. Following the show, she was signed to Syco Music and released the winner's single "Hallelujah", which became the European record holder for the most singles sold over a period of 24 hours, selling 105,000 in one day, and became the top-selling single of 2008 in the UK and the UK's Christmas 2008 number one.
"Bad Boys" is a song by British recording artist Alexandra Burke. The song is her second single after winning the fifth series of The X Factor, and the lead single from her debut album, Overcome. The song features American rapper Flo Rida. It was written by busbee, Lauren Evans, Alex James, and was produced by The Phantom Boyz. It was first released for digital download on 12 October 2009. The song is an uptempo electrohop song, lyrically about becoming attracted to dangerous men.
Overcome is the debut studio album by British singer Alexandra Burke, released 19 October 2009 on Syco Music. The release of the album came a year after Burke won the British talent show, The X Factor, with the recording process taking place between 2008 and 2009. Critics praised the album for showcasing Burke's vocal charm and characterisation, comparing her vocal to American singers Anastacia and Whitney Houston and its contemporary finish; using a variety of acclaimed producers including RedOne and Ne-Yo.
"The Silence" is a song by British singer Alexandra Burke from her debut studio album Overcome (2009). The song was written by Bilal Hajji and Savan Kotecha, along with the song's producer Nadir "RedOne" Khayat. The song was released as the sixth and final single off the album. Burke stated that the song was written when her aunt told the singer about how she and her partner were experiencing troubles in their relationship, and that they were not telling each other how they felt. In response, Burke asked her aunt why he was letting the silence in their relationship do the talking instead of them discussing it. "The Silence" is an R&B and pop-influenced power ballad and instrumentation consists of a piano, a guitar and drums. The lyrics of the song feature the protagonist asking why the other person in the relationship remains silent about their difficulties instead of talking about them.
The discography of British R&B and pop recording singer Alexandra Burke consists of three studio albums, ten singles as a main artist, two as a featured artist and nine music videos. All songs which have been released under the recording label of Sony BMG and Syco Music.
"All Night Long" is a song performed by British singer Alexandra Burke, taken from her debut studio album, Overcome (2009). The song was written and produced by American production team The Runaways. The single was remixed to feature rapper Pitbull and released as the album's fourth official single in 2010, peaking at number four on the UK Singles Chart on 23 May.
"Start Without You" is a song by British recording artist Alexandra Burke. Featuring vocals from Jamaican American reggae rapper Laza Morgan, it was written by Kristian Lundin, Ronan Dunne, Eddy Grant, Savan Kotecha, Julian Bunetta, and RedOne. The song is an R&B song, which incorporates reggae fusion and dancehall. According to Burke the song was inspired by her Jamaican heritage and her need for a summer song. The song came about after studio sessions booked with RedOne produced a number of new records that were going to be used for a re-release of Overcome or Burke's second album.
"Elephant" is a song by British singer Alexandra Burke from her second studio album Heartbreak on Hold (2012). It features Colombian-American DJ Erick Morillo, who co-wrote the song with Burke, Britt Burton, Josh Wilkinson, Harry Romero, and Jose Nuñez. The song was produced by Morillo, Romero and Nuñez under their stage name Sympho Nympho, and Mike Spencer. It was released in the United Kingdom on 11 March 2012 as the album's lead single. The song was released as Burke's debut single in the United States on 13 March 2012.
"Let It Go'" is a song by British recording artist Alexandra Burke from her second studio album, Heartbreak on Hold (2012). It was released in the United Kingdom on 27 May 2012 as the album's second and final single. "Let It Go" is an uptempo 90s throwback dance song drawing influences from the dance-pop and R&B genres.
"Just Be" is a song by British recording artist Paloma Faith from her second studio album Fall to Grace (2012). It was released on 16 December 2012 by RCA Records as the fourth single from the album. Written by Faith, Greg Wells and Matt Hales, "Just Be" is a "love song for real lovers". One critic called it an honest portrait of the highs and lows of relationships. "Just Be" reached Number 66 in the UK Singles Chart, three months before it was released. The official music video was released on 5 November 2012 and features Faith in a love affair with a man in New York City.
Freedom is the second studio album by English singer-songwriter Rebecca Ferguson, and was released on 2 December 2013 in the United Kingdom, a day after the release of the album's lead single "I Hope". The album received positive reviews from critics, praising her vocals and movement away from her soul-influenced debut album, Heaven, into a more R&B, club-orientated sound. The album also attained moderate commercial success in the UK, where it became her second top ten album and achieved a silver certification from the BPI after just 3 weeks since its release date, followed by a Gold certification on 27 December 2013. The album was released through a joint deal between Syco Music and RCA Records.
Gabriella Michelle "Ella" Henderson is an English singer and songwriter. She competed in the ninth series of The X Factor UK in 2012, being the eighth contestant eliminated despite being a strong favourite to win. She signed with Syco Music shortly after, and released her debut studio album, Chapter One (2014), which reached number one in the UK. The album spawned the chart-topping single "Ghost", as well as the top 20 singles "Glow" and "Yours". Henderson went on a four-year hiatus in 2015. Her second studio album, Everything I Didn't Say, was released in 2022.
The Power of Love is the debut studio album by English singer Sam Bailey, the winner of the tenth series of The X Factor. It is largely an album of cover versions with the exception of one original song, "Treasure". The album was released on 21 March 2014 via Syco Music and Sony Music.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
