I Am (Elisa Fiorillo album)

Last updated
I Am
Elisa Fiorillo I Am Album Cover 1990.jpeg
Studio album by
Released21 August 1990
Studio Paisley Park, Chanhassen, Minnesota
Genre R&B, dance-pop, house
Length44:00
Label Chrysalis
Producer
Elisa Fiorillo chronology
Elisa Fiorillo
(1987)
I Am
(1990)
Nursery Rhymes
(1996)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [1]
News & Record Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [2] [3]
New Straits Times Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [4]

I Am is the second album from American singer Elisa Fiorillo, released by Chrysalis in 1990.

Contents

I Am was not a commercial success when released in 1990. Its two singles were more successful, particularly the lead single "On the Way Up" which reached number 27 on the US Billboard Hot 100. The second single "Oooh This I Need" was released in 1991 and reached number 90 on the chart. [5]

Background

Elisa Fiorillo recorded I Am at Prince's Paisley Park recording studio, with David Z producing the majority of the album. Fiorillo originally approached David Z and expressed her interest in recording at Paisley Park. She recalled in 1991, "I wanted to take the Philadelphia soul sound and add it to the Minneapolis funk and make myself a really soulful little white girl." [6] Speaking of the end result, she stated in another interview, "I went in with a different attitude and I came out with what I wanted. They [the record company] didn't want me to sing R&B because they didn't have a department for that kind of music. I said, 'I don't care, that's what I want, that's what I sing. I'm going to make the record anyway - you guys are gonna have to get an R&B department'." [7]

Prince contributed to I Am by writing three of the songs songs, co-writing a further two and producing one track. In an interview at the time, Fiorillo revealed of her collaboration with Prince on I Am, "I was at Paisley Park Studios working on my second album. I had just finished some vocals. I went to the bathroom, came back, and Prince was sitting there in the studio listening to my tape. He looked up and said, 'You're a good singer. Why don't you go in there and sing for me?' I was always taught to be confident. So I went in and started singing. I didn't know it at the time, but [he] had been writing a song called 'I Am' for me. And he was always on my case, urging me to write more. He said, 'Tomorrow I want you to bring in a new set of lyrics and we'll write a song.' I stayed up until 4am writing. He was extremely nice, and completely respectful." [8] [9]

Song information

"Ain't Right" is about interracial relationships. Fiorillo revealed, "I got the idea from a friend of mine who was going out with a black guy. 'Ain't Right' is about the way her parents reacted. If a person loves somebody you shouldn't put any boundaries on it. I mean, I'm Italian; I don't want people saying 'Don't go out with her, she eats too much pasta'." [8] "Purpose in Your Life", an anti-teenage suicide song, was inspired by a letter Fiorillo received several years before from a despondent 13-year-old fan. Fiorillo stated. "I wrote her a letter back, and I told her you have to have a purpose and you should realize that you can't live for everyone else - you have to live for yourself. She wrote me back, and so did her parents, thanking me. It made me think I can really help people and it's nobody's doing but mine." [7] "Love's No Fun" was covered by Mayte on her only album Child of the Sun (1995). [10]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."I Am" David Z., Levi Seacer Jr., Prince 4:57
2."On the Way Up"David Z., Elisa Fiorillo, Seacer Jr., Prince4:20
3."Out of My Mind"Bill Kenner, Micheal Smotherman, Tom Flora4:34
4."Playgirl"Prince4:21
5."Love's No Fun"Prince3:50
6."Oooh This I Need"Prince4:00
7."Ain't Right"Fiorillo, Oliver Leiber 4:39
8."Something So Strong"Fiorillo, Ian Prince5:04
9."Don't Change"Darryl Duncan, Fiorillo4:08
10."Purpose in Your Life"David Z., Fiorillo, Seacer Jr.4:07

Personnel

Charts

Singles

"On the Way Up"

Chart (1990)Peak
position
Australian Singles Chart [11] 19
UK Singles Chart [12] 83
US Billboard Hot 100 [5] 27
US Billboard Dance/Club Play [5] 31

"Oooh This I Need"

Chart (1991)Peak
position
US Billboard Hot 100 [5] 90

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crash Test Dummies</span> Canadian rock band

Crash Test Dummies are a Canadian rock band from Winnipeg, Manitoba.

The New Power Generation, also known as the NPG, was the backing band of musician Prince from 1990 to 2013. They were replaced by 3rdeyegirl as his backing band in 2013. In 2015, the New Power Generation reunited as Prince's backing band for his final studio album before his death, Hit n Run Phase Two. They reunited once again in 2017 for a US and European tour.

Jill Jones is an American singer, songwriter, and actress, who performed as a backing vocalist for Teena Marie and Prince in the 1980s.

Full Force is an American music group of hip hop and R&B singers and producers from Brooklyn, New York.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">7 (Prince song)</span> 1992 single by Prince and the New Power Generation

"7" is a song by American musician Prince and the New Power Generation, from their 1992 Love Symbol Album. It was released in late 1992 as the third single from the album, and became the most successful in the United States. It features a sample of the 1967 Lowell Fulsom song "Tramp" and is composed of heavy drums and bass in an acoustic style. It has a distinct Middle Eastern style of music, and a Hindu reincarnation theme, and an opera-like chorus which features Prince's multi-tracked vocals. The lyrics have religious and apocalyptic themes. The song is ambiguous and can be interpreted in many ways, as the "7" mentioned in the chorus could be the song referring to the Seven Deadly Sins or the seven Archon of Gnosticism or the seven names of God in the Old Testament. The song received positive reviews and peaked within the top forty of many of its major markets.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Unreleased Prince projects</span>

Prince was well known in the entertainment industry for having a vast body of work that remains unreleased. It has been said that his vault contains multiple unreleased albums and over 50 fully produced music videos that have never been released, along with albums and other media. The following is a list, in rough chronological order, of the most prominent of these unreleased works. Many were later released and circulated among collectors as bootlegs.

Elisa Fiorillo is an American singer, best known for appearing on the 1987 Jellybean song "Who Found Who", which reached number 10 on the UK Singles Chart.

"777-9311" is the second track and lead single from The Time's second album, What Time Is It?. Recorded for the album at Prince's home studio in May–June 1982, the song was produced, arranged, composed and performed by Prince with Morris Day later adding his lead vocals.

<i>Child of the Sun</i> (album) 1995 studio album by Mayte

Child of the Sun is the only album by Mayte. It was released in 1995 in Europe, including the United Kingdom, but not formally released in the United States. The album was produced by Prince, and released by NPG Records. The album was not critically nor commercially successful. Songs on the album include "The Most Beautiful Boy in the World", a female version of Prince's song "The Most Beautiful Girl in the World", and "If Eye Love U 2night", a cover of the Mica Paris song. Those were the only two singles from the album. Also included on the album are a Spanish version of "If Eye Love U 2night"; "Love's No Fun", a cover of Elisa Fiorillo's song from her second album I Am; "House of Brick", a version of "Brick House" by the Commodores with Prince singing the chorus and a rap by Mayte; and "However Much U Want", a duet with Prince.

<i>The Lover in Me</i> (album) 1988 studio album by Sheena Easton

The Lover in Me is the ninth studio album by Scottish singer Sheena Easton. It was released in November 1988 and was her debut for MCA. The album has a more Urban/R&B sound than Easton's previous recordings due to the production by well-known acts such as L.A. Reid, Babyface and John "Jellybean" Benitez. The album's title track became a major hit, reaching number 2 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 15 on the UK Singles Chart. The album reached number 44 on the US Billboard 200 and number 30 on the UK Albums Chart, and was certified Gold by the RIAA. It is one of Easton's best selling albums to date and returned her to the US and UK charts. Significantly, in the UK it was her first charting album for over five years, with the lead single becoming her first top 20 hit in nearly eight years.

<i>Burnin</i> (Patti LaBelle album) 1991 studio album by Patti LaBelle

Burnin' is a studio album by American singer-songwriter Patti LaBelle. It was released by MCA Records on October 1, 1991, in the United States to mixed reviews. The album features several collaborations, including duets with Gladys Knight and Michael Bolton, and a reunion track with Nona Hendryx and Sarah Dash from Labelle. It yielded three Billboard R&B chart hits: "Feels Like Another One", "Somebody Loves You Baby " and "When You've Been Blessed ".

<i>ck</i> (album) 1988 studio album by Chaka Khan

ck is the seventh studio album by American R&B/funk singer Chaka Khan, released on the Warner Bros. Records label in 1988.

<i>Come 2 My House</i> 1998 studio album by Chaka Khan

Come 2 My House is the ninth studio album by American R&B/funk singer Chaka Khan released on the NPG Records label in 1998.

<i>Till I Loved You</i> (album) 1988 studio album by Barbra Streisand

Till I Loved You is the twenty-fifth studio album by American singer Barbra Streisand, released on October 25, 1988, on Columbia Records. The album was notable for both its thematic structure and its high-budget production, with many guest writers, producers, and musicians: Burt Bacharach and Carole Bayer Sager offered three brand new songs to the album, Quincy Jones produced "The Places You Find Love", with Luther Vandross and Dionne Warwick adding backing vocals.

<i>Moment of Truth</i> (Terri Nunn album) 1991 studio album by Terri Nunn

Moment of Truth is the début and sole solo album from American singer Terri Nunn, who is best known as lead singer of the band Berlin. It was released in the US in 1991 and Europe in 1992. Moment of Truth was produced by and mixed by Prince's Paisley Park Records producer David Z., except for "Confession Time", which was produced by the British producer Steve Brown.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oooh This I Need</span> 1991 single by Elisa Fiorillo

"Oooh This I Need" is the final single from American singer Elisa Fiorillo, released as the second single from her 1990 album I Am in early 1991. The song was written and produced by Prince, who had worked with Fiorillo on the album, where he wrote five tracks.

<i>This Is Who I Am</i> (Lena Katina album) 2014 studio album by Lena Katina

This Is Who I Am is the debut studio album of the Russian singer-songwriter, Lena Katina, released on 18 November 2014. The album marks the beginning of Katina's solo career as she and her former bandmate, Julia Volkova announced the separation of their music group, t.A.T.u. on 2011. Katina has writing credits on all of the album's songs including those co-written with her husband, Sash Kuzma. Musically, the album is a pop genre with rock influences and lyrically it mostly speaks about discovering herself.

<i>Welcome 2 America</i> 2021 studio album by Prince

Welcome 2 America is the 40th and final studio album by American musician Prince. It was posthumously released through NPG Records on July 30, 2021. Recorded in March 2010 before the Welcome 2 America Tour, it is the first full previously unreleased studio album of Prince material to be released posthumously.

<i>Therapy</i> (Anne-Marie album) 2021 studio album by Anne-Marie

Therapy is the second studio album by English singer Anne-Marie. It was released on 23 July 2021, through Major Tom's and Asylum Records. It features guest appearances by KSI, Digital Farm Animals, Little Mix, Niall Horan, Nathan Dawe, MoStack, and Rudimental. The album was supported by four singles: "Don't Play", "Way Too Long", "Our Song", and "Kiss My (Uh-Oh)".

<i>Freewheelin Woman</i> 2022 studio album by Jewel

Freewheelin' Woman is the thirteenth studio album by American singer-songwriter Jewel, released on April 15, 2022, via her own label, Words Matter Media. It is Jewel's first album in seven years, following 2015's Picking Up the Pieces. The album was co-produced by Jewel and Butch Walker and was developed with the intention for Jewel to create music that she felt connected to and excited about rather than creating in order to meet expectations. Lyrically, the album touches on themes of independence, hope, womanhood, and heartbreak.

References

  1. "I Am - Elisa Fiorillo : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 2012-09-11.
  2. "Search : News-Record.com : Greensboro & the Triad's most trusted source for local news and analysis". Nl.newsbank.com. 1990-12-28. Retrieved 2012-09-29.
  3. "Elisa fiorillo i am - Google Search".
  4. "New Straits Times - Google News Archive Search".
  5. 1 2 3 4 Elisa Fiorillo. "Elisa Fiorillo - Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 2012-09-11.
  6. "Elisa Fiorillo | Singer and Entertainer".
  7. 1 2 "Elisa Fiorillo | Singer and Entertainer".
  8. 1 2 Elisa Fiorillo
  9. "Elisa Fiorillo | Singer and Entertainer".
  10. "Mayte – Child of the Sun (1995, CD)". Discogs .
  11. Steffen Hung. "Elisa Fiorillo - On The Way Up". australian-charts.com. Retrieved 2012-09-11.
  12. "The Official Charts Company - On The Way Up by Elisa Fiorillo Search". The Official Charts Company. 6 May 2013.