Ladylike

Last updated
Ladylike
Monroseladylikealbumcover.png
Studio album by
Monrose
Released11 June 2010
Length47:38
Label
Producer
Various
Monrose chronology
I Am
(2008)		Ladylike
(2010)
Singles from Ladylike
  1. "Like a Lady"
    Released: 28 May 2010
  2. "This Is Me"
    Released: 27 August 2010
  3. "Breathe You In"
    Released: 3 December 2010

Ladylike is the fourth and final studio album by German pop trio Monrose. It was released by Starwatch Music in association with Cheyenne Records and the Warner Music Group on 11 June 2010 in German-speaking Europe. Conceived during a hiatus which allowed each member to launch solo projects, production of the album began in mid-2009. Unlike their previous material, recording of Ladylike was not rushed, with sessions also taking place in New York City. Monrose reteamed with frequent collaborators Pete Kirtley, Tim Hawes, and Obi Mhondera to work on the album, while upcoming producers such as Tuneverse and Alexander Geringas were also consulted.

Contents

Pursuing a new musical direction, Ladylike took the group's work further into the dance pop, synthpop and electronic genres, marking a departure from the contemporary R&B-influenced sound of previous projects prior to I Am in favor of a more international sound. Elaborating a sophisticated theme for the album, the band requested promotional material to depict a darker, more mature image. Ladylike was released to generally mixed reviews from music critics, many of whom praised the slower songs on the album but found the rest of the material too generic.

On the charts, the album peaked at number ten on the German Albums Chart, becoming Monrose's fourth consecutive top ten album to do so. It also entered the top thirty in Austria and Switzerland, eventually selling 30,000 copies within the first five months of release. In promotion of the album, Starwatch released three singles from Ladylike, including the band's seventh top ten hit "Like a Lady" and follow-up "This Is Me". Following Monrose's announcement of their disbandment in fall 2010, album track "Breathe You In",Ladylike's third single, also served as the group's farewell single.

Background

Following the release of the final single from their third album I Am (2008), "Why Not Us," in November 2008, the Monrose members decided to take a break from music business, during which the trio pursued different branches of the entertainment industry. In summer 2009, they eventually reunited to start work on their fourth studio album Ladylike, which was partially recorded in Germany and in New York City. [1] The three members agreed that recording overseas was very "inspiring." Bahar Kizil commented, that "recording an album in a city like New York, means putting yourself on a higher level." [1] The songs that were recorded there include "Superstar DJ" and "Don't Take It Personal." [2] In the end, the group reportedly had the highest number of songs to choose from, as in two years of break, a lot of new material had been collected. The songs for the final track list were chosen by the band members, as well as their families and friends. [1] The trio appreciated the break of two years between their third and fourth album releases. Senna Guemmour explained, that in this way, the recording sessions were very relaxed and could be done without any stress. [1]

Promotion

The first new song introduced from Ladylike was Billy Burnette-penned "All or Nothing," premiered during a fan club meeting. The second song was "Superstar DJ," co-written by Alistair Tennant, which was first performed during a promotional event for Douglas fragrances. [3] Monrose first presented "This Is Me," along with the Donna Summer cover "On the Radio" at the Thomas & Helga Show on NDR. The lead single "Like a Lady" was sent to radios on 17 April 2010. The music video had its premiere on 12 May 2010. The song was also performed during the season finale of the fifth season of Germany's Next Topmodel.

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
CDStartsStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [4]
laut.de Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [5]
LetMeEntertainYouStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [6]

Ladylike received generally mixed reviews. Pooltrax found that the album "increasingly leans towards electro, but the lyrics and voices of the three Monrose singers still clearly recall pop [...] However, the girls still excel at the calm ballads. The soothing sounds do the otherwise very loud album a lot of good and showcase the voices much better than the fast-paced up-tempo numbers." [7] LetMeEntertainYou noted that the songs on the Ladylikewere much "more mature" and "more melodic" than the songs on previous album I Am. [6] laut.de editor Eberhard Dobler rated the album two out of five stars and wrote: "Eurodance-pop, R&B/pop blueprints, one or two electro breakaways – that's how the three Monrose girls shake through their fourth studio album." He found that "the bottom line is that the sound is pretty much out of tune ("This Is Me"). It's all about a production that has to satisfy minimum sales claims. A chic styling, a Sexiest Woman of the World past and casting-tested voices: The qualification is done. Musically, however, Monrose will not survive the group stage." [5]

Similarly, Albert Ranner von CDstarts.de felt that "contrary to the unpleasantly sterile look of the cover and the video [for "Like a Lady"], the fourth Monrose is only half as bad as it was feared. Mandy, Senna and Bahar (or their songwriters) remember their strengths for six songs. Nevertheless, Ladylike still lacks any own identity on the musical side that Monrose will probably be denied until old age [...] Compared to its predecessors, this time, however, this fact is less disturbing and the Popstars winners surprisingly fall into midfield." [4] In her review for Weser-Kurier , journalist Kati Hofacker found that "one thing the trio – or rather their crew of producer – can for sure: They manage to knock out one hit grenade after the other with the simplest of ingredients, the most flimsy set pieces and the stupidest lyrics [...] But yes, this thing will be a hit." [8]

Chart performance

Released on 11 June 2010 in most parts of German-speaking Europe, [9] Ladylike debuted and peaked at number ten on the German Albums Chart in the week of 25 June 2010, [10] becoming the band's fourth consecutive top ten album. [10] It would remain 13 weeks on the chart. [10] In Austria and Switzerland, Ladylike reached number 26 and number 25 on the albums charts, respectively. [11] [12] It marked Monrose's first album to miss the top 20 on both charts. [11] [12] By November 2010, the album had sold 30,000 units worldwide. [13]

Track listing

Ladylike track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."This Is Me"
3:42
2."Superstar DJ"
  • Pagin
  • Buettner
3:36
3."Like a Lady"
  • Zip & Alex
  • Ercola
3:11
4."Don't Take It Personal"
  • Pagin
  • Buettner
3:23
5."Doing Fine"
  • Hawes
  • Mhondera
  • Simms
3:30
6."Definition of a Woman"
3:40
7."Love Must Carry On"
  • Marcus Brosch
  • Tobias Neumann
  • Mark Tremaine Agbi
  • Inessa Alexandrova
  • Brosch
  • Neumann
3:22
8."Breathe You In"
  • Kirtley
  • Andrew Murray
  • Christian Ballard
4:08
9."All or Nothing"
  • Kirtley
  • Murray
  • Ballard
3:54
10."No No No"
  • Geringas
  • Aris
3:38
11."Catwalk V-O-G-U-E"
  • Kirtley
  • Murray
  • Ballard
2:48
12."Mono"
  • Kapari
  • Geringas
3:20
13."I Surrender" (hidden track)
  • Kirtley
  • Murray
  • Ballard
4:06
Total length:47:38

Charts

Chart performance for Ladylike
Chart (2010)Peak
position
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria) [11] 26
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100) [10] 10
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade) [12] 25

Release history

Ladylike release history
RegionDateFormatLabelRef(s)
Various11 June 2010
 [9]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">No Angels</span> German all-female pop group

No Angels are an all-female pop group from Germany, formed in 2000. Originally a quintet, consisting of band members Nadja Benaissa, Lucy Diakovska, Sandy Mölling, Vanessa Petruo, and Jessica Wahls, they originated on the debut season of the German adaptation of the talent series Popstars and were one of the first television-cast acts to achieve sustainable success throughout Central Europe in the early 2000s. Following a major success with record-breaking single "Daylight in Your Eyes" and debut album Elle'ments in 2001, a series of hit records established their position as one of the most successful female band vocalists to emerge in the early decade. With four number-one hits, four number-one albums and record sales of more than 5.0 million, they became one of the most successful acts in German music history, winning three ECHOs, a World Music Award, a NRJ Music Award, two Comets, a Bambi and a Goldene Kamera.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Monrose</span> German pop band

Monrose was a German pop girl group, first established in November 2006. Formed on the fifth installment of the German adaption of the international television talent show Popstars, the trio consisted of singers Mandy Capristo, Senna Gammour, and Bahar Kızıl. They were signed to Starwatch Music and released their debut album Temptation in December 2006. It achieved major success throughout Central Europe, selling more than a 600,000 copies combined and produced two singles, including number-one breakthrough hit "Shame" and "Even Heaven Cries".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sandy Mölling</span> German pop singer

Sandy Mölling is a German singer and television personality. She rose to fame as one of the members of the girl group No Angels, which were formed in 2000 on the German television talent show Popstars, becoming one of the best-selling girl groups of European origin of all time. During their hiatus, Mölling released a solo album, Unexpected (2004), which produced the top ten singles "Unnatural Blonde" and "Tell Me", and became a judge on the fourth season of Popstars.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shame (Monrose song)</span> 2006 single by Monrose

"Shame" is a song by all-female German pop group Monrose, recorded for the band's debut studio album, Temptation (2006). It was written by Christian Ballard, Tim Hawes, Pete Kirtley and Andrew Murray, while joint production was helmed by British production teams Jiant and Snowflakers. Set against a heavy drum pattern and computerized synths sounds, "Shame" is a piano ballad arranged as a mid-tempo with pop and R&B influences. The song's lyrics are about the breakdown of a relationship with a man, with the protagonist blaming her own mistakes, including her ongoing call for independence, for their separation.

<i>Temptation</i> (Monrose album) 2006 studio album by Monrose

Temptation is the debut studio album by German girl band Monrose. It was released by Starwatch Music on 8 December 2006 in German-speaking Europe, following the band's formation on Popstars – Neue Engel braucht das Land, the television talent show's fifth season. Pre-recorded with all six Popstars finalists throughout October and November 2006, the majority of the album was produced by Popstars jury member Dieter Falk. Additional collaborators include Jiant, Jonas Jeberg, Toni Cottura and Mozart & Friends.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Even Heaven Cries</span> 2007 single by Monrose

"Even Heaven Cries" is a song by all-female German pop trio Monrose. It was written by Robbie Nevil, Jens Lumholt, Lauren Evans, Philip Denker, and Jonas Jeberg and recorded for the band's debut studio album, Temptation (2006), while production was overseen by Jeberg. Built upon a boom clap percussion and a strummed-harp sample, reminiscent of other Jeberg productions, the sentimental midtempo R&B ballad contains lyrics about personality and body-image issues as well as self-esteem and insecurity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hot Summer (song)</span> 2007 single by Monrose

"Hot Summer" is a song by German pop group Monrose. It was written and produced by Danish musicians Remee Sigvardt and Thomas Troelsen and recorded by the trio for their second studio album, Strictly Physical (2007). A dance-pop song with heavy elements of electropop, house and sprechgesang, it was selected out of sereral hundreds of songs and set much of the tone of its parent album, which was chiefly produced by Remee and Troelsen. "Hot Summer" also introduced a stronger dance pop edge to Monrose's overall sound. Lyrically, it features a female protagonist expressing her desire for her love interest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mandy Capristo</span> German pop singer

Mandy Grace Capristo, also known mononymously as Mandy, is a German singer and songwriter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Strictly Physical (song)</span> 2007 single by Monrose

"Strictly Physical" is a song by German pop girl group Monrose. It was written by British musicians Tim Hawes, Pete Kirtley, Obi Mhondera, Christian Ballard, and Andrew Murray and recorded by the trio for their same-titled second studio album (2007). Production was helmed by Mhondera along with duo Hawes and Kirtley as well as duo Ballard and Murray under their production monikers Jiant and Snowflakers. A dark and spooky, synthesizer–driven contemporary R&B record, it contains lyrics that reference to a celebration of sexual lust and conquest, leading up to a desire to get physical with a love interest.

<i>Strictly Physical</i> (album) 2007 studio album by Monrose

Strictly Physical is the second studio album by all-female German pop trio Monrose. It was released by Starwatch Music in association with Cheyenne Records and Warner Music on 21 September 2007 in German-speaking Europe and on 8 October 2007 in parts of Eastern Europe. Released only nine months after its best-selling predecessor Temptation (2006), the album took Monrose's work further into dance and electro music, featuring main production by Danish producers Remee, Thomas Troelsen, and Peter Biker, as well as British composers from production collectives Jiant, and Snowflakers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">What You Don't Know (Monrose song)</span> 2007 single by Monrose

"What You Don't Know" is a song by all-female German pop band Monrose. It was written by American songwriter Billy Mann along with Swedish musicians Mattias Lindblom and Anders Wollbeck and recorded for the band's second studio album, Strictly Physical (2007). Production on the track was helmed by Christian Ballard, Tim Hawes, Pete Kirtley, Obi Mhondera, and Andrew Murray from British production teams Jiant and Snowflake. A guitar-led pop ballad was released as

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Strike the Match</span> 2008 single by Monrose

"Strike the Match" is a song by German pop trio Monrose. It was written by OneRepublic frontman Ryan Tedder and singer Deborah "SoShy" Epstein and recorded for the group's third studio album I Am (2008). Production on the track was helmed by Tedder, with additional production provided by Christian Ballard, Pete Kirtley, and Andrew Murray.

<i>I Am</i> (Monrose album) 2008 studio album by Monrose

I Am is the third studio album by German pop trio Monrose. It was first released by Starwatch Music, Cheyenne Records and Warner Music on 26 September 2008 in German-speaking Europe. The band reunited with frequent contributors Jiant and Snowflakers and Danish producer Jonas Jeberg to work on the bulk of the album, though several new collaborators were consulted to hand in music, including Ronny Svendsen and Nermin Harambasic from Norwegian music collective Dsign Music, Oscar Gorres, Didrik Thott, Carl Björsell, JoelJoel, Guy Chambers, and OneRepublic frontman Ryan Tedder.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Monrose discography</span> Cataloging of published recordings by Monrose

German pop trio Monrose, consisting of singers Mandy Capristo, Senna Gammour, and Bahar Kızıl, was formed in November 2006 after winning Popstars – Neue Engel braucht das Land, the fifth installment of the talent show Popstars. The group released four studio albums and eleven singles until their disbanded in 2010, culminating in four top ten albums, seven top ten hit singles and overall sales in excess of 1.5 million singles and albums.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Why Not Us</span> 2008 single by Monrose

"Why Not Us" is a song recorded by German pop trio Monrose. It was written by English songwriters Alexis Strum and Guy Chambers and produced by the latter along with frequent Monrose collaborator Pete Kirtley for the band's third studio album I Am (2008). A midtempo contemporary R&B-pop ballad with soft electro pop elements, "Why Not Us" is about a tumbling relationship which ultimately breaks up.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Like a Lady (Monrose song)</span> 2010 single by Monrose

"Like a Lady" is a song performed by German girl band Monrose. It was written by Risto Asikainen, Zippy Davis, Veikka "DJ Ercola" Erkola and Alexander Komlew and recorded for their fourth studio album Ladylike (2010), with production helmed by Davis, Erkola and Komlew under their production moniker Tuneverse. "Like Lady" is an uptempo dance pop song with elements of electropop, synth pop, and contemporary R&B and has lyrics which speak about a woman calling her love interest to recognize her worth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">This Is Me (Monrose song)</span> 2010 single by Monrose

"This Is Me" is a song performed by German girl band Monrose. It was written by Mich Hansen, Jonas Jeberg, Paul Barry and All Saints band member Shaznay Lewis and recorded for the trio's fourth studio album Ladylike (2010). Production was overseen by Pete Kirtley, Christian "TheFatRat" Buettner and Marcello "Cello" Pagin. Introduced by an a cappella solo by band member Mandy Capristo, who also serves as the song's leading vocalist during its chorus, "This Is Me" is a pumping dance-pop song with heavy elements of synthpop and electronic music; its lyrics explore themes of self-confidence, independence and stamina.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Breathe You In</span> 2010 single by Monrose

"Breathe You in" is a song by German girl group Monrose. It was written by Thanh Bui, Rodney Mark Davies, and Gary Pinto and recorded by Monrose for their fourth studio album Ladylike (2010), while production was helmed by frequent collaborators Pete Kirtley as well as Andrew Murray and Christian Ballard from production duo Snowflakers. An uplifting piano-led ballad with minor contemporary R&B elements, "Breathe You In" is built upon a harp motif. Lyically, it chronicles a woman's love for a man.

<i>Grace</i> (Mandy Capristo album) 2012 studio album by Mandy Capristo

Grace is the debut studio album by German singer Mandy Capristo. It was released by Starwatch Entertainment and EMI Music on April 27, 2012 and marked Capristo's first solo release following the disbandment with her band Monrose in 2010. Recorded in Hamburg, Cologne and Berlin, she worked with a number of different musicians on material for the album, including German producers Toby Gad and David Jost as well as American producer Cainon Lamb and Swedish production team Twin.

<i>Meine Welt</i> 2003 studio album by Yvonne Catterfeld

Meine Welt is the debut studio album by the German singer Yvonne Catterfeld, released by Hansa Records and BMG on 26 May 2003 in German-speaking Europe. Produced in a period of two years, during which Catterfeld was cast in a main role in the soap opera Gute Zeiten, schlechte Zeiten, she worked with a variety of musicians on the album, including Dieter Bohlen, Lukas Hilbert, Udo Lindenberg, Laith Al-Deen, Annette Humpe, Ingo Politz, and Bernd Wendlandt, among others.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Interview mit Monrose". Hitparade.ch. Retrieved 6 January 2025.
  2. ↑ Album notes for Ladylike by Monrose, Starwatch.
  3. ↑ "Superstar DJ" at the Douglas event on YouTube
  4. 1 2 Dobler, Eberhard. "Monrose – Ladylike". cdstars.de (in German). Archived from the original on 12 June 2010. Retrieved 28 July 2019.
  5. 1 2 Dobler, Eberhard. "Das Trio scheitert in der Gruppenphase". laut.de (in German). Retrieved 28 July 2019.
  6. 1 2 "Soundcheck – Monrose: Ladylike". letmeentertainyou.de (in German). 10 June 2010. Archived from the original on 13 June 2010. Retrieved 6 January 2025.
  7. ↑ "Die Damen werden erwachsen". pooltrax.com (in German). 10 June 2010. Archived from the original on 14 June 2010. Retrieved 6 January 2025.
  8. ↑ Hofacker, Kati. "Lady-Gaga-like: Monrose probieren sich im Fach "Dame"". weser-kurier.de (in German). Archived from the original on 28 July 2019. Retrieved 28 July 2019.
  9. 1 2 "Ladylike by Monrose". Apple Music (in German). Retrieved 24 June 2022.
  10. 1 2 3 4 "Offiziellecharts.de – Monrose – Ladylike" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 6 January 2025.
  11. 1 2 3 "Austriancharts.at – Monrose – Ladylike" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 6 January 2025.
  12. 1 2 3 "Swisscharts.com – Monrose – Ladylike". Hung Medien. Retrieved 6 January 2025.
  13. ↑ "Girlgroup löst sich auf". laut.de (in German). 25 November 2010. Retrieved 6 January 2025.
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.