Singular: Act I | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | November 9, 2018 | |||
Recorded | 2017–2018 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 25:01 | |||
Label | Hollywood | |||
Producer | ||||
Sabrina Carpenter chronology | ||||
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Singles from Singular:Act I | ||||
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Singular:Act I is the third studio album by American singer Sabrina Carpenter. It was released on November 9,2018 through Hollywood Records. Carpenter began work on the album shortly after the release of her second studio album, Evolution (2016). The album is primarily a pop album with elements of dance-pop,themed around self-empowerment,and marked the first time where all songs on an album were co-written by Carpenter. [2] In support of the album,Carpenter embarked on the Singular Tour in March 2019.
Two singles were released for the album including "Almost Love" and "Sue Me" while "Paris" and "Bad Time" were released as promotional singles. Additionally,singles "Why" and "Alien" were not on the album's tracklist but were instead included on the Japanese edition of the album. The album received critical acclaim from music critics,and debuted at number 103 on the US Billboard 200. The album itself is the first half of a two-piece project,being supplemented by Singular:Act II (2019).
Carpenter released her second studio album Evolution in 2016 to commercial success and began to work soon after on her follow up album,originally titled Singular. [3] During The De-Tour in 2017,she began teasing material from the album including a now scrapped song titled "Alone Together" and "Why";the latter was not included in the final tracklisting. [4] In March 2018,Carpenter also released "Alien" with British DJ Jonas Blue which reached number one on the US Dance Club Songs chart. [5]
In May 2018,Carpenter began teasing Singular with the release of the lead single,"Almost Love". [6] In June,Carpenter released a trailer for the album,which was scheduled for a winter 2018 release. [7] The trailer was directed by Lauren Dunn with snippets from songs including "Sue Me","Mona Lisa" and "I Can't Stop Me". [8] She premiered "Almost Love" that same week alongside a live performance at Wango Tango. [9]
In October,during a performance of "Almost Love" on The Late Late Show with James Corden ,Carpenter ripped off a piece of the set wall revealing a part of the album cover art and spray painted "11/9" on the wall indicating that the album was scheduled for release on November 9,2018. [10] [11] That same month she also announced that the album would be split into two parts with Act I officially released on November 9,2018. [12] A compact disc was exclusively released for sale at Target stores. [13]
Welcome to Singular! The show is about to begin. Please find your seats. This is just the start. I hope that you'll listen. I hope that you'll dance. I hope that you'll fall in love with who you are. There will be a slight intermission before Act II. Enjoy the show. Each voice to their own. Singularly, Sabrina.
Singular: Act I is primarily a pop and dance-pop album. [16] [1] Its lyrical content centred around empowerment with PopCrush writer Erica Russel calling it an introduction to Carpenter's "playful psyche". [17] The album cover portrayed Carpenter on a staircase "amidst the chaos" where "you feel like you really are the only one who exists in the crowd". [17]
The album opens with "Almost Love", which Mike Nied of Idolator described as an "edgy anthem". [18] The song is about a relationship ready to take the next step and contains "intermittent whistles and drums". [19] Affinity writer Lucy Parry called it a "great start to the album" noting that the "bridge is possibly the best part of this track as they strip away the bass-line". [20] This is followed by "Paris" which was called an "ode to the city of love". [18] Carpenter sings about being reminded that she "already [has] love in LA". [18] Parry noted that the song might sound like a cliché but rather works as the opposite, with Carpenter using her head voice over "a gorgeous guitar riff". [20] "Hold Tight" was described as "stellar slow jam" and features Amir Mitchell-Townes as Uhmeer, one of Carpenter's castmates from Girl Meets World . [19] The song was also described a "slinky and vaguely retro R&B" song with subtle sexual references indicating that "Carpenter is now an adult". [18] [20]
"Sue Me" was written by Carpenter after she had been sued by her ex music managers Stan Rogow and Elliot Lurie for allegedly not paying them commissions after she fired them in 2014. [21] In an interview with Live With Kelly & Ryan, Carpenter noted that the song is about "empowerment", "confidence: and "being comfortable with yourself regardless of what anybody thinks". [22] Nied called the song a "self-assured tune for the end of a relationship" adding that it is a "sassy kiss-off". [18] This is followed by "Prfct" which was titled incorrectly to reflect imperfection. [20] The song talks about not needing everything in a relationship to be perfect for it to work and features "fuzzy gramophone effects" before and after the song. [19] [20]
"Bad Time" is a "synth-driven [...] badass anthem" which adds to the empowerment theme of the album. [20] The song sees Carpenter "picking and choosing when they want to engage with someone". [23] "Mona Lisa" named after the famous painting of the same name was described as "enticing" and contained "flirty and creative lines". [19] Carpenter sings about not wanting to be left "hanging like the Mona Lisa". [20] The album closes with "Diamonds Are Forever", ending "the album in the most empowering way possible". [20] Carpenter was described as a "soaring diva" and sings about knowing her self-worth never selling yourself short. [20] [24] The Line of Best Fit called the song a "theatrical belter" and compared it to Ariana Grande's song, "Dangerous Woman". [19] [23]
The singles "Why" and "Alien" were included on the Japanese edition of the album alongside several remixes. [25]
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
Afinitty | 8.8/10 [20] |
AllMusic | [16] |
Earmilk | [23] |
The Line of Best Fit | 7.5/10 [19] |
Upon release, Singular Act: I received critical acclaim. Mike Nied of Idolator wrote in his review that the album is an "eight-track collection jam-packed with bop after bop". [18] He called the album "lush with potential hits" and "another near-perfect work from one of the industry's brightest young stars." [18] He added that with the album Carpenter had "truly earned her status as one of pop's most consistent acts". [18]
The Line of Best Fit writer Julian Baldsing rated the album 7.5 out of 10, stating that "it's certainly no small triumph that Singular: Act I stands so firmly by itself and its creation marks an exciting new phase of an artist properly coming into her own." [19] He added that "Carpenter has always displayed a knack for crafting and curating strong pop releases" and that the album "sees her hone these skills further, resulting in her tightest, most polished project to date". [19]
Lucy Parry from Affinity called the album "a pop masterpiece" and its production "exquisite" also praising the use of more mature themes compared to her previous works. [20] Earmilk writer Larisha Paul gave the album 9 stars noting that Carpenter showed her "versatility on a myriad of sonic landscapes". [23] She gave Carpenter's vocals the biggest praise adding that "her inarguable dynamic vocal performances that remain consistent in every track is what sets her apart from the rest." [23] She added that the album "conveys the singer in a space equipped for showcasing her talent and attraction as a pop artist" noting that it "shows immense promise for the future of her discography as she continues to cement her place as one of the top new artist in this next generation of musicians".
In March 2019, Carpenter embarked on the Singular Tour. [26] The tour began in Orlando, Florida on March 2, 2019. [27]
"Almost Love" was released as the album's lead single on June 6, 2018 alongside Carpenter's official announcement of the album which came out a week earlier. [7] The song topped the Dance Club Songs chart making it Carpenter's second song to do so. [5] The song also reached 21 on the US Mainstream Top 40 chart. [28] A music video was also released through Vevo and YouTube on July 13, 2018. [29] She promoted the song with live performances at Wango Tango, Good Morning America and The Late Late Show with James Corden . [30] [31] [32]
"Sue Me" was released as the album's second single on January 8, 2019. [13] [33] It received a music video on November 16, 2018. [34] Carpenter promoted the single with live performances on The Today Show and Live with Kelly and Ryan . [22] [35] The song also reached number one on the Dance Club Songs chart making it Carpenter's third number one on the chart. [5]
"Paris" and "Bad Time" were released as promotional singles on October 25, 2018 and November 2, 2018 respectively. [36] A music video directed by Jasper Cable-Alexander was released for the former and filmed in Paris, France. [37] A visualiser was released for "Bad Time". [38]
Singular Act I debuted at number 103 on the US Billboard 200 and 38 on the US Top Album Sales chart. [39] The album also reached 48 in the UK, [40] and 20 in Australia. [41] The singles from the album fared well on the charts with "Almost Love" and "Sue Me" both reaching number one on the US Dance Club Songs chart and 21 and 31, respectively, on the US Pop Songs chart. [5]
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Almost Love" |
| 3:32 | |
2. | "Paris" |
| 3:38 | |
3. | "Hold Tight" (featuring Uhmeer) |
| Sabath | 2:55 |
4. | "Sue Me" |
| 2:59 | |
5. | "Prfct" |
| Persaud | 2:46 |
6. | "Bad Time" |
| Görres [b] | 3:04 |
7. | "Mona Lisa" |
|
| 2:18 |
8. | "Diamonds Are Forever" |
| Carlsson [b] | 3:49 |
Total length: | 25:01 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
9. | "Alien" (with Jonas Blue) |
| Jonas Blue | 2:55 |
10. | "Almost Love" (Stargate warehouse mix) |
| Stargate [e] | 3:20 |
11. | "Sue Me" (KC Lights remix) |
| 3:22 | |
12. | "Alien" (with Jonas Blue – M-22 remix) |
|
| 3:25 |
13. | "Why" |
| Jeberg | 2:51 |
Total length: | 39:55 |
Notes
Credits adapted from the liner notes of Singular: Act I. [14]
Recorded, engineered, mixed and mastered at
Vocals
Production
| Instrumentation
Design
Technical
|
Chart (2018) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australian Digital Albums (ARIA) [41] | 20 |
Dutch Albums (MegaCharts) [42] | 198 |
France Downloads Albums (SNEP) [43] | 84 |
Japanese Albums (Oricon) [44] | 183 |
UK Download Albums (OCC) [40] | 48 |
US Billboard 200 [45] | 103 |
Region | Date | Format | Label | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
Various | November 9, 2018 | Digital download | Hollywood | [46] |
United States | CD | [47] | ||
United Kingdom | Polydor | [48] | ||
Japan | December 12, 2018 | Universal | [49] | |
Various | October 18, 2019 | LP | [50] | |
September 9, 2024 | Disney | [51] |
Sabrina Annlynn Carpenter is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She first gained recognition starring on the Disney Channel series Girl Meets World (2014–2017), and signed with the Disney-owned Hollywood Records. She released her debut single, "Can't Blame a Girl for Trying" in 2014, followed by four studio albums: Eyes Wide Open (2015), Evolution (2016), Singular: Act I (2018), and Singular: Act II (2019). The albums contained the singles "Alien", "Almost Love", and "Sue Me", which topped the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart.
Eyes Wide Open is the debut studio album by American singer Sabrina Carpenter. It was released by Hollywood Records on April 14, 2015. Carpenter began planning the project in 2014, after she launched her debut EP Can't Blame a Girl for Trying, as she wanted to make a full-length LP. All the tracks on that EP were included on the album. The album was recorded from 2013–2015 with the majority of the album being recorded in 2014. Musically, Eyes Wide Open is a pop record with folk, pop rock and teen pop influences. Its production consists of guitars, piano, drums and keyboards. Thematically, the album focuses on Carpenter's personal experiences, friendship, love and teenage problems.
Julia Carin Michaels is an American singer and songwriter. She has received six Grammy Award nominations, including twice for Song of the Year and Best New Artist, as well as nominations from the MTV Video Music Awards, Billboard Music Awards, and American Music Awards.
American singer Sabrina Carpenter has released six studio albums, two extended plays, 24 singles, 23 promotional singles and 31 music videos. After gaining recognition on Disney Channel's Girl Meets World and performing its theme song, Carpenter signed a five-album deal with Hollywood Records. In 2014, she released her debut single Can't Blame a Girl for Trying and an EP of the same name. She followed this with her debut album Eyes Wide Open (2015) which debuted at number 43 on the US Billboard 200.
Margaret Elizabeth Lindemann is an American singer-songwriter. She is best known for her 2016 breakout single "Pretty Girl", which peaked at number 4 in Sweden, number 6 in Ireland, and number 8 the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. Following the song, Lindemann transitioned her music into a more alternative sound as pop music did not represent who she is as an artist. She then released her debut EP, Paranoia (2021). Her debut album, Suckerpunch, was released on September 16, 2022.
Evolution is the second studio album by American singer Sabrina Carpenter, released on October 14, 2016, by Hollywood Records. Carpenter began recording the album in 2015, shortly after the launch of her first project, Eyes Wide Open until 2016. Musically, Evolution is a dance-pop record, which departs from the folk-pop and teen pop sound of its predecessor.
"Why" is a song recorded by American singer Sabrina Carpenter from the Japanese deluxe edition of Singular: Act I (2018). The track was written by Carpenter, Brett McLaughlin, and its producer Jonas Jeberg. The song was released on July 7, 2017, through Hollywood Records. "Why" has been described as a electropop, emo pop and dark pop song backed by a hypnotic synthesizer loop and a finger-click beat and slick beat at the chorus. According to Carpenter, the lyrics talks about her and a guy being completely opposite, but they're made for each other. The song became Carpenter's second to enter the Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 peaking at number twenty-one and was certified gold in the United States (RIAA).
"Alien" is a song recorded by American singer Sabrina Carpenter and British DJ and record producer Jonas Blue, taken from both the Japanese deluxe editions of Blue's debut album Blue and Carpenter's album Singular: Act I. The track was written by Carpenter, Janee Bennett and its producer Blue. The song was released by Hollywood Records on March 16, 2018. "Alien" describes what it is like to be lost in someone's feelings and how alienating it can be. The song reached number one on Billboard's Dance Club Songs. It was accompanied by a music video directed by Carly Cusson premiered on her Vevo channel on March 29, 2018.
"Almost Love" is a song recorded by American singer Sabrina Carpenter from her third studio album Singular: Act I (2018), served as the opening track of the album. Described as a dance-pop song, it was written by Sabrina Carpenter, Steph Jones, Nate Campany and Mikkel Eriksen and the production was handled by Stargate. It was released by Hollywood Records as the lead single from Singular: Act I on June 6, 2018.
Singular: Act II is the fourth studio album by American singer Sabrina Carpenter, released on July 19, 2019 by Hollywood Records. The album acts as a sequel to her third studio album Singular: Act I (2018) and was her last official release with Hollywood. Recorded and written from 2017 to 2019, Carpenter originally intended to release a full album entitled Singular but ultimately split up the album due to differences in lyrical content. The album is primarily a pop album with elements of R&B and dance-pop, featuring personal topics including anxiety and self-reflection.
"Paris" is a song recorded by American singer Sabrina Carpenter from her third studio album Singular: Act I (2018), served as the second track of the album. The track was written by Carpenter, Brett McLaughlin and Jason Evigan with Evigan handling the production and McLaughlin and Gian Stone vocal producing. The song was released by Hollywood Records as the first promotional single from Singular: Act I on October 25, 2018 along with the pre-order of the album. The song talks about Paris, the city of love and thinking of a lover in Los Angeles while there.
"Sue Me" is a song recorded by American singer Sabrina Carpenter from her third studio album Singular: Act I (2018), serving as the fourth track of the album. The track was written by Sabrina Carpenter and Steph Jones and was produced by Warren "Oak" Felder with its co-producers, Trevor Brown, William Zaire Simmons. The song was released by Hollywood Records as the second single from Singular: Act I on November 9, 2018 and was released to contemporary hit radio on January 8, 2019. Lyrically, "Sue Me" is about the relief of being out of a bad relationship and challenging someone to stop them for living their best life.
"Bad Time" is a song recorded by American singer Sabrina Carpenter from her third studio album Singular: Act I (2018). It serves as the sixth track of the album and was released by Hollywood Records as the second promotional single on November 1, 2018. The track was written by Carpenter, Julia Karlsson and its producer, Oscar Görres. The song is about someone who is calling for a "good time", but the invitation is denied.
"Exhale" is a song recorded by American singer Sabrina Carpenter from her fourth studio album Singular: Act II (2019), released as the album's second single on May 3, 2019. Before the song's release, Carpenter performed the song as an encore on the Singular Tour.
"I'm Fakin" is a song by American singer Sabrina Carpenter from her fourth studio album Singular: Act II (2019), which served as the fourth track of the album. The track was written by Carpenter, Jackson Morgan, Katie Pearlman and the songs producers Mauricio Rengifo and Andrés Torres. Hollywood Records released the song on July 12, 2019 as Singular: Act II's first promotional single, a week before the album's release. With tropical house and pop influences, it is a tropical song which lyrics discuss the ups and downs of a relationship.
"In My Bed" is a song by American singer Sabrina Carpenter from her fourth studio album Singular: Act II (2019), serving as the opening track of the album. Carpenter wrote the song alongside Steph Jones and the song's producer Mike Sabath. Hollywood Records released the song as the third and final single from the album on June 7, 2019, along with the pre-order of the album.
"Honeymoon Fades" is a song by American singer Sabrina Carpenter, released on February 14, 2020, her final single release through Hollywood Records. It is Carpenter's first release since her fourth studio album Singular: Act II in July 2019.
Emails I Can't Send is the fifth studio album by American singer Sabrina Carpenter. It was released on July 15, 2022, as Carpenter's first album under Island Records. It is primarily a pop record, with elements of folk-pop, dance-pop and storytelling, themed around emails and messages Carpenter wrote but did not send.
Somehow, in the midst of all that, she recorded a third album—the two-part project Singular—which begins here with a serving of saucy, confident dance-pop
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