Songs from the Stage

Last updated
Songs from the Stage
Leading Ladies - Songs from the Stage.jpg
Studio album by
Released17 November 2017
Genre Musical theatre, show tunes, pop
Length49:53
Label
Producer
Singles from Songs from the Stage
  1. "One Night Only"
    Released: 6 October 2017
  2. "I'm Every Woman / Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas"
    Released: 27 November 2017

Songs from the Stage is the debut album from British-American girl group Leading Ladies, featuring Amber Riley, Beverley Knight and Cassidy Janson. The album was released on 17 November 2017.

Contents

It was nominated for Album of the Year at the 2018 Classic Brit Awards. [1]

Background

Songs from the Stage features fourteen songs from musicals including Hamilton , Cats , Rent , Dreamgirls , Funny Girl , The Bodyguard , Memphis and Beautiful: The Carole King Musical . [2] Songs from the Stage was produced by Grammy Award-winning British producer Brian Rawling, who has previously worked with Cher, Tina Turner and Lionel Richie. [3] The setting-up of the music and vocal arrangements were done together as a group, while most of the recording occurred separately within a two-week period due to their busy individual schedules. [4] During the album recording, Riley and Janson were still both contracted to perform in the West End, while Knight was recovering from surgery and due to go on her I Love Soulsville UK tour).

The group promoted the album by performing the track "Wind Beneath My Wings" on BBC Children in Need , [5] second single "I'm Every Woman" on Strictly Come Dancing , [6] "Somebody to Love" on The Royal Variety Show , "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" on Sunday Brunch and the first single "One Night Only" on the special New Year's Eve edition of The Graham Norton Show .

Singles

"One Night Only" (originally from the musical Dreamgirls ) was released as the group's debut single on 6 October 2017. [7] The song peaked on the A-list at BBC Radio 2. [8]

The second single from the album was revealed on 27 November 2017 to be a double A-side single of "I'm Every Woman" from The Bodyguard and "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" from Meet Me in St. Louis . [9]

Promotional singles

"Will You Love Me Tomorrow" was released as the first promotional single on 20 October 2017. [10] The second promotional single was "Somebody to Love", issued on 3 November 2017. [11] The third and final promotional single was released one week later on 10 November 2017 and was confirmed to be "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas", which later became one of the album's second singles. [12]

Commercial performance

Songs from the Stage debuted within the top 20 of the UK Albums Chart [13] and the Scottish Albums Chart. [14]

Track listing

Songs from the Stage
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."One Night Only"
3:00
2."Seasons of Love"
  • Rawling
  • Meehan
3:02
3."I'm Every Woman"
  • Rawling
  • Meehan
4:35
4."(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman"
  • Rawling
  • Meehan
3:14
5."The Wind Beneath My Wings" (Amber Riley solo)
  • Rawling
  • Meehan
4:01
6."Helpless" (Rap by Sky Adams)
  • Rawling
  • Meehan
3:54
7."Memory"
  • Rawling
  • Meehan
4:29
8."Somebody to Love"
  • Rawling
  • Meehan
3:48
9."Falling Slowly"
  • Rawling
  • Meehan
3:53
10."Love Will Stand When All Else Falls" (Beverley Knight solo)
  • Rawling
  • Meehan
3:28
11."Raise the Roof"
  • Rawling
  • Meehan
3:11
12."Will You Love Me Tomorrow"
  • Rawling
  • Meehan
3:57
13."Don't Rain On My Parade" (Cassidy Janson solo)
  • Rawling
  • Meehan
2:47
14."Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" (Amber Riley solo)
  • Rawling
  • Meehan
2:34
Total length:49:53

Charts

Chart (2017)Peak
position
Scottish Albums (OCC) [15] 19
UK Albums (OCC) [16] 19

Release history

RegionDateFormat(s)LabelRef.
Various17 November 2017 [17]

Related Research Articles

<i>A Partridge Family Christmas Card</i> 1971 studio album by The Partridge Family

A Partridge Family Christmas Card is a Christmas album by the Partridge Family, released in November 1971. The album's case contains a reproduction of a Christmas card signed by the whole Partridge Family, the stars of a 1970s sitcom. The song "My Christmas Card to You" was original, but the remainder of the tracks were standards. Like most of the Partridge Family songs, the lead vocals are sung by David Cassidy, who played Keith Partridge in the show. The album also features one of the few Partridge Family recordings featuring Shirley Jones as the lead singer.

"Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" is a song written in 1943 by Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane and introduced by Judy Garland in the 1944 MGM musical Meet Me in St. Louis. Frank Sinatra later recorded a version with modified lyrics. In 2007, ASCAP ranked it the third most performed Christmas song during the preceding five years that had been written by ASCAP members. In 2004 it finished at No. 76 in AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs rankings of the top tunes in American cinema.

The UK Singles Chart was first compiled in 1969. However the records and statistics listed here date back to 1952 because the Official Charts Company counts a selected period of the New Musical Express chart and the Record Retailer chart from 1960 to 1969 as predecessors for the period prior to 11 February 1969, where multiples of competing charts coexisted side by side. For example, the BBC compiled its own chart based on an average of the music papers of the time; many songs announced as having reached number one on BBC Radio and Top of the Pops prior to 1969 may not be listed here as chart-toppers since they do not meet the legacy criteria of the Charts Company.

Schuyler Fisk American actress and singer-songwriter

Schuyler Elizabeth Fisk is an American actress and singer-songwriter.

One More Try (George Michael song)

"One More Try" is a song recorded by the British singer George Michael from his debut solo studio album, Faith (1987). It was released on 11 April 1988 as the album's fourth single by Columbia Records. The song hit number one on all of the Billboard Hot 100, the Hot Black Singles and the Hot Adult Contemporary charts.

Beverley Knight Singer, actress, songwriter, and record producer (born 1973)

Beverley Knight is an English recording artist and musical theatre actress. She released her first album, The B-Funk, in 1995. Heavily influenced by American soul music icons such as Sam Cooke and Aretha Franklin, Knight has released eight studio albums. Widely labelled as one of Britain's greatest soul singers, Knight is best known for her hit singles "Greatest Day", "Get Up!", "Shoulda Woulda Coulda", and "Come as You Are".

The MacDonald Brothers

The MacDonald Brothers, now performing as The Macs, are a Scottish pop folk duo from Ayr, South Ayrshire, Scotland, consisting of brothers Brian and Craig MacDonald. They first rose to prominence in the third UK series of television talent show The X Factor in 2006, and have since gone on to release four studio albums. Their debut studio album, self-titled The MacDonald Brothers was released in April 2007 to positive reviews. The album went on to top the charts in their native Scotland and also performed well on the UK Albums Chart, peaking at number 18.

I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday 1973 Single by Wizzard

"I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday" is a Christmas song recorded by British glam rock band Wizzard. It was first released in December 1973 and, as with most Wizzard songs, was written and produced by the band's frontman Roy Wood—formerly of The Move and a founding member of Electric Light Orchestra. Despite the song's strong, long-lasting popularity, it has reached no higher than number four on the UK Singles Chart, a position it occupied for four consecutive weeks from December 1973 to January 1974. The song was beaten to the 1973 Christmas Number 1 spot by Slade's "Merry Xmas Everybody", which remained at the top of the charts for five weeks, from December 1973 to January 1974.

Amber Riley American actress and singer

Amber Patrice Riley, sometimes known mononymously as RILEY, is an American actress and singer. She is best known for her portrayal of Mercedes Jones on the Fox comedy-drama series Glee (2009–2015). For her performance on the series, she and the rest of the cast won a Screen Actors Guild Award, and have been nominated for three Teen Choice Awards, three NAACP Image Awards, and a Grammy Award.

Christmas Tree (Lady Gaga song) 2008 promotional single by Lady Gaga featuring Space Cowboy

"Christmas Tree" is a song by American singer Lady Gaga. It was released on December 16, 2008, for digital download. It was written and produced by Gaga, Martin Kierszenbaum, and Space Cowboy, who also provides guest vocals. Musically, "Christmas Tree" is a Christmas song with dance-pop and synthpop influences. It samples the classic Christmas song "Deck the Halls", as well as briefly using the lyrics "Rum pum pum pum" from the Christmas song "The Little Drummer Boy" in its intro. Lyrically, the song uses sexual innuendos.

Chris Janson American singer-songwriter

Christopher Pierre Janson is an American country music singer and songwriter. Janson has recorded three full-length albums, Buy Me a Boat, Everybody, and Real Friends, through Warner Bros. Records Nashville, along with one extended play each for Bigger Picture Music Group, Columbia Records, and Warner Bros. Nashville. He has charted multiple singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs and Country Airplay charts, including "Good Vibes" and "Done", both of which went to number one on the latter. In addition to his material, Janson has performed on albums by Holly Williams and Lee Brice and has co-written singles for Tim McGraw, LoCash, Randy Houser and Hank Williams Jr.

<i>Merry Christmas II You</i> 2010 studio album by Mariah Carey

Merry Christmas II You is the second Christmas album and thirteenth studio album by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey. It was released by Island Records on November 2, 2010. Recording began in April 2010 and continued while Carey became pregnant. She was the executive producer of Merry Christmas II You and worked with various record producers, including Bryan-Michael Cox, Jermaine Dupri, Randy Jackson, James Poyser, Marc Shaiman, James "Big Jim" Wright and Johnny "Sev" Severin of RedOne. The album features Carey's mother Patricia Carey as a guest vocalist on "O Come All Ye Faithful" / "Hallelujah Chorus". The album serves as a sequel to her fourth studio album Merry Christmas (1994). It is composed of original songs and covers, ballads and uptempo tracks, incorporating R&B, soul, and house music in its composition.

Christmas Lights (song) 2010 song by Coldplay

"Christmas Lights" is a song by British alternative rock band Coldplay released on 1 December 2010, as a digital download single. According to lead singer Chris Martin, it was written in December 2008. The morning after he began work on the single, he performed a segment of the still in-progress song for journalist Steve Kroft during an interview for the newsmagazine program 60 Minutes that was aired on February 8, 2009. Described by the band as "a mid-tempo number" in the key of G major, "Christmas Lights" was released to very positive reviews. The cover art is by Yu Matsuoka Pol.

When Christmas Comes 2011 single by Mariah Carey and John Legend

"When Christmas Comes" is a song by American singer and songwriter Mariah Carey from her second Christmas album/thirteenth studio album, Merry Christmas II You (2010). Carey wrote and produced the song in collaboration with James Poyser. A soul song with influences of R&B, the lyrics are about giving the gift of love. In November 2011, Carey re-recorded the song as duet with John Legend, which was later released as a single. Both versions of the track were a hit in South Korea, with the duet debuting at number one with sales in excess of 80,000 copies. The song's accompanying music video features Carey and Legend at a hosting a Christmas house party. It has been performed by Carey at her ABC 2010 Christmas special and during her 2014 Beacon Theatre residency All I Want for Christmas Is You, A Night of Joy and Festivity in December 2014.

Round and Around (Jaki Graham song)

"Round and Around" is the fourth solo single release from British singer Jaki Graham, following her previous single, a duet with David Grant, "Could It Be I'm Falling in Love". It was the third single taken from her debut studio album, Heaven Knows.

Christmas Time Is in the Air Again 2012 promotional single by Mariah Carey

"Christmas Time Is in the Air Again" is a song by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey from her second Christmas album and thirteenth studio album, Merry Christmas II You (2010). It was written and produced by Carey in collaboration with Broadway composer Marc Shaiman. Lyrically, it is about finding love during the Christmas season. The track garnered positive reviews from critics, with one describing it as an outstanding performance and the only song on the album that could compare to one of Carey's previous Christmas singles, "All I Want for Christmas Is You". It was released as a promotional single in December 2012. An accompanying lyric video was released, and Carey has performed "Christmas Time Is in the Air Again" live on NBC's Christmas in Rockefeller Centre event and during her December 2014 Beacon Theatre residency called All I Want For Christmas Is You, A Night of Joy & Festivity.

Sam Bailey English pop singer

Samantha Florence Bailey is an English pop singer who won the tenth series of The X Factor in 2013. Following her win, her debut single, a cover of Demi Lovato's "Skyscraper" was released on 15 December 2013, achieving the Christmas number one on 22 December 2013. She was the first X Factor winner in three years to gain the Christmas number one spot.

Love Yourself 2015 single by Justin Bieber

"Love Yourself" is a song recorded by Canadian singer Justin Bieber for his fourth studio album Purpose (2015). The song was released as a promotional single on November 9, 2015, and as the album's third official single on December 7, 2015. It was written by Ed Sheeran, Benjamin Levin and Bieber, and produced by Levin. A pop song, "Love Yourself" features an acoustic guitar and a brief flurry of trumpets as its main instrumentation. During the song, Bieber uses a husky tone in the lower registers. Lyrically, the song is a kiss-off to a narcissistic ex-lover who did the protagonist wrong.

The Leading Ladies was a British-American girl group/supergroup formed in London, England in 2017. The group consists of three leading women from the London West End stage; American singer and actress Amber Riley, who starred in Dreamgirls, British soul singer Beverley Knight, who featured in The Bodyguard, Memphis and Cats and British theatre star Cassidy Janson, who took the leading role in Beautiful: The Carole King Musical.

Cassidy Janson is a British actress, known for her work in musical theatre. She won the 2020 Olivier Award for Best Supporting Performance in a Musical for & Juliet.

References

  1. "The nominations for the Classic BRIT Awards have been revealed".
  2. "Interview: Beverley Knight and Cassidy Janson on Leading Ladies – Songs From The Stage". Theatre Weekly. 3 November 2017. Retrieved 3 November 2017.
  3. "Leading Ladies 'Songs From The Stage' with Amber Riley, Beverley Knight & Cassidy Janson". Theatre-News.com. Retrieved 21 September 2017.
  4. "Leading Ladies Beverley Knight, Amber Riley and Cassidy Janson give us tips on how to sing like a West End superstar". Official Charts Company . Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  5. "BBC Children in Need 2017 raises an incredible £50 million". Pressparty . Retrieved 4 December 2017.
  6. Stephens, Heidi (3 December 2017). "Strictly Come Dancing quarter-final – as it happened". The Guardian . Retrieved 4 December 2017.
  7. "One Night Only (2017) - Leading Ladies - High Quality Music Downloads 7digital United Kingdom". 7 Digital . Retrieved 4 December 2017.
  8. "West End Supergroup Leading Ladies 'Songs from the Stage' is out now". Pressparty . Retrieved 4 December 2017.
  9. "The Leading Ladies to Release Double A Side Single". Theatre Weekly. 27 November 2017. Retrieved 27 November 2017.
  10. "Will You Love Me Tomorrow (2017) - Leading Ladies - High Quality Music Downloads 7digital United Kingdom". 7 Digital . Retrieved 4 December 2017.
  11. "Somebody to Love (2017) - Leading Ladies - High Quality Music Downloads 7digital United Kingdom". 7 Digital . Retrieved 4 December 2017.
  12. "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas (2017) - Leading Ladies - High Quality Music Downloads 7digital United Kingdom". 7 Digital . Retrieved 4 December 2017.
  13. "Paloma Faith's The Architect becomes her first UK Number 1 album: "It's a testament to hard work!": Plus there are new Top 40 entries from Tokio Myers, Morrissey, ELO and Leading Ladies". Official Charts Company . Retrieved 24 November 2017.
  14. "Official Albums Top 100 - 24 November 2017-30 November 2017". Official Charts Company . Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  15. "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 5 December 2017.
  16. "Leading Ladies | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved 5 December 2017.
  17. O'Brien, Jon. "Songs from the Stage – Release Information". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation . Retrieved 4 December 2017.