Stages (Melanie C album)

Last updated

Stages
Melanie C "Stages" Album Cover.jpg
Studio album by
Released7 September 2012
Recorded2010–2012
Genre Theatrical pop
Length45:15
Label
Producer Peter-John Vettese
Melanie C chronology
The Night
(2012)
Stages
(2012)
Live at Shepherd's Bush Empire
(2013)
Singles from Stages
  1. "I Know Him So Well"
    Released: 11 November 2012

Stages is the sixth studio album by English singer Melanie C, released on 7 September 2012 by Red Girl Records and Universal UK. A cover album, it features a collection of song covers from various musical theatre shows and films, which consequently makes it Chisholm's first studio album where she holds no writing credits whatsoever to any of the tracks. The album was supported by one single, a cover of "I Know Him So Well", featuring fellow English singer and Spice Girls member Emma Bunton.

Contents

Background

On 25 June 2012 it was announced on her official website that Chisholm was in the process of putting the finishing touches on her upcoming album, to be called Stages. The record was to be produced by her longtime collaborator Peter-John Vettese, [1] and features a collection of songs from the theatre that have been important to Chisholm at various stages of her life. [2]

On 6 July 2012, after a succession of mysterious tweets between Chisholm and her former Spice Girls group mate Emma Bunton, it was revealed that the two had recorded a song together for Chisholm's upcoming album. The song "I Know Him So Well" from the musical Chess , was to be a duet featuring the two. [3]

The original artwork for the album featured Chisholm sitting in a black leather chair. [4] Alongside the album's track list, it was unveiled on 21 July 2012. [5] It was later reported that this art would serve only for digital versions of the album and a photograph of Chisholm walking down stairs would serve as the image for physical releases. [6] However, the latter image ended up being used for both physical and digital releases. [7]

Promotion

To increase the sales of the album, Chisholm held an album signing sessions on HMV. In September 2012 and October 2012, she visited six HMV stores to sign the copies of her album Stages. [8] Chisholm also performed the album track "I Don't Know How to Love Him" on This Morning , QVC , Superstar and The Late Late Show . [9] Chisholm also performed at "Beats at the Beach" in Abu Dhabi on 1 November 2012 as part of Yasalam 2012. [10]

Singles

"I Don't Know How to Love Him", a song taken from the rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar , was released on 22 July 2012 as a digital download on iTunes, serving as a special preview [11] for the album. The song peaked at number twenty [12] in the Official UK Indie Chart.

The official lead single [13] from the album, "I Know Him So Well" was released on 11 November 2012. The single features Emma Bunton, Chisholm's groupmate from the Spice Girls. Chisholm and Bunton performed the song live on various TV shows such as Loose Women, This Morning, The Alan Titchmarsh Show, and the BBC Children in Need 2012 concert. [14] The single reached #153 [15] in the Official UK Top 200 singles chart. The b-side of the single is a cover of "You'll Never Walk Alone" from the musical Carousel .

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Daily Express Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [16]

The Daily Express rated the album three out of five stars. The daily newspaper wrote: "Melanie C has become a bit of a West End Wendy [..] which makes this album of covers of mainly show tunes more than appropriate [...] It’s a great selection but perhaps the most enjoyable moment is when Emma Bunton joins her on a cover of the Elaine Paige/Barbara Dickson classic "I Know Him So Well"." [16]

Chart performance

Stages debuted and peaked at number 50 on the UK Albums Chart, [17] giving Chisholm her sixth consecutive entry in the Official Albums Chart Top 100. The album also reached the top ten on the Official UK Indie Album Chart, at number seven. [18]

Track listing

All tracks produced by Peter-John Vettese.

Stages track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)MusicalLength
1."Maybe This Time" Kander and Ebb Cabaret 3:37
2."Another Hundred People" Stephen Sondheim Company 2:47
3."I Know Him So Well" (featuring Emma Bunton) Chess 4:24
4."Aren't You Kinda Glad We Did?" The Shocking Miss Pilgrim 3:12
5."I Don't Know How to Love Him" Jesus Christ Superstar 5:22
6."Both Sides Now" Joni Mitchell Priscilla, Queen of the Desert 5:01
7."Ain't Got No, I Got Life" Hair 3:09
8."I Just Don't Know What to Do With Myself" Shout! The Mod Musical 3:24
9."I Only Have Eyes for You" Dames 3:20
10."Tell Me It's Not True" Willy Russell Blood Brothers 5:09
11."My Funny Valentine" Babes in Arms 2:57
12."Something Wonderful" The King & I 2:52
iTunes bonus track
No.TitleWriter(s)MusicalLength
13."Anything Goes" Cole Porter Anything Goes 2:57

Charts

Chart performance for Stages
Chart (2012)Peak
position
Irish Albums (IRMA) [19] 83
Scottish Albums (OCC) [20] 79
UK Albums (OCC) [21] 50
UK Independent Albums (OCC) [22] 7

Release history

Release history for Stages
RegionDateFormat(s)LabelRef.
Various9 September 2012 Red Girl [23]

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References

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