Chapters (Yuna album) explained

Chapters
Type:studio
Artist:Yuna
Cover:Yuna - Chapters album cover.jpg
Released:May 20, 2016
Recorded:2015–2016
Studio:Westlake Recording StudiosSilent Sound StudiosThe Ship4220 StudiosFisticuffs GymVerve StudiosThe Village
Label:Verve
Prev Title:Nocturnal
Prev Year:2013
Next Title:Rouge
Next Year:2019

Chapters is the third international studio album (sixth overall release) by Malaysian singer-songwriter, Yuna released on May 20, 2016, through Verve Records. The album is the follow-up to her second international studio album Nocturnal (2013), and features guest appearances from Usher and Jhené Aiko. Chapters made its way to the top 10 of the Billboard’s Best R&B Albums of 2016: Critic’s Picks and Rolling Stone's 20 Best R&B Albums of 2016.

One of the songs in the album, "All I Do" was chosen as the soundtrack for the pilot episode of 13th season of Grey's Anatomy.[1] [2] [3]

Background

Prior to the album's release, it has been reported in October 2015 that Yuna's upcoming studio album which is 90 percent to completed and originally to be released by February 2016.[4] In an exclusive interview with Utusan Malaysia, Yuna said about the album:

Yuna revealed the album title, Chapters in an interview with The Fader on February 19, 2016, and announced May 20 as the album's release date.[5]

Singles

A total of six singles were released during 2016 and 2017 to support the album. The lead single, "Crush" featuring Usher was released on February 29, 2016. The song debuted at No. 24 and has peaked at No. 1 on the Malaysia Music Weekly, the first and only single to reach the top of the list in one week. As of March 9, the song peaked on the singles list at No. 12 (Indonesia), No. 17 (Singapore), No. 6 (Cambodia) and No. 3 (United States R&B Billboard). "Crush" was the first song on Yuna to receive gold certification from RIAA with certified sales of 500,000 copies,[6] [7] in April 2019, three years following its release.[8]

"Lanes" was in May 2016 the second single released.[9] "Mannequin"[10] and "Poor Heart"[11] were released in September and October respectively.

The fifth single, "Best Love" was released in January 2017 to a moderate success, peaking higher than "Crush" at No. 2 on the Billboard Adult R&B Songs.[12]

"Unrequited Love" was released in February 2017 as the sixth and final single of Chapters.[13]

Promotional singles

The first promotional single, "Places To Go" in collaboration with DJ Premier was released on February 20, 2016.[14] [15] [16]

Critical reception

Gail Mitchell from Billboard wrote that this compelling album proves through such Sade-channeling selections as "Best Love" and "Unrequited Love". Rolling Stone opined that Chapters, segmented like pages torn from a diary, than its occasional starry cameos or production from alt-R&B heavyweight Robin Hannibal. Her emotional sincerity is underlined by her quiet yet insistent voice, and she often sounds like she is whispering as she lyrically dismantles her ex-lover's arguments. Much of Chapters finds her falling out of love, but there are a few happy moments in this beautifully broken valentine. Writing for Star2.com, Angelin Yeoh praises Yuna for her ability to turn heartbreaks into stellar numbers in Chapters.[17] Where as Pulse undoubtedly louded "Chapters" as Yuna's best work ever as the album perfectly highlights her vocal maturity.[18] Sputnikmusic praised for the album productions, stating "It has to be said that Chapters’ spacious production does wonders for Yuna's tender soprano, and when the two elements manage to combine over an honest-to-goodness number, such as in the case of "All I Do" and “Too Close”, the result is good enough to make heartbreak contemporaries Adele and Jessie Ware blush." However on the negative side described the bulk of the material she's working with, "unfortunately, is on a lower level."

Year-end lists

PublicationAccoladeRank
Billboard Billboard's Best R&B Albums of 2016: Critic's Picks7[19]
Rolling Stone20 Best R&B Albums of 201613[20]

Personnel

Credits adapted from Chapters booklet liner notes[21] and Discogs.[22]

Notes and References

  1. https://www.malaymail.com/news/showbiz/2016/09/29/yunas-all-i-do-featured-in-greys-anatomy/1216759 Yuna’s ‘All I Do’ featured in ‘Grey’s Anatomy’
  2. FMT Reporters (29 September 2016). Yuna’s All I Do chosen for pilot of Grey’s Anatomy 13 Free Malaysia Today. Retrieved on 26 December 2016.
  3. https://leosigh.com/listen-to-yunas-all-i-do-from-greys-anatomy-beautiful-and-so-sweet/ Listen to Yuna’s ‘All I Do’ from Grey’s Anatomy — Beautiful and So Sweet
  4. News: Album Yuna temui peminat Februari ini. Utusan Malaysia. 18 October 2015. 16 December 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20151018194212/http://www.utusan.com.my/berita/nasional/album-yuna-temui-peminat-februari-ini-1.147604. 18 October 2015.
  5. News: Yuna dedah album baharu lancar 20 Mei ini. mStar Online. 21 February 2016. 16 December 2016.
  6. Web site: Gold & Platinum. Recording Industry Association of America.
  7. 1121146850449350656. yunamusic. Crush just went gold❤️ @RIAA thank you everyone for loving the song and thank you @usher! ✨ . 24 April 2019.
  8. Michelle Arteche (25 April 2019). Yuna earns first Gold-certified record for 'Crush feat. Usher' BandWagon. Dicapai pada 18 Jun 2019.
  9. http://femalemag.com.my/entertainment/watch-yunas-hypnotic-new-music-video-lanes/ Watch Yuna’s Hypnotic New Music Video for ‘Lanes’
  10. http://www.soulbounce.com/2016/09/yuna-explores-a-broken-relationship-through-dance-in-mannequin/ Yuna Explores A Broken Relationship Through Dance In ‘Mannequin’
  11. http://www.soulbounce.com/2016/10/yunas-poor-heart-gets-a-rather-unique-visual/ Yuna’s ‘Poor Heart’ Gets A Rather Unique Visual
  12. Yuna. Billboard.
  13. Syedney Gore (7 Februari 2017). Yuna Shows Us The Beauty Of “Unrequited Love” In Her Latest Visual Nylon. Dicapai pada 7 Februari 2017.
  14. News: Yuna Takes Us Along On Her Journey In 'Places To Go'. 16 April 2016. SoulBounce. 9 March 2016.
  15. News: 'Yuna' releases new single with 'DJ Premier' – "Places To Go" and announces new album and tour. Good Music. 21 February 2016. 26 April 2016. 26 April 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190426100546/http://goodmomusic.net/yuna-dj-premier-place-to-go-new-album-chapters-spring-tour/. dead.
  16. News: Yuna announces her new album with the DJ Premier and her new single release, "Places to Go". Faidzur Redza. Masses. 21 February 2016. 16 April 2016.
  17. Angelin Yeoh (20 Mei 2016). Review: Chapters by Yuna Star2. Dicapai pada 21 Mei 2016.
  18. https://pulseradio.net/articles/2016/06/yuna-is-officially-the-first-malaysian-artist-to-break-into-top-ten-of-billboard-chart Yuna is officially the first Malaysian artist to break into top ten of Billboard chart
  19. Gail Mitchell (12 September 2016). 10 Best R&B Albums of 2016: Critic's Picks Billboard. Retrieved on 21 September 2016.
  20. https://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/20-best-rb-albums-of-2016-w454680 20 Best R&B Albums of 2016
  21. Chapters. Yuna. 2016 . liner notes . The Verve Music Group.
  22. Web site: Chapters by Yuna. Discogs. June 22, 2016.
  23. Digital download:

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