Perfectionist (album)

Perfectionist
Studio album by Natalia Kills
Released 15 March 2011 (2011-03-15)
Recorded 2009–11; 11th Street Studios, American Dream, The Boom Boom Room, Chalice Recording Studios, Cherrytree Recording Studios, Enormous Studios, The Hive, Paradise Studios[1]
Genre Pop, electropop, dance-pop
Length 50:21
Label will.i.am, Cherrytree, Kon Live, Interscope, Bozadya, Dandyville
Producer Akon, Jeff Bhasker, "The-Ron" Feemster, Fernando Garibay, Martin "Cherry Cherry Boom Boom" Kierszenbaum, Giorgio Tuinfort
Singles from Perfectionist
  1. "Mirrors"
    Released: 10 August 2010
  2. "Wonderland"
    Released: 12 April 2011
  3. "Free"
    Released: 28 June 2011
  4. "Kill My Boyfriend"
    Released: TBA

Perfectionist is the debut studio album by English recording artist Natalia Kills, first released digitally on 15 March 2011 and physically on 1 April 2011. The album has spawned three singles so far: "Mirrors", "Wonderland" and "Free".

Contents

Background

Kills has been working on the album since early 2009. It features production from Martin Kierszenbaum, Jeff Bhasker, Fernando Garibay, "The-Ron" Feemster, Akon and Giorgio Tuinfort.[1] Kills spoke about the album and her film, to coincide with the album, titled "The Exhibitionist": "I wanted to describe and express myself musically and visually. To show who I am and what inspires me. I love silent movies from the 20s. I wanted my film to be in the classic film noir style and tie in my album concept of 'Perfectionist'."[2]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic [3]
Digital Spy [4]
Star [5]

Lewis Corner of Digital Spy rated the album four out of five stars, noting that "a dark and electro-gothic soundscape flirts with Kills's metaphor-strewn lyrics and humorous quips", which are "best showcased in 'Mirrors' and 'Zombie'". He continued: "Each moment of pop surreality flourishes from Kills's own vision, then is finely tailored by some of the industry's most respected figures—the result as exciting as it is completely bonkers."[4] British magazine Star gave the album five stars and wrote that it is "striking stuff and great moody pop to boot."[5] Jon O'Brien of Allmusic, giving Perfectionist three out of five stars, felt that "there's something a little too calculated" about the album, and that "Kills appears to be more concerned with proving that she's all grown up than actually producing any music to back it up", concluding that "Perfectionist is far too formulaic and gimmicky to live up to Kills' obvious maverick intentions."[3]

Singles

"Mirrors" was released on 10 August 2010 as the album's lead single.[6]

"Wonderland" was released digitally in the US as the album's second single on 12 April 2011,[7] and later in Germany on 3 June 2011.[8] The video was shot in late January 2011. "Wonderland" was featured in the 2011 romantic fantasy film Beastly.[9]

"Free" served as the album's third single, featuring will.i.am. It was released in the US on 28 June 2011,[10] in Germany on 22 July 2011[11] and in the UK on 11 September 2011.[12]

"Kill My Boyfriend" has been confirmed as the album's fourth single.

Promotional singles

"Zombie", the first promotional single, was released on 21 December 2009.[13] It was used in the sixth episode of the Syfy reality television series Face Off on 2 March 2011. "Activate My Heart" was the second promotional single, released on 13 April 2010.[14] The song, however, did not make the cut for the album.

Track listing

No. Title Writer(s) Producer(s) Length
1. "Perfection"   Natalia Kills Martin "Cherry Cherry Boom Boom" Kierszenbaum 0:32
2. "Wonderland"   Natalia Kills, "The-Ron" Feemster, Michael Warren Feemster 3:31
3. "Free"   Natalia Kills, Jeff Bhasker, Scott Mescudi, Dion Wilson Bhasker 3:57
4. "Break You Hard"   Natalia Kills, Feemster Feemster 4:22
5. "Zombie"   Natalia Kills, Bhasker Bhasker 3:19
6. "Love Is a Suicide"   Natalia Kills, Fernando Garibay, Michael Warren Garibay 3:57
7. "Mirrors"   Natalia Kills, Kierszenbaum, Akon, Giorgio Tuinfort Akon, Tuinfort, Kierszenbaum 3:16
8. "Not in Love"   Natalia Kills, Kierszenbaum Kierszenbaum 3:23
9. "Acid Annie"   Natalia Kills, Kierszenbaum Kierszenbaum 3:37
10. "Superficial"   Natalia Kills, Feemster Feemster 3:17
11. "Broke"   Natalia Kills, Garibay, Warren Garibay 4:08
12. "Heaven"   Natalia Kills, Bhasker Bhasker 4:49
13. "Nothing Lasts Forever" (featuring Billy Kraven) Natalia Kills, Bhasker Bhasker 3:30
14. "If I Was God"   Natalia Kills, Feemster Feemster 4:43

Personnel

  • Carlos Keery-Fisher – guitar (tracks 4, 10)
  • Heather Kierszenbaum – 911 operator (track 9)
  • Martin "Cherry Cherry Boom Boom" Kierszenbaum – producer (tracks 1, 7–9); engineer (track 1); instrumentation (tracks 7–9); backing vocals (track 8); vocal producer (track 11); executive producer, A&R
  • Anthony Kilhoffer – engineer (tracks 3, 13)
  • Robert Orton – mixing (tracks 1–4, 6–14); vocal producer (track 11)
  • Julian Peploe – art direction, design
  • Andrea Ruffalo – A&R coordinator
  • Christopher Simila – backing vocals (track 14)
  • Kristle Simila – backing vocals (track 14)
  • Giorgio Tuinfort – producer, instrumentation (track 7)
  • Tony Ugyal – engineer (tracks 7–9, 11); vocal producer (track 11)
  • will.i.am – executive producer
  • Dion "No I.D." Wilson – co-producer (track 3)

Charts

Chart (2011) Peak
position
Austrian Albums Chart[17] 35
Canadian Albums Chart[18] 36
German Albums Chart[19] 50
Swiss Albums Chart[20] 94
UK Albums Chart[21] 129
US Billboard 200[22] 134
US Dance/Electronic Albums[22] 6
US Heatseekers Albums[22] 1

Release history

Country Date Label Format
France[23] 15 March 2011 Universal Music Digital download
Austria[24] 1 April 2011 CD, digital download
Germany[25]
Switzerland[26]
Poland[27] 13 May 2011 CD
Canada[28] 16 August 2011 CD, digital download
United States[29] will.i.am, Cherrytree, Kon Live,
Interscope, Bozadya, Dandyville
United Kingdom[30] 19 September 2011 Polydor
Brazil[31] 20 September 2011 Universal Music CD

References

  1. ^ a b (2011) Album notes for Perfectionist by Natalia Kills [CD liner notes]. Interscope Records (0602527682471).
  2. ^ Biography on Natalia Kills' Myspace. Retrieved on 27 June 2010.
  3. ^ a b O'Brien, Jon. "Perfectionist – Natalia Kills – Review". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. http://www.allmusic.com/album/perfectionist-r2183094/review. Retrieved 4 July 2011. 
  4. ^ a b Corner, Lewis. "Natalia Kills: 'Perfectionist' – Album review". Digital Spy. http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/music/albumreviews/a339817/natalia-kills-perfectionist-album-review.html. Retrieved 18 September 2011. 
  5. ^ a b "Natalia Kills – Perfectionist". Star. Northern & Shell Media Publications. 20 September 2011. http://www.star-magazine.co.uk/music/view/33921/Natalia-Kills-Perfectionist/. Retrieved 24 September 2011. 
  6. ^ "Mirrors – Single by Natalia Kills". iTunes Store US. Apple Inc.. http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/mirrors-single/id385284838. Retrieved 6 April 2011. 
  7. ^ "Wonderland – Single by Natalia Kills". iTunes Store US. Apple Inc.. http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/wonderland-single/id429916364. Retrieved 27 May 2011. 
  8. ^ "Natalia Kills – Wonderland – Single, CD" (in German). Universal Music Germany. http://www.universal-music.de/natalia-kills/diskografie/detail/product:175285/wonderland. Retrieved 27 May 2011. 
  9. ^ "Beastly (2011) – Soundtracks". Internet Movie Database. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1152398/soundtrack. Retrieved 6 April 2011. 
  10. ^ "Free (feat. will.i.am) – Single by Natalia Kills". iTunes Store US. Apple Inc.. http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/free-feat-will-i-am-single/id444873546. Retrieved 4 July 2011. 
  11. ^ "Natalia Kills – Free feat. will.i.am – Single, CD" (in German). Universal Music Germany. http://www.universal-music.de/natalia-kills/diskografie/detail/product:176498/free-feat-william. Retrieved 27 May 2011. 
  12. ^ "Free – EP by Natalia Kills". iTunes Store UK. Apple Inc.. http://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/free-ep/id455703005. Retrieved 4 September 2011. 
  13. ^ "Zombie – Single by Natalia Kills". iTunes Store US. Apple Inc.. http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/zombie-single/id345755358. Retrieved 6 April 2011. 
  14. ^ "Activate My Heart – Single by Natalia Kills". iTunes Store US. Apple Inc.. http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/activate-my-heart-single/id366294843. Retrieved 6 April 2011. 
  15. ^ "Perfectionist (Bonus Track Version) von Natalia Kills" (in German). iTunes Store Germany. Apple Inc.. http://itunes.apple.com/de/album/perfectionist-bonus-track/id426384394. Retrieved 6 April 2011. 
  16. ^ "'Perfectionist' Release In the US/Canada – 16th August". Facebook. 13 July 2011. http://www.facebook.com/notes/natalia-kills/perfectionist-release-in-the-uscanada-16th-august/230133900351832. Retrieved 14 July 2011. 
  17. ^ "Natalia Kills – Perfectionist" (in German). IFPI Austria. Hung Medien. http://austriancharts.at/showitem.asp?interpret=Natalia+Kills&titel=Perfectionist&cat=a. Retrieved 13 April 2011. 
  18. ^ "Top 100 Albums in Canada". Nielsen SoundScan. CANOE. 25 August 2011. Archived from the original on 25 August 2011. http://www.webcitation.org/61D6vrdk3. Retrieved 26 August 2011. 
  19. ^ "Chartverfolgung / Kills,Natalia / Longplay" (in German). Media Control. PhonoNet GmbH. http://www.musicline.de/de/chartverfolgung_summary/artist/Kills,Natalia/?type=longplay. Retrieved 15 April 2011. 
  20. ^ "Natalia Kills – Perfectionist". Media Control. Hung Medien. http://swisscharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Natalia+Kills&titel=Perfectionist&cat=a. Retrieved 12 April 2011. 
  21. ^ "CHART: CLUK Update 1.10.2011 (wk38)". The Official Charts Company. The Zobbel Website. http://www.zobbel.de/cluk/111001cluk.txt. Retrieved 2 October 2011. 
  22. ^ a b c "Perfectionist – Natalia Kills". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. http://www.billboard.com/#/album/natalia-kills/perfectionist/1492995. Retrieved 25 August 2011. 
  23. ^ "Perfectionist (International Version) de Natalia Kills" (in French). iTunes Store France. Apple Inc.. http://itunes.apple.com/fr/album/perfectionist-international/id425735990. Retrieved 20 April 2011. 
  24. ^ "Natalia Kills – Perfectionist" (in German). Universal Music Austria. http://www.universalmusic.at/pop/product/7025752/Natalia+Kills+-+Perfectionist. Retrieved 20 April 2011. 
  25. ^ "Natalia Kills – Perfectionist" (in German). Universal Music Germany. http://www.universal-music.de/natalia-kills/diskografie/detail/product:174980/perfectionist. Retrieved 6 April 2011. 
  26. ^ "Perfectionist" (in German). Schweizer Radio DRS. SRG SSR. http://www.drs.ch/www/radiokiosk/product/0602527682471. Retrieved 20 April 2011. 
  27. ^ "Perfectionist (polska cena!) – Natalia Kills" (in Polish). Universal Music Poland. http://universalmusic.pl/artysci.id_3629.a_dyskografia. Retrieved 6 April 2011. 
  28. ^ "PERFECTIONIST by NATALIA KILLS". HMV Canada. http://www.hmv.ca/Products/Detail/626516.aspx. Retrieved 22 July 2011. 
  29. ^ "Natalia Kills to Release Debut Album 'Perfectionist' on 8/16/11". Cherrytree Records. 17 May 2011. http://www.cherrytreerecords.com/profiles/blogs/natalia-kills-to-release-debut. Retrieved 18 May 2011. 
  30. ^ "Natalia Kills: Perfectionist". HMV. http://hmv.com/hmvweb/displayProductDetails.do?ctx=280;-1;-1;-1;-1&sku=51925. Retrieved 22 July 2011. 
  31. ^ "Perfectionist (nacional)" (in Portuguese). Livraria Cultura. http://www.livrariacultura.com.br/scripts/resenha/resenha.asp?nitem=22850846&sid=9601621881367241298411874. Retrieved 3 September 2011. 
Natalia Kills
Albums
Singles
"Mirrors" · "Wonderland" · "Free" · "Kill My Boyfriend"
Featured singles
Promotional singles
"Activate My Heart"  · "Zombie"
Other singles
Related articles