Simply Deep

Simply Deep
Studio album by Kelly Rowland
Released	October 22, 2002 (2002-10-22) (see release history)
Recorded	June—September 2002
Genre	Pop, pop rock, R&B
Length	53:09
Label	Columbia
Producer	Kelly Rowland, Mathew Knowles (exec.), Jovonn Alexander, BAM & Ryan, Anders Barren, Big Bert, Dane Deviller, Chad Elliott, Damon Elliott, Mark J. Feist, Rob Fusari, Rich Harrison, Sean Hosein, Alonzo Jackson, Troy Johnson, Steve Kipner, Solange Knowles, Billy Mann, Falonte Moore, Jane Schella, Damon Sharpe
Kelly Rowland chronology
Simply Deep (2002) Ms. Kelly (2007)
Singles from Simply Deep
"Dilemma" Released: June 25, 2002 [1][2] "Stole" Released: October 21, 2002 "Can't Nobody" Released: February 4, 2003 "Train on a Track" Released: August 4, 2003

Simply Deep is the debut solo album by American singer Kelly Rowland, first released by Columbia Records on October 28, 2002 in North America, and by February 3, 2003 throughout most international territories. Recorded within the three weeks during the hiatus of former group Destiny's Child and upon the success of worldwide number-one hit single "Dilemma", a collaboration with rapper Nelly, the album facilitated Rowland in becoming a viable solo star. The album features guest appearances from Nelly, Solange Knowles and Joe Budden.

Simply Deep debuted and peaked at number twelve on the Billboard 200 in the US, selling 77,000 copies on the first week. It eventually sold 600,000 copies and was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America in 2003.^[3] The album also topped the UK Albums Chart.^[4] It garnered two nominations at the TMF Awards in the Netherlands, and eventually won both trophies, including Best R&B International Artist. Simply Deep has sold more than 2 million copies worldwide, becoming Rowland's most successful album to date.

In late-2003, nearly a year after Simply Deep's initial release, Rowland embarked on a European tour, the Simply Deeper Tour, to promote the album. Visiting seventeen venues, Rowland embarked on the tour in the United Kingdom on September 13, 2003 and concluded it on October 6, 2003 in Paris, France.

Production and development

Background

Rowland launched her singing career with all-female R&B group Destiny's Child in the late 1990s. While recording their third studio album, Survivor, in late 2000, the band announced that members of the group would disband for a short period to produce solo albums in the coming years, which they hoped would boost interest in Destiny's Child.^[5] The idea of individual releases emanated from the group's manager, Mathew Knowles.^[6] With different types of music for each member to produce, the albums were not intended to compete on the charts as Destiny's Child's management strategically planned to stagger the release of each group member's album to maximise sales.^[7] While Michelle Williams became the first to release a debut solo album, Heart to Yours, in April 2002,^[7] Knowles debuted on the big screen, starring in the comedy film Austin Powers in Goldmember, and started recording her solo debut Dangerously in Love (2003).^[7] Meanwhile, Rowland collaborated with American rapper Nelly on the song "Dilemma" as another artist. The single was also seen to be from his album Nellyville (2002), it became a worldwide number-one hit that year, leading her label Columbia Records to advance the release date of her debut solo album from 2003 to late 2002.^[7]

Recording

To get done within deadline, the singer was forced to rush the album within three weeks only.^[4][8] Recording sessions for the album took place at several recording studios, including Studio 353, The Hit Factory and Sound-on-Sound Studio in New York, Stankonia Recording Studio in Atlanta, Audio Vision Recording Studios in Miami Beach, and The Enterprise in Burbank, Henson Recording Studios and The Record Plant in Los Angeles, Heeba Jeeba Studios in Sherman Oaks and the Real FM Sound and Nature's Finest Studios in Hollywood.^[9] Several record producers and songwriters collaborated with Rowland on the album, including Damon Elliott, Mark J. Feist, Rob Fusari, Rich Harrison, Teron Beal, Billy Mann, Damon Sharpe, and Robert "Big Bert" Smith, the latter who contributed "Love/Hate," a song co-written by fellow singer Brandy.^[10] Solange Knowles, Beyoncé's younger sister, wrote and co-produced three songs on Simply Deep.^[9]

Rowland who felt pressured by high exepectations, coming from Destiny's Child, was initially terrified by recording solo. "It was a challenge and I did that creatively and vocally," she later revealed, "I was very nervous, but I came through with flying colors because of my family and, of course, Destiny's Child. There were days in the studio where I would run out, like, 'I'm frustrated! I don't wanna do this!' And they would calm me and tell me that everything was gonna be okay. I got through it because of them."^[11] Rowland eventually overcame her fears during the process as her newfound independence offered her an opportunity to branch out and try new things.^[12] In fact, she co-wrote three songs on the album and came up with the vocal arrangements for several tracks.^[12] Musically, the album took Rowland's solo work further into an alternative music mixture, which she described as a "weired fusion [of] a little bit of Sade and a little bit of rock."^[8][13]

Release

Simply Deep was released through Columbia Records in collaboration with Music World Music on October 28, 2002 in both the United States and Canada. The album would not be released worldwide until February 3, 2003. The album yielded three singles. "Stole," a rock pop-influenced mid-tempo track about loss, was released as the album's lead single. The song entered the top twenty on the majority of the charts it appeared on, reaching the top five in Australia, Ireland, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, where it remains her highest-charting solo single to date. ^[14][15] The album's second single was an up-tempo track entitled "Can't Nobody".^[16] The final single, "Train on a Track", was featured on the soundtrack of the romantic comedy film Maid in Manhattan (2003).^[17]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[18]
Billboard	(positive)[19]
Blender	[20]
Entertainment Weekly	(mixed)[21]
The Guardian	[22]
The Independent	(favourable)[23]
Slant Magazine	[24]
The Times	[25]
Vibe	[26]

Upon its release, Simply Deep received generally mixed to lukewarm reviews from most music critics.^[18] British morning newspaper The Independent gave the album a generally favorable review, writing that "on the whole the album sticks closely to the standard urban-diva formula, mixing garage twitchers with the usual billing and cooing on ballads such as "Haven't Told You". But it's all done with style and intelligence, whether she's luxuriating in the loneliness of "Everytime You Walk Out That Door" or evoking the momentum of the first flush of love in "Train on a Track"."^[23] Lisa Verrico of The Times stated "on first listen, Simply Deep does everything but live up to its title. It sounds like a shallow stroll through the poppier end of urban music [...] But give it another listen and [it] does grow on you if you’re looking for an easy-on-the-ear album. It is a pleasant listen."^[25] Joy Dunbar, writing for BBC Music, noted that while "the albums main weakness is that it tries to offer too much diversity and Kelly tries too hard to stand outside her former incarnation," it was a must-have for fans of R&B music, adding: "Simply Deep endeavours to demonstrate another side of Kelly Rowland, as a song writer and an independent solo artist [...] The in frequent high points make this a must for your collection."^[27]

In her review for Simply Deep, Caroline Sullivan of The Guardian wrote, "Rowland is no longer a mere backing vocalist for Beyoncé Knowles. But while she undoubtedly has talent to burn, her first solo album is a mildly disappointing setting for it. A top-flight example of the American inclination toward lush but lightweight soul, it makes all the right R&B noises without engaging the emotions."^[22] She gave it three out of five stars.^[22] Sal Cinquemani of Slant dismissed the ballads on Simply Deep as "all gloppy-goo and no soul; but through it all Rowland manages to keep her cool. The album's best tracks, the light and breezy "Train on a Track" and "(Love Lives In) Strange Places," infuse the singer's lush harmonies with acoustic guitars and poetic wordplay."^[24] He especially criticized Solange Knowles' contribution to the album, noting her "icky [and] laughable lyrics" as the worst on Simply Deep which he rated two and a half out of five stars.^[24] Jon Caramanica of Entertainment Weekly commented that "Rowland, at times, seems like Destiny's adopted child, never receiving a full helping of Knowles-family adulation. Alas, her first solo project doesn't pull her out from Beyonce's shadow. She needs added star power: Her backup-singer instincts leave even the hottest songs here feeling somewhat chilly."^[21] Craig Seymour of Vibe was generally disappointed with the album, writing: "Rowland's solo album marks an attempt to further establish herself as a singular talent, but the effort is as misguided as the Nelly hookup was savvy [...] An abundance of cheesy folk/R&B numbers make Rowland come off like Brandy fronting as India.Arie."^[26] He gave Simply Deep one and a half out of five stars.^[26]

Commercial performance

Simply Deep earned Rowland seven gold and one platinum certification.

Simply Deep peaked at number twelve on the Billboard 200, the official albums chart in the United States, on November 9, 2002,^[28] selling 77,000 units in its first week of release.^[29] Simultaneously, the album also charted on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums tally, reaching number three behind LL Cool J's 10 (2002) and Gerald Levert's The G Spot (2002).^[30] By the end of the year, Simply Deep was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).^[31] It went on to sell more than 600,000 copies in the U.S.^[3]

Released to even bigger success in international territories, in the United Kingdom, the album debuted at number-one on the UK Albums Chart on February 15, 2003, selling more than 100,000 copies in its first week.^[32] It received both a silver and a gold certification by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) the following week, and by April 2011, had been certified platinum for shipping 300,000 units.^[33] Simply Deep also reached the top spot on the Irish Albums Chart and was certified gold by the Irish Recorded Music Association (IRMA).^[34] Elsewhere in Europe, the album managed to enter the top ten in Denmark and the top twenty in Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, and Switzerland.^[35] Across Oceania, it placed fifth and seventh on the Australian and the New Zealand Albums Chart, in the week of January 26, 2003, <ref name="certifications1^[35] and was certified gold by both the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) and the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand (RIANZ).^[36] In addition, the album became a gold-seller in Canada, Hong Kong and Singapore, resulting into a worldwide sales total of two million copies, making it Rowland's best-selling solo album to date.^[37]

Track listing

Personnel

Credits are taken from the album's liner notes.^[38]

Managerial and imagery

Performance credits

Instruments

Technical and production

Charts and certifications

Release history

References

External links

• Official website
• Simply Deep at Discogs