Free to Be Me

"Free to Be Me"
Single by Francesca Battistelli
from the album My Paper Heart
Released January 2009
Format Digital download
Genre Pop
Length 3:28
Label Fervent Records
Writer(s) Francesca Battistelli
Producer(s) Ian Eskelin
Francesca Battistelli singles chronology
"I'm Letting Go"
(2008)		 "Free to Be Me"
(2009)		 "It's Your Life"
(2009)

"Free to Be Me" is a song written by contemporary Christian musician Francesca Battistelli, from her debut album My Paper Heart. It was released in January 2009 as the album's second single. In March 2009, the song became a number 1 hit on Christian Contemporary hit radio charts. It also charted at number 17 on Billboard's Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart. The song was certified Gold in the US by the RIAA for sales over 500,000 copies on April 21, 2014.

Music and lyrics

The song has been said to "not [be] afraid to look at life's highs and lows from a very personal angle".[1] Battistelli wrote the song to cheer herself up after backing into a lawyer's car in her driveway. [2] Its style has been compared to Christian musician Sarah Kelly,[1] and features a background of "thick" drums, guitar, bass, piano, and an electronic organ.[3]

Release

"Free to Be Me" was released around the beginning of January 2009 in the United States. On March 6, 2009, the song reached number 1 on Christian contemporary hit radio, and has held the position for 10 consecutive weeks.[4] It also placed at number 2 on Christian adult contemporary radio charts,[5] and number 17 on Billboard's Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart.

Other uses

"Free to Be Me" is also of the appearances of the compilation album WOW Hits 2010, Now That's What I Call Faith, WOW #1s: 30 #1 Christian Hits! and Word: Six Decades of Hits.

Reception

Soul-Audio.com reviewer Bert Saraco said the song was "unfortunately-named", although noting that it was a "hook-laden pop song" that gives "a nice 'real band' sound".[3] CCMBuzz.com's review called it a "smooth tune of empowerment".[6]

Charts

Chart (2009) Peak position
R&R's Christian CHR format 1
R&R's Christian AC format 2
Billboard's Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart 17
Billboard's Hot Christian Songs chart 3

Awards

The song was nominated for three Dove Awards: Song of the Year, Short Form Music Video of the Year, and Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year at the 41st GMA Dove Awards.[7]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 John Fisher. "Francesca Battistelli - My Paper Heart". Cross Rhythms. Retrieved 2009-05-04.
  2. ↑ "CCM Radio Magazine". April 26, 2014. Salem Communications. WEMI. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Bert Saraco. "Album Reviews » Francesca Battistelli". Soul-Audio. Retrieved 2009-05-04.
  4. ↑ "Christian CHR National Airplay". R&R. 2009-05-08. Retrieved 2009-05-07.
  5. ↑ "Christian AC National Airplay". R&R. 2009-05-01. Retrieved 2009-05-03.
  6. ↑ "Francesca Battistelli - My Paper Heart (2008)". CCMBuzz.com. Retrieved 2009-05-04.
  7. ↑ 41st Annual GMA Dove Awards nominees announced on The Tennessean (February 18, 2010)

External links