Sing to the Moon

Sing to the Moon
Studio album by Laura Mvula
Released 1 March 2013
Recorded 2011–12
Genre
Length 49:36
Label RCA Victor
Producer Steve Brown
Singles from Sing to the Moon
  1. "She"
    Released: 29 October 2012
  2. "Green Garden"
    Released: 22 February 2013
  3. "That's Alright"
    Released: 28 March 2013

Sing to the Moon is the debut studio album by English recording artist Laura Mvula. It was released on 1 March 2013 by RCA Victor. The album includes the singles "She" and "Green Garden". The album debuted at number nine on the UK Albums Chart with first-week sales of 18,954 copies.[1] It was nominated for the 2013 Mercury Prize.

On 11 August 2014, Laura released an orchestral version of the entire album 'Sing to the Moon' which she recorded at Abbey Road Studios accompanied by the Metropole Orkest.[2]

Inspiration

Sing to the Moon (the inspiration behind the song): In 2013, Laura revealed during an interview for Blues and Soul magazine with the assistant editor Pete Lewis [3] that the inspiration behind her song Sing to the Moon came from a biography of the American jazz singer Adelaide Hall titled Underneath a Harlem Moon: The Harlem to Paris Years of Adelaide Hall (written by Iain Cameron Williams).[4]

Quote: Laura: “Well, the actual song Sing to the Moon came from a time when I was reading a book called 'Underneath a Harlem Moon', which is a biography of a jazz singer called Adelaide Hall, which is basically all about how she kind of was overlooked, or probably didn’t get the recognition she perhaps deserved. Plus it also talks about how she’d had a hard time growing up because her sister - who she was very close to - had died tragically of an illness... So anyway, there’s a point in the story where she describes her close relationship with her father… which I think kind of resonated with me, where she talks about the conversations she had with him and how he used to say to her randomly ‘Sing to the moon and the stars will shine’. Which kind of became her thing really that she just took with her everywhere. … And I don’t know why, but for some reason it just struck some kind of chord with me - you know, it was just something I seemed to connect with at that time. And so because of that, it then became a saying that I liked to use myself. So yeah, because it’s become something I personally like to express, I just thought Sing to the Moon would also make a good title for the album as a whole.”

History

Singles

Several of the album's singles were released before the album came out in March 2013. "She" was released as the lead single from the album on 29 October 2012. It was released both as a standalone single and as part of the She EP which contained three other songs ("Like the Morning Dew", "Can't Live with the World" and "Jump Right Out"). "She" was re-released on 16 August 2013 as an EP containing a new "2013 Edit" of the song and five other remixes.

"Green Garden" was released as the second single from the album on 22 February 2013. The song peaked at number thirty-one on the UK Singles Chart. It has also charted in Belgium, Denmark, Ireland and the Netherlands. "That's Alright" was released as the third single in March 2013.

Release

Sing to the Moon was released on 1 March 2013 by RCA Victor. The album debuted at number nine on the UK Albums Chart with first-week sales of 18,954 copies.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
Source Rating
Metacritic 73/100[5]
Review scores
Source Rating
AllMusic [6]
The Guardian [7]
The Independent [8]
NME 5/10[9]
Pitchfork Media 7.4/10[10]
PopMatters 8/10[11]
Rolling Stone [12]

The album met with a largely positive reception, receiving a perfect score from The Independent, and 3.5/5 from Rolling Stone. Allmusic stated the album is "rooted in decades-old forms of gospel, jazz, R&B, and, most deeply, orchestral pop. Almost all of the material is as serious and as refined as it is majestic, with vocal showcases and hushed-belted-hushed-belted dynamics galore."

Track listing

No. TitleWriter(s)Producer(s) Length
1. "Like the Morning Dew"  Laura Mvula, Steve BrownBrown 3:40
2. "Make Me Lovely"  MvulaBrown 4:38
3. "Green Garden"  MvulaBrown 4:09
4. "Can't Live with the World"  Mvula, BrownBrown 6:05
5. "Is There Anybody out There?"  Mvula, BrownBrown 5:11
6. "Father, Father"  Mvula, BrownBrown 4:42
7. "That's Alright"  MvulaBrown 3:34
8. "She"  Mvula, BrownBrown 3:25
9. "I Don't Know What the Weather Will Be"  Mvula, BrownBrown 3:30
10. "Sing to the Moon"  Mvula, BrownBrown 4:07
11. "Flying without You"  Mvula, BrownBrown 3:21
12. "Diamonds"  Mvula, BrownBrown 3:14
Total length:
 49:36

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2013) Peak
position
Australian Albums Chart[15] 33
Belgian Albums Chart (Flanders)[16] 26
Belgian Albums Chart (Wallonia)[17] 68
Danish Albums Chart[18] 40
Dutch Albums Chart[19] 11
French Albums Chart[20] 93
Irish Albums Chart[21] 15
New Zealand Albums Chart[22] 16
Scottish Albums Chart[23] 15
Swiss Albums Chart[24] 15
UK Albums Chart[25] 9
UK R&B Albums Chart[26] 1
US Billboard 200[27] 173
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums[28] 21

Year-end charts

Chart (2013) Position
Belgian Albums Chart (Flanders)[29] 176

Release history

Region Date Format(s) Label
Ireland[30] 1 March 2013 CD, digital download RCA Victor
United Kingdom[31] 4 March 2013
Denmark[32] Sony Music
Australia[33] 15 March 2013
Germany[34] 5 April 2013
United States 16 April 2013 Digital download[35] Columbia Records
14 May 2013 CD[36]
France[37] 3 June 2013 CD, digital download Sony Music
Japan[38] 5 June 2013

Orchestral Version

Laura Mvula with Metropole Orkest conducted by Jules Buckley at Abbey Road Studios [39]
Studio album
Released June 23, 2014 (digital download)
August 11, 2014 (CD)
August 18, 2014 (LP)
Recorded Abbey Road Studios
Genre
Label RCA
Producer Metropole Orchestra

In March 2014, Mvula re-recorded an orchestral version of her debut album Sing to the Moon in collaboration with all 52 members of the Metropole Orchestra. Conducted by Jules Buckley, the orchestral version of Sing to the Moon was recorded over two days and saw its release on 23 June 2014 as a high quality download via Bowers & Wilkins' Society of Sound.[40] The album is currently available for pre-order and will be released to the public on 11 August 2014.[41][42]

Track listing

No. Title Length
1. "Make Me Lovely"   5:51
2. "Like the Morning Dew"   3:38
3. "Can't Live with the World"   5:38
4. "Sing to the Moon"   4:23
5. "Is There Anybody out There?"   5:16
6. "Flying Without You"   3:49
7. "She"   4:05
8. "Father, Father"   6:19
9. "I Don't Know What the Weather Will Be"   3:55
10. "Green Garden"   4:12
11. "Diamonds"   3:31
12. "That's Alright"   3:26

References

  1. ↑ Jones, Alan (11 March 2013). "Official Charts Analysis: Emeli Sande enjoys Mothers Day sales boost". Music Week. Intent Media. Retrieved 16 November 2013. (subscription required)
  2. ↑ Daily Mail interview (retrieved 13 August 2014) http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/culturevideo/musicvideo/11017140/Laura-Mvula-records-Sing-to-the-Moon-at-Abbey-Road-with-a-live-orchestra.html
  3. ↑ Blues and Soul interview with Laura Mvula (retrieved 13 August 2014): http://www.bluesandsoul.com/feature/826/laura_mvula_reflections_of/
  4. ↑ Underneath a Harlem Moon by Iain Cameron Williams, Bloomsbury publishing: http://www.bloomsbury.com/us/underneath-a-harlem-moon-9780826458933/
  5. ↑ "Sing to the Moon – Laura Mvula". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 16 November 2013.
  6. ↑ Kellman, Andy. "Sing to the Moon – Laura Mvula". AllMusic. Retrieved 7 April 2013.
  7. ↑ Petridis, Alexis (28 February 2013). "Laura Mvula: Sing to the Moon – review". The Guardian. Retrieved 16 November 2013.
  8. ↑ Price, Simon (3 March 2013). "Album: Laura Mvula, Sing to the Moon (Sony)". The Independent. Retrieved 16 November 2013.
  9. ↑ Goodwyn, Tom (27 February 2013). "Laura Mvula – 'Sing To The Moon'". NME. IPC Media. Retrieved 7 April 2013.
  10. ↑ Bromwich, Jonah (20 May 2013). "Laura Mvula: Sing to the Moon". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved 16 November 2013.
  11. ↑ Collins, Jez (21 March 2013). "Laura Mvula: Sing to the Moon". PopMatters. Retrieved 7 April 2013.
  12. ↑ Ganz, Caryn (8 July 2013). "Laura Mvula, 'Sing to the Moon'". Rolling Stone. Wenner Media. Retrieved 9 July 2013.
  13. ↑ "Sing To the Moon by Laura Mvula". iTunes Store UK. Apple. Retrieved 15 March 2013.
  14. ↑ "Sing to the Moon [Deluxe Edition]". AllMusic. Retrieved 15 March 2013.
  15. ↑ "Laura Mvula – Sing To The Moon". australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 29 March 2013.
  16. ↑ "Laura Mvula – Sing To The Moon" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved 12 March 2013.
  17. ↑ "Laura Mvula – Sing To The Moon" (in French). Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved 22 March 2013.
  18. ↑ "Laura Mvula – Sing To The Moon". danishcharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 March 2013.
  19. ↑ "Laura Mvula – Sing To The Moon" (in Dutch). dutchcharts.nl. Hung Medien. Retrieved 12 March 2013.
  20. ↑ "Laura Mvula – Sing To The Moon" (in French). lescharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 16 November 2013.
  21. ↑ "Top 100 Artist Album, Week Ending 7 March 2013". Chart-Track. Irish Recorded Music Association. Retrieved 12 March 2013.
  22. ↑ "Laura Mvula – Sing To The Moon". charts.org.nz. Hung Medien. Retrieved 29 March 2013.
  23. ↑ "2013 Top 40 Scottish Albums Archive". Official Charts Company. 16 March 2013. Retrieved 15 March 2013.
  24. ↑ "Laura Mvula – Sing To The Moon". swisscharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 18 April 2013.
  25. ↑ "2013 Top 40 Official UK Albums Archive". Official Charts Company. 16 March 2013. Retrieved 12 March 2013.
  26. ↑ "2013 Top 40 R&B Albums Archive". Official Charts Company. 16 March 2013. Retrieved 30 May 2013.
  27. ↑ "Laura Mvula – Chart history: Billboard 200". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 16 November 2013.
  28. ↑ "Laura Mvula – Chart history: Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 16 November 2013.
  29. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten 2013" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 30 December 2013.
  30. ↑ "Mvula,laura – Sing To The Moon". Tower Records Ireland. Retrieved 15 March 2013.
  31. ↑ "Sing Me To The Moon". Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 15 March 2013.
  32. ↑ "Laura Mvula – Sing To The Moon" (in Danish). Sony Music Entertainment Denmark. Retrieved 15 March 2013.
  33. ↑ "Sing Me To The Moon (Deluxe Edition) – Mvula, Laura". JB Hi-Fi. Retrieved 15 March 2013.
  34. ↑ "Sing to the Moon" (in German). Amazon.de. Retrieved 15 March 2013.
  35. ↑ "Sing to the Moon by Laura Mvula". iTunes Store US. Apple. Retrieved 21 April 2013.
  36. ↑ "Sing to the Moon (US Version)". Amazon.com. Retrieved 21 April 2013.
  37. ↑ "Sing to the moon – Laura Mvula – CD album" (in French). Fnac. Retrieved 16 November 2013.
  38. ↑ シング・トゥ・ザ・ムーン [Sing to the Moon] (in Japanese). Sony Music Entertainment Japan. Retrieved 16 November 2013.
  39. ↑ http://www.amazon.co.uk/Metropole-Orkest-conducted-Buckley-Studios/dp/B00L3BW3MS/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1403977784&sr=8-3&keywords=laura+mvula
  40. ↑ "Laura Mvula on recording an orchestral version of her debut album - audio interview". Q the Music. Retrieved 18 March 2014.
  41. ↑ "Laura Mvula with Metropole Orkest conducted by Jules Buckley at Abbey Road Studios (Live)". Amazon. Retrieved 25 June 2014.
  42. ↑ "Laura Mvula with Metropole Orkest at Abbey Road Studios". Retrieved 25 June 2014.

External links