A Girl like Me

A Girl Like Me is the second studio album by Barbadian recording artist Rihanna. It was released through Def Jam Records on April 19, 2006 in Japan, on April 24 in the United Kingdom, and on April 25 in the United States. For the production of the album, Rihanna worked with Evan Rogers, Carl Sturken, Stargate and J. R. Rotem with label-mate Ne-Yo who wrote the albums second single. Housing a combination of Pop, reggae and ballad elements, the album was released with mixed reviews. Some critics gave the album positive reviews stating that she gracefully avoids the sophomore disappointment while others compared the album to her previous effort.

A Girl Like Me was released less than eight months after her debut album. It peaked at number five on the U.S. Billboard 200 album chart and on the UK Albums Chart. The album was successful in other Countries, entering the top ten in Ireland, New Zealand, Australia and Japan while topping the charts in Canada on the Canadian Albums Chart. It spawned four singles; "SOS," which became her first single to reach number-one on the Billboard Hot 100, "Unfaithful" and "Break It Off," both reaching the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100, however, the third single, "We Ride," failed to reprise the success of the previous singles. The album was re-released as an expanded double-disc deluxe package in Germany, which includes her previous hit single, "Pon de Replay." The album has been certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

Writing and development

Following the release of her debut album, Rihanna soon entered recording studios to work on her sophomore effort a month after the release of Music of the Sun. She teamed up once again with record producers Carl Sturken and Evan Rogers who produced most of the tracks in her previous album, J. R. Rotem and Norwegian production duo Stargate. Rihanna received a visit from Ne-Yo while recording her debut album, in which they met for the first time, although never got the chance to collaborate on Music of the Sun. When production started, she came up with the idea of working with Ne-Yo in addition to working with Jamaican reggae and dancehall artist Sean Paul. With the help of songwriters such as Ne-Yo, Stargate, Evan Rogers and Carl Sturken, Rihanna co-wrote three songs on the album. When asked about working with Ne-Yo, she stated,

While working on A Girl Like Me, she would spend her time recording song for the album and promoting Music of the Sun. She commented; "We were so busy promoting the first album while trying to get this one done, working some crazy hours. That's why this album is so close to me, 'cause I really put my heart and soul into it." The album's first track, "SOS," was written by Evan Bogart although the song was originally intended for Christina Milian's third studio album So Amazin', but she turned it down. Def Jam CEO L. A. Reid, had Rihanna in mind as the next artist to record the song. The song was recorded within three days and it was the first recorded cut for the A Girl Like Me album, eventually released as the album's lead single. The producer, Rotem, was inspired by Soft Cell's "Tainted Love" and decided to sample the song, although Rihanna stated that she "wasn't too familiar with Soft Cell." "Kisses Don't Lie" was penned and produced by Evan Rogers and Carl Sturken and it was one of the three songs on the album in which Rihanna received writing credit. The song was written and recorded in Barbados, who she described it as a "mashed up rock and reggae." In the song "Unfaithful," written by Ne-Yo, Rihanna wanted to speak about personal things that girls her age at the time were experiencing, which was inspired by the album's title and according to her, it's one of her favorite songs on the album.

In regards to the title of the album, Rihanna explained, "It's called "A Girl Like Me because it's a very personal album, It's my baby. It's all about what it's like to be a girl like me, speaking of personal experiences as well as things that girls like me have gone through." "We Ride" was written and produced by Stargate, who produced and co-wrote her previous single. For the song "Break It Off," which features Jamaican artist Sean Paul, Rihanna flew down to Jamaica to record the song with Sean Paul. The song was written by Donovan Bennet and is was co-written by Rihanna including Sean Paul. The album's closing tracks were written by Rogers and Sturken including Rihanna co-writing the album's title track "A Girl Like Me." Other than writing, most of the album was again produced by Rogers and Sturken, including eight of the album's sixteen tracks. The album completed within a five month period; two months longer then her previous album.

Music and lyrics

Musically "A Girl Like Me" reveals new types of musical genres compared to her light and uptempo debut effort. In an interview, Rihanna said, "Now I'm singing about experiences that I've gone through and stuff that other 18-year-old girls go through, so it's all about progression." She used influences of different genres including rock music and like the roots of her previous album, reggae and dancehall. The new effort presents her new side with the ballad elements. The album also follows the disco-ish mode of its predecessor but introduces new genres to her music with the old rock and roll which is being represented by rock and reggae mash-up "Kisses Don't Lie," although she stated that the album is not overall a rock influence. The song uses a mixture of Caribbean elements and electric guitar with the mesmerizing bassline. Rihanna commented: "Growing up in Barbados, I wasn't exposed to a lot of rock music, We really love reggae and Soca music and hip-hop. But when I moved to the United States last year, I was exposed to a lot of different types of music, rock being one of them, and I fell in love with it. [Now] I love rock music." The sampled song, "SOS," samples the key section, bass line, and drum beat to create a soulful anthem of young love. On the ballad song "Unfaithful" the background instrumentation features a piano and on "We Ride" featuring the gently strummed acoustic guitar with the production of Stargate. "Break It Off" has a dance hall influence along with reggae artist Sean Paul.

Lyrically the album's theme speaks of girls experiences. "SOS" tells about a guy who gives the girl a feeling that is very overwhelming; he drives the girl insane, and she need's someone to rescue her from it. "Kisses Don't Lie" talks about a girl who's in love with a guy but is stuck beetwen an ultimatum because she's afraid of getting hurt. "Unfaithful" documents the tragic decay of a relationship when another person starts cheating. According to Rihanna, "I'm referred to as a murderer in that song, Meaning, I'm taking this guy's life by hurting him, cheating on him. He knows, and it makes him feel so bad. It's killing him to know that another guy is making me happy." "We Ride" dealt with lyrics talking about how the guy promises that they will be together forever but she continues to describe moments which he did things that could tear them apart. The lyrics of "Dem Haters" portrays a message about how loathers try bring people down and to exclude them from your life. "Final Goodbye" deals with lyrics about a woman who wants to spend the rest of her life with a guy but feels that she needs to reveal a secret before moving on.

Release and promotion

During the recording process of A Girl Like Me, Rihanna served as the opening for Gwen Stefani during the Harajuku Lovers Tour 2005 in Japan to promote her debut album. While performing on the tour, she performed some of the songs from the album. Before the release of the album, Rihanna was given substantial promotional support from MTV, which highlighted "SOS" on Total Request Live, when she premiered the music video on March 23, 2006. She performed the album's lead single "SOS" on The Ellen DeGeneres Show February 20, 2006 and at the 2006 MuchMusic Video Awards on June 18, 2006. She then took part in advertising Nike and J.C. Penney by shooting a promotional music video for the album's lead single supported by Nike. The album was released through Def Jam Records as a physical CD and as a digital download on April 25, 2006 in North America. On the day of the album's release date, she made a guest appearance on MTV's Total Request Live to promote the album.

The album was released eight months after Music of the Sun was released. According to her; "We just felt like it was time. It made no sense waiting...you should never put time on music. You should never say, "Okay, Music of the Sun has to be out at least a year and a half before we start with--" No. That's what's great about the music business. When you feel it's time, you just go for it. And we felt like it was time to come up with a new album." The album's lead single was included on the soundtrack of the film Bring It On: All or Nothing as well as Rihanna making a cameo in the film as herself; her debut single, "Pon de Replay," was also included in the soundtrack. The second single was also performed in Sunrise. On AOL Music, she recorded her first Sessions@AOL broadcast with her, among other content exclusive to AOL members. An expanded double-disc deluxe edition of the album was re-released in Germany titled A Girl Like Me: Deluxe Edition on November 17, 2006. In order to promote further the album, Rihanna embarked on the Rock Tha Block Tour and then toured with Pussycat Dolls on the PCD World Tour from November 2006 to February 2007 in the United Kingdom. She also recorded songs for advertising the Happy fragrance by Clinique and deodorant Secret of the company P&G.

Reception

Critical reception

A Girl Like Me generally received mixed to positive reviews from critics. Songs including "SOS", "Unfaithful" and "Break It Off" gained particularly good notices. David Jeffries of the Allmusic said that "Versatile urban dance-pop singer Rihanna gracefully avoids the sophomore slump with A Girl Like Me, a less tropical-flavored, more urban effort than her sun-and-fun debut." Jeffries compared the track "Kisses Don't Lie" to Damien Marley's "Welcome to Jamrock" and commented that "the album gets bolder and seamlessly bounces from genre to genre [...] Rihanna goes from a film noir song that elegantly uses murder as a metaphor for cheating ("Unfaithful") to an easy-flowing weekend cruiser ("We Ride")." Ruth Jamieson of The Observer noted "Chuck in a bit of Sugababes-esque harmony, some M.I.A.-style electro and a dollop of reggae, and you're even closer to getting Rihanna. If you liked last year's ridiculously catchy "Pon De Replay", there's more of the same here."

Rolling Stone magazine rated the album 3 out of 5 stars and compared the synth riffs and machine beats from Soft Cell's Eighties classic "Tainted Love," to a Destiny's Child-like melody. Walters felt that "the follow-up doesn't deliver anything else as ingenious as its lead single: Lightweight dancehall and R&B jams lack the single's ear-bending boldness. But the burning rock guitar of "Kisses Don't Lie" and haunted strings of "Unfaithful" help make "A Girl Like Me much more likable." Sal Cinquemani from Slant Magazine described most of the album as "a record that almost identically alternates between the sunny dancehall/dub-pop of "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" and "Dem Haters," hip-hop-infused club bangers like "We Ride." Cinquemani felt that the "adult-oriented ballads were at least a decade too mature for the teenage singer's minor vocal talents." He also commented that "The album's infectious lead single, "SOS," rivals Rihanna's breakout, last summer's "Pon De Replay," deftly using Soft Cell's 1982 hit "Tainted Love"—itself a revision of Diana Ross & The Supremes' "Where Did Our Love Go"—as a bleepy backdrop and adding a full-bodied bottom to the original tinny mod-rock track [...] Comparatively gooey and spineless slow numbers like "Final Goodbye" and "A Million Miles Away" kill whatever momentum the album has."

Commercial performance

A Girl Like Me debuted at number five on the Billboard 200 selling 115,000 copies in its first week, nearly twice the debut sales of Music of the Sun which sold 69,000. The album has been certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in the United States. The album also debuted at number five in Ireland on the Irish Album Chart. A Girl Like Me was later certified 2x platinum by the Irish Recorded Music Association (IRMA). It debuted at number six in the United Kingdom on the UK Album Chart with sales of 24,000 on the issue dated April 24, 2006. The album reached its peak of number five in July due to the popularity of new single "Unfaithful" and it has sold 400,000 copies in the United Kingdom. In Europe, the album has achieved a platinum certification. The album topped charts in Canada on the Canadian Albums Chart and was later certified platinum. In 2006, the album ended the year as the 20th best-selling album in the world. The album went on to sell just over 2.5 million albums worldwide.

Singles

"SOS" was the first single released from the album on March 7, 2006. The song achieved considerable airplay throughout the United States and Canada and reached high peak positions on both airplay charts. It contains samples of the 1981 cover version of "Tainted Love" from Soft Cell. "SOS" became Rihanna's first single to reach number-one on the Billboard Hot 100. The song also became a success internationally reaching the top five in Canada, Australia, the Republic of Ireland, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.

"Unfaithful" was released as the second single from the album on July 17, 2006. The song achieved commercial success reaching the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100, however, internationally the song performed better peaking atop the charts in Portugal, Canada and Switzerland as well as reaching the top ten in countries like New Zealand, the Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom.

"We Ride" was released as the third single from the album in September 2006. The song was released to US radio on August 21, 2006 although the song wasn't nearly as successful as the previous two singles, not charting on the Billboard Hot 100; it peaked at number six on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart. "We Ride", however, reached number-one on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play and it charted in the top ten in New Zealand and Finland.

"Break It Off" (featuring Sean Paul), was fourth and the final single from the album, released in December 2006. The song peaked at number nine on the Billboard Hot 100 and became Rihanna's fourth top ten single in the United States. "Break It Off" was one of the few songs in many years to reach the Billboard Hot 100 without a music video.

Track listing

Standard Edition

1. "SOS" (J. Rotem, E. Kidd Bogart, E. Cobb) – 4:02
2. "Kisses Don't Lie" (Evan Rogers, Carl Sturken, Rihanna Fenty) – 3:54
3. "Unfaithful" (S. Smith, T. Hermansen, M. Eriksen) – 3:50
4. "We Ride" (M. Riddick, T. Hermansen, M. Eriksen) – 3:58
5. "Dem Haters" (featuring Dwane Husbands) (Melanie Fiona, M. Hallim, A. Clarke, V. Morgan, E. Rogers, C. Sturken) – 4:21
6. "Final Goodbye" (Charlene Gilliam, Curtis Richardson, Luke McMaster) – 3:16
7. "Break It Off" (featuring Sean Paul) (Donovan Bennet, K. Ford, Rihanna Fenty, Sean Paul Henriques) – 3:36
8. "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" (featuring J-Status) (E. Rogers, C. Sturken, D. Virgo, A. Barwise, B. Barwise, O. Stewart, A. Thompson) – 3:25
9. "Selfish Girl" (E. Rogers, C. Sturken) – 3:40
10. "P.S. (I'm Still Not Over You)" (E. Rogers, C. Sturken) – 4:13
11. "A Girl Like Me" (E. Rogers, C. Sturken, R. Fenty) – 4:20
12. "A Million Miles Away" (E. Rogers, C. Sturken) – 4:14
13. "If It's Lovin' That You Want (Part 2)" (feat Cory Gunz) (Jean Claude Oliver, Samuel Barnes, Makeba, Alaxsander Mosely, Scott Larock, Lawrence Parker) – 4:10

Bonus tracks

1. "Who Ya Gonna Run To" (E. Rogers, C. Sturken) (Japanese edition) – 4:04
2. "Pon de Replay" (Full Phatt remix) (UK, Dutch, Italian, Brazilian and Best Buy editions) – 3:21
3. "Coulda Been the One" (E. Rogers, C. Sturken) (Japanese edition) – 3:38

A Girl Like Me: Deluxe Edition

After the success of the album, it was re-released in a deluxe package in Germany titled A Girl Like Me: Deluxe Edition. The CD includes a bonus CD containing leftover tracks from A Girl Like Me and Music of the Sun. There is also an enhanced CD featuring two of her music videos.

Disc 1

1. "SOS" (J. Rotem, E. Kidd Bogart, E. Cobb) – 4:02
2. "Kisses Don't Lie" (Evan Rogers, Carl Sturken, Rihanna Fenty) – 3:54
3. "Unfaithful" (S. Smith, T. Hermansen, M. Eriksen) – 3:50
4. "We Ride" (M. Riddick, T. Hermansen, M. Eriksen) – 3:58
5. "Dem Haters" (featuring Dwane Husbands) (M. Flowers, M. Hallim, A. Clarke, V. Morgan, E. Rogers, C. Sturken) – 4:21
6. "Final Goodbye" (Charlene Gilliam, Curtis Richardson, Luke McMaster) – 3:16
7. "Break It Off" (featuring Sean Paul) (Donovan Bennet, K. Ford, Rihanna Fenty, Sean Paul Henriques) – 3:36
8. "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" (featuring J-Status) (E. Rogers, C. Sturken, D. Virgo, A. Barwise, B. Barwise, O. Stewart, A. Thompson) – 3:25
9. "Selfish Girl" (E. Rogers, C. Sturken) – 3:40
10. "P.S. (I'm Still Not Over You)" (E. Rogers, C. Sturken) – 4:13
11. "A Girl Like Me" (E. Rogers, C. Sturken, R. Fenty) – 4:20
12. "A Million Miles Away" (E. Rogers, C. Sturken) – 4:14
13. "If It's Lovin' That You Want (Part 2)" (feat Cory Gunz) (Jean Claude Oliver, Samuel Barnes, Makeba, Alaxsander Mosely, Scott Larock, Lawrence Parker) – 4:10
14. "Pon de Replay" [Full Phatt remix] – 4:04

Disc 2

1. "Who Ya Gonna Run To" – 4:04
2. "Coulda Been the One" – 3:38
3. "Should I?" (feat J-Status) – 3:06
4. "Hypnotized" – 4:15
5. "Unfaithful" [NU Soul remix]

Enhanced CD

1. "S.O.S." [video]
2. "Unfaithful" [video]

Charts and certifications

Charts

Chart (2006)	Peak position
Australian Albums Chart	9
Belgian Albums Chart	10
Canadian Albums Chart	1
Czech Albums Chart	7
Danish Albums Chart	19
Dutch Albums Chart	14
Finnish Albums Chart	30
French Albums Chart	18
German Albums Chart	13
Irish Albums Chart	5
Italian Albums Chart	48
Japanese Oricon Albums Chart	4
Mexican Albums Chart	60
Netherlands Albums Chart	14
New Zealand Albums Chart	8
Norwegian Albums Chart	28
Polish Albums Chart	36
Portuguese Albums Chart	13
Spain Album Chart	81
Swedish Album Chart	29
Swiss Albums Chart	6
UK Albums Chart	5
U.S. Billboard 200	5
U.S. Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums	2

Certifications

Country	Certification (sales thresholds)	Sales
Australia	Platinum	70,000
Canada	Platinum	100,000
France	Gold	139,600
Germany	Platinum	100,000
Republic of Ireland	2x Platinum	30,000
New Zealand	Gold	7,500+
Switzerland	Platinum	30,000
United Kingdom	Platinum	300,000
United States	Platinum	1,000,000+

Release history

Region	Date	Label
Japan	April 19, 2006	Def Jam Records
Europe	April 21, 2006
Italy
United Kingdom	April 24, 2006	Mercury Records
Australia	April 25, 2006	Def Jam Records
Canada		Universal Music Group
United States		Def Jam Records
Germany	April 28, 2006	Def Jam Records, Universal Music (Germany)
Re-release
Germany	November 17, 2006	Def Jam Records, Universal Music (Germany)

Personnel

Musicians

• Rihanna – lead vocals
• Evan Rogers – backing vocals
• Mikkel S. Ericksen – multi-instrumentalist
• Sue Pray – viola
• Donovan "Vendetta" Bennett – multi-instrumentalist
• Ann Leathers – violin
• Andy Bassford – guitar
• Yuri Vodovoz – violin
• John Beal – bass
• Jill Jaffe – viola
• Luke McCaster – guitar
• Eugene Briskin – cello
• Kevin Batchelor – trumpet
• Yana Goichman – violin

• Clark Gayton – trombone
• Marti Sweet – violin
• Richard Locker – cello
• Tor Erik Hermanson – multi-instrumentalist
• Maura Giannini – violin
• Carl Sturken – guitar, piano, keyboards, multi-instruments
• Abe Appleman – violin
• Cenovia Cummins – violin
• Jeanne Ingram – violin
• Jan Mullen – violin
• Gene Moye – cello
• Crystal Garner – viola
• Richard Sortomme – violin
• Katherine LiVolsi Stern – violin

Production

• Carl Sturken – producer, executive producer, vocal producer
• Evan Rogers – producer, executive producer, vocal producer
• Carter Administration – executive producer
• Augustus "Gussie" Clarke – producer
• Don Corleon – producer
• Poke & Tone – producer
• Mike City – producer, mixer
• James Auwarter – engineer
• Donovan "Vendetta" Bennett – engineer, mixer
• Dawn Boonyachlito – stylist, wardrobe
• Jay Brown – A&R
• Andrea Derby – production coordination
• Rob Heselden – production assistant
• Mikkel S. Ericksen – engineer
• Chris Gehringer mastering
• Franny "Franchise" Graham – engineer
• Jeremy Harding – engineer
• Al Hemberger – engineer, mixer
• Ted Hemberger – percussion

• Patrick Viala – mixer
• Doug Joswick – package production
• Ann Leathers – concert master
• Debbie Mounsey – production assistant
• Rob Mounsey – conductor, string arrangements
• Adrienne Muhammad – A&R
• Malcolm Pollack – engineer
• Makeba Riddick – vocal producer
• J.R. Rotem – engineer
• Tippi Shorter – hair stylist
• Rob Skipworth – mixing assistant
• Tyran "Ty Ty" Smith – A&R
• Phil Tan – mixer
• Tiger Stylz – engineer
• Nichell Delvaille – photography, art coordinator
• Tracey Waples – marketing
• Alli Truch – art direction
• Tony Duran – photography
• Valerie Wagner – design

Awards

Barbados Music Awards

• Album of the Year (2007)

NRJ Music Awards

• Best International Song — "Unfaithful" (2007)

MuchMusic Video Awards

• Best International Artist Video — "SOS" (2006)

External links

• ThisIsRihanna.com — official website
• MySpace.com/Rihanna — official MySpace page

Vorlage:Rihanna