FMA (album)

Critical reception

Harriet Gibsone of The Guardian said "While not yet a household name, the voice of 19-year-old Grace Sewell rang out through millions of living rooms last Christmas. Covering Lesley Gore's 1963 anthem 'You Don't Own Me' for House of Fraser's festive ad campaign, her lofty, billowing rendition climbed the charts through sheer omnipresence. Instead of relying on the song's success and rushing out an album, however, the Australian singer's debut arrives six months later, powered by her full-throttle voice and sultry, coffee-table soul. Although there are elements of the calculated vintage balladry of Meghan Trainor, Sewell's lyrics borrow more from Amy Winehouse's broken-hearted woes ('I drink so much / I guess it’s called love'). In spite of its title, which stands for Forgive My Attitude, there's a subtlety to her songs – which range across languid bossa nova, jazz and neo-soul – that suggests she is better suited to sophisticated songwriting than shifting scarves." Rolling Stone Australia's Jules Lefevre claimed "At the highest points of FMA – which are also the most subdued – Grace Sewell touches a maturity that should belong to a 49-year-old, not someone of 19. Her vocals, a bright mix of husk and honey, drift inexorably close to the untouchable Amy Winehouse on tracks that at times eerily resemble the late singer's debut, Frank. Grace has been quietly assembling FMA for the better part of two years, with help from a glittering cast of producers, including legendary Quincy Jones. The first half is a little rocky: big and brassy soul rubs against dark and demure jazz lines with varying results. But when it's good, it's really good: 'From You' is a devastating love song, and 'New Orleans' is neo jazz for the dead of night."

Commercial performance

The album debuted in the United States at number 34 on the Billboard 200, with 12,000 album equivalent units, 6,000 of which are traditional album sales.

Singles

"You Don't Own Me", a cover of Lesley Gore's 1963 hit song, was released as the first single from the album on 17 March 2015. It features American rapper G-Eazy, and has become a hit, peaking at number one in Australia, number four in the United Kingdom, number five in New Zealand, and number 58 in the United States.

"Boyfriend Jeans" was released as the second single on 25 September 2015.

The third single, "Hell of a Girl", was released on 13 May 2016. It charted at number 55 in Scotland.

Track listing

Personnel

Adapted from the booklet of FMA.