High Hopes and Heartbreak

Background

On January 31, White she said she signed with Sanctuary Artist Group instead of earlier reported Sanctuary Records. She also announced the title of her new album, High Hopes & Heartbreak. White announced May 2009 that she started her own record label "June Baby Records" with Randy Jackson, and her first post-Idol album, High Hopes & Heartbreak, would be available July 21, 2009.

The album was originally supposed to be available June 2, 2009, also White's birthday, but was postponed to release a little more than a month later, as said in White's blog entry for May 15. The digital release date of album is July 14, one week earlier than its physical release.

The album was executive produced by "American Idol" judge Randy Jackson, who has never executive produced an album for any of the contestants from "Idol" before.

The album is released through June Baby Records, a new indie label formed by White, Jackson and Carl Stubner (Head of Sanctuary Artist Management).

In its first week of release, the album sold 10,000 copies as a digital download.

Singles

"Hold Up My Heart" is the first single of the album. On February 25, White premiered the song on season 8 of American Idol. That same week, the song sold 51,171 copies digitally. The song debuted at number 47.

"Radio Radio" is the second single of the album. It was released on June 23. A music video was filmed and released for "Radio Radio."

Critical reception

High Hopes & Heartbreak received generally favorable reviews. The Los Angeles Times described the album as a "hopeful mix of summer songs" noting White's "easy-vintage style." Howard Cohen, of the Miami Herald, mentioned White's "easygoing 70s vibe" and described it as "engaging...an easy feeling to take on the road." Allmusic also praised the record, describing it as "a sweet, likeable album that largely follows through on White's Idol promise."

Salt Lake Tribune writer Tom Wharton called it "a worthy first effort." The Herald Dispatch deemed the album, "A breezy, pleasant surprise." Entertainment Weekly featured the album on its Extended Play section, and described the only cover on the album, "Use Somebody", originally by Kings of Leon, as an "unexpected highlight" of a "lovely soul-folk take." The Houston Chronicle wrote that, "At its frequent best, HH&H captures the conviction White brought to several of her best Idol performances...she's consistently lovely — the alt-country vibe of Little Bird, the heartbreaking Smile, the surprising disco-swirl of the title track...poignant songs like Hold Up My Heart, Sometimes Love and Be Careful deserve to find an audience beyond Idol fanatics."

Personnel