Recorded 2005–2006 Release date 11 July 2006 | Artist India.Arie Label Motown/Universal Records | |
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Released June 26, 2006 (UK)
June 27, 2006 (U.S.) Producer India. Arie (also executive)
Shannon Sanders
Mark Batson
Courtney Branch "Doctah B Sirius"
Branden Burch
Dru Castro
Jimmy "J Rok" English
Jared Gosselin
John Howard III
Frank Macek
Sarah Thomas
Phillip White Testimony Vol. 1, Life & Relationship
(2006) Testimony Vol. 2, Love & Politics
(2009) Genres Soul music, Contemporary R&B Nominations Grammy Award for Best R&B Album, Soul Train Music Award for Best R&B/Soul Album – Female Similar IndiaArie albums, Soul music albums | ||
Testimony: Vol. 1, Life & Relationship is the third studio album by American soul/R&B singer India.Arie. It was released in the United States on June 27, 2006 on Motown Records. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, selling 161,000 copies in its first week; it is her only album to top the Billboard charts.
Contents
CD information
The album was released on June 27, 2006 (see 2006 in music) and sold 161,000 copies in the United States during its first week of release. It debuted and peaked at number one on the Billboard 200 and the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, The album fell to number 3 on the following week on the Billboard 200 with sales of 69,000 copes. It is Arie's first number one on the Billboard 200 and second on the R&B chart. The album has sold 689,000 copies in the United States up to December 2008.
In 2007, it was nominated for three Grammy Awards: Best R&B Album, Best R&B Song for I Am Not My Hair, and Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for I Am Not My Hair.
In 2008 Beautiful Flower was nominated for Best R&B Song .
In 2009 she was nominated for Best R&B Performance by a Duo/Group w/ Vocals for Words, her duet with Anthony David.
Reception
The album so far has a score of 53 out of 100 from Metacritic based on "mixed or average reviews". Some reviews are positive, like Billboard, for example, which gave the album a positive review and called it "An ambitious, aurally rich suite of storytelling songs." Hartford Courant gave it a positive review and said, "Of all today's self-actualizing soul singers, India.Arie represents the purest version of the concept. How much you'll like her brand of R&B depends in part on whether the word "nurturing" gives you the warm fuzzies or makes your skin crawl." On the other hand, Mojo gave it two stars out of five and said, "Lacking the wit and lyrical dexterity of a Jill Scott or the raw power of Angie Stone, the songs can feel airless and unengaged." Q also gave it two stars out of five and said that Arie's "sauntering melodies struggle under the weight of their worthy load."
"There's Hope"
Songs
1Intro: Loving1:31
2These Eyes4:31
3The Heart Of The Matter5:15