I Am [EXTRA TRACKS]

Chrisette Michele

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 19, 2007)
• Original Release Date: June 19, 2007
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Extra tracks
• Label: Def Jam
• ASIN: B000Q364KG
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (188 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,928 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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  Music > R&B > Contemporary R&B

Track Listings

1. Like A Dream

2. Work It Out

3. Best Of Me

4. Your Joy

5. Good Girl

6. Be Ok feat. will.i.am

7. If I Have My Way

8. Mr. Radio

9. Golden

10. Let's Rock

11. Love Is You

12. In This For You

13. Is This The Way Love Feels

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

If you didn't get to know Chrisette Michele by way of Jay-Z (she was the one singing sparkling hooks on "Lost Ones") or Nas (she channeled Billie Holiday on "Can't Forget About You"), stop wasting valuable seconds. Though the hype on this pure-voiced, raunch-resistant songstress has her resuscitating a classic jazz sound that rarely infiltrates R&B--comparisons to Lady Day, Nina Simone, and Ella Fitzgerald are mounting--she's more her generation's answer to Erykah Badu: any notes she wraps her lips around come out fresh-sounding, and she adds to the effect with a built-in elegance that's irresistible to R&B and non-R&B fans alike. Hip-hoppers get a custom dose of Michele's magic on "Be O.K.," featuring the flabbergastingly prolific yet still likable Will.i.am, jazz sentimentalists will instantly succumb to "Like a Dream," and anybody with ears on his or her head will warm to the slinky slow jam that is "If I Have My Way." Michele's is a rare talent; count on this outstanding debut propelling her to stratospheric heights. --Tammy La Gorce

Product Description

I Am, her soulful debut album, is an artistic exploration that fuses 24-year old Chrisette Michele's diverse musical interests into a wonderland. "I realize that I'm new to the music world, but I've been preparing for this moment for long time," says the Long Island native. Even before signing a recording contract, Michele had performed on concert bills with more established artists like Kem, India.Arie, Angie Stone, and Lionel Richie. "India saw me singing at the Village Underground in New York City. She came backstage that first night and graciously offered me a gig as her opening act," says Michele. Working hard in the studio writing songs and recording demos, Michele finished an album's worth of material before even trying to get signed. "I've been creating songs since I was 12, so I knew I needed the right musical blend in order to stand out from the many other performers trying to get a deal." Though already a fan of gospel and classical, it wasn't until Michele was 17 that she also developed a passion for jazz. "When I was still in high school a teacher introduced me to jazz singer Astrud Gilberto, and afterwards my life was all about jazz," she remembers. With the release of I Am, Chrisette Michele will soon be sharing those musical dreams with the rest of the world.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

50 of 50 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars 4 1/2 stars - Talent & Class, June 19, 2007

By	W. E. Phillips (USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I first took note of this talented songstress when she was featured on Jay-Z's "Lost One." Now I'm no huge fan of Jay, but I instantly fell in love with the track due to Michele's amazing vocals. As she cooly sang, "sorry, I'm a champion," I knew this woman would be someone to look out for.

Despite singing refrains for both Jay and Nas, Chrisette makes it quite clear in the first few minutes of her debut that she is not your average hook-singing R&B chick. Her voice sounds like a hybrid of Jill Scott and Michelle Williams; she has the vocal prowess of a young Whitney Houston and the jazzy stylings of greats like Billie Holiday. She co-wrote each song on this album and even co-produced a song, very rare for a first album. This daughter of a church deacon also differs from the others in lyrical conent. Although in her early twenties, Michele shows maturity and class that would put these floosies to shame.

She tells "Mr. Radio" that the love songs are very nice, but realtionships aren't always a walk in the park. In "Golden," the diva proclaims that she's "so ready" for the life-long commitment of marriage. A "Good Girl" like Chrisette puts quality time over material things and society's "ideal" man. And although the money and lavish things are alright, she is admittedly not the "flashy type" and she's "In This For You." "Your Joy" is a beautiful, but not sappy, song dedicated to her dad. In "If I Have My Way," she decides to wait a little longer until making love. The diva explains that "It's Like A Dream" to her just at the thought of her crush smiling at her and liking her. She leaves a relationship pridefully, reclaiming the "Best of Me." There are also some upbeat, feel-good cuts like "Be OK" and "Let's Rock."

One listen to "Golden" and you can hear why the near legendary Antonio "LA" Reid signed her on the spot. The songs on 'I Am' are top notch material and Chrisette Michele delivers them with extreme skill. I would list all the highlight songs, but then I'd be giving you the tracklisting that already available on this page. It doesn't hurt that it features superb production from the likes of Salaam Remi, will.i.am, Babyface and even John Legend. Still, Chrisette is the star here.

So I guess what I'm trying to say is this album is superb and you should buy it. I hope that Chrisette Michele gets the success she deserves and I can see her career continuing for a long, long time. I highly recommend this album.

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Here's her debut album, "Can't Forget About Her"......, July 2, 2007

By	J. Highsmith (Mitchellville, Maryland United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

I was introduced to Chrisette Michele when many people were when she was featured on the chorus to Jay Z's "Lost One" and Nas' "Can't Forget About You". Her voice sounded pretty good and she even sounded good live on one of Nas' concerts that was televised by MTV2. About a week before Chrisette's debut CD "I Am" was scheduled to be released I saw a video for the track "If I Had My Way" and I was definitely impressed. This track was a slow jam talking about Chrisette wanting to be patient to give 100% of herself to her man, but if she had her way she would be ready to make that move already. Once I heard this track, I knew that I would pick up "I Am" the week that it was released.

"I Am" starts off with the refreshing "Like A Dream". Chrisette is able to express how she feels because a man that she was checking out actually is interested in her as well. This midtempo jam has an old school feel to it and is definitely reminiscent of something Jill Scott may have done. "Work It Out" is just as nice as Chrisette explains that no matter what is going wrong in her relationship with her man that she is going to give a 100% effort to work things out to stay with her man because of the way she feels about him. Babyface joins the party on "Best Of Me" as Chrisette explains a situation where she was with a man and the time came when she realized that she had to do what was best for her in the long run. She realizes that the relationship had ran its course. Babyface also produces "Your Joy" which easily ends up being one of my favorite tracks on this CD. I saw an interview where Chrisette explained that she was a writer and was trying to give some of her work to other artists. This would be a perfect track for that resume. You'll have this track on repeat for awhile. Salaam Remi, who was worked with Nas & Wyclef in the past shows up to produce "Good Girl" which has Chrisette explaining what she needs in a man and how she doesn't understand how women fall for some of the simple tricks that men pull to get women all the time. She is also stating that just because a man has money, jewelry and cars doesn't mean that all women want a man because of material things, some women just want to be treated with respect and loved. Will.I.Am who has worked on alot of CDs in the past year and a half such as Mary J. Blige's "Breakthrough", Game's "Doctor's Advocate", John Legend's "Once Again" and Nas' "Hip Hop Is Dead", produces an uptempo track in "Be OK" which basically is a nice feel good jam. Will.I.Am also drops a verse and this is a track worth listening to, it just might not be in your Top 5 favorites. On "Mr. Radio", Chrisette seems to try to bring a message to people just writing simple and unthoughtful songs just to get them to be played on the radio. The songs have no substance and are basically carried by one catch phrase like for example, Ay Bay Bay or Walk It Out. It seems as if Chrisette just wants to hear something that you may want to hear 5 years from now and not something to just stay hot for 5 months and go away. She appreciates the fact that we can hear songs on the radio but she wants to hear something with some staying power to it. In my opinion, Chrisette is at her best on "I Am" when she is singing a sweet slow jam as in "Golden". Chrisette speaks about being ready to be in love with the man of her dreams. She just wants to be able to live in the times where chivalry was still alive and most commitments between men and women actually meant something. "Let's Rock" is produced by Will.I.Am and samples Run DMC's "Here We Go". This track is also another feel jam but ends up being better than "Be Ok". "Let's Rock" sounds like a song that John Legend didn't use for "Once Again" with the way it sounds but Chrisette is able to make it work for her. Speaking of John Legend, he produces the next track "Love Is You". The track explains what Chrisette thinks the word love means and who reminds her of that definition. John should have kept this track for himself. It does have an "Ordinary People" or "Again" feel to it but Chrisette's sweet voice carries the track. Salaam Remi produces another jam with "In This For You" which I feel is Chrisette's best uptempo jam on "I Am" as Chrisette reminds me of one of my favorite r&b artists on this track in Mary J. Blige. Chrisette is letting her man know that she is with him for the long run. "Is This The Way Love Feels" has Chrisette trying to figure if the way she is feeling has anything to do with what love is supposed to feel. On the unlisted bonus track (Track 14), Chrisette displays her gospel roots as she is talking about various events that have happened in the world and to different people. It's definitely a good way to end what to me ends up being a memorable debut CD in "I Am".

In conclusion, it's nice to be able to hear a current r&b CD that has an old school feel to it. Instead of trying to change to what some people think is the only way you can make music today, which is for the younger generation by buying people a drink, doubling up, shouting Ay Bay Bay at a club and doing a 2 Step, Chrisette sticks to what she does best by making thought provoking and memorable music. LA Reid and Def Jam definitely have found a talent in Chrisette Michele. Hopefully, she gets the props that she deserves. If you are into artists such as Jill Scott, Amel Larrieux, Corinne Bailey Rae and Jazzyfatnastees, I truly believe that you will enjoy this CD from Chrisette Michele. You'll be able to tell what songs are better than the others, but overall you will be able to play this CD in its entirety.

James' Top 5

1) If I Had My Way
2) Your Joy
3) Golden
4) Best Of Me
5) Like A Dream

Honorable Mention:

In This For You
Work It Out
Love Is You
Let's Rock
Unlisted Bonus Track (Track 14)

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A True Class Act, June 20, 2007

By	B. Wilson "Neosoul maven" (Berkeley, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This cd is amazing - it just blows, or annihilates, I should say, the measly competition out there right now. In her heavenly voice I hear the phrasings of Jill Scott, the gospel moaning of Karen-Clarke Sheard,the deep feeling of Fantasia, and the vocal acumen of Billie Holiday. A reviewer on here expressed disappointment that this cd does not rise to the level of Songs in a Minor or Corrine Rae Bailey. I respectfully disagree; Chrisette's cd is better than both of those good projects in three ways: 1) Chrisette showcases a dynamic voice and a unique sound that is her own, 2) the production seamlessly blends the retro and modern while sounding completely modern, with a hip hop flourishes to boot, and 3) she co-wrote all these lyrically adept songs. I cannot believe she has produced such a quality project at such a tender age. Highlights for me include: "If I Had My Way," "Best of Me," "Golden," "Let's Rock," and "Is this the Way Love Feel," which shows off Christine's soulful vocals and the dexterous playing of her back-up band. A much welcomed return to classy and sophisticated R&B to the center stage. This is the best R&B album to come out this year from a female artist, Amy Whinehouse's cd being a close second.