Ladylike

''Ladylike'' is the fourth and final studio album by German pop trio Monrose. It was released by Starwatch Music in association with Cheyenne Records and the Warner Music Group on 11 June 2010 in German-speaking Europe. Conceived during a hiatus which allowed each member to launch solo projects, production of the album began in mid-2009. Unlike their previous material, recording of ''Ladylike'' was not rushed, with sessions also taking place in New York City. Monrose reteamed with frequent collaborators Pete Kirtley, Tim Hawes, and Obi Mhondera to work on the album, while upcoming producers such as Tuneverse and Alexander Geringas were also consulted.

Pursuing a new musical direction, ''Ladylike'' took the group's work further into the dance pop, synthpop and electronic genres, marking a departure from the contemporary R&B-influenced sound of previous projects prior to ''I Am'' in favor of a more international sound. Elaborating a sophisticated theme for the album, the band requested promotional material to depict a darker, more mature image. ''Ladylike'' was released to generally mixed reviews from music critics, many of whom praised the slower songs on the album but found the rest of the material too generic.

On the charts, the album peaked at number ten on the German Albums Chart, becoming Monrose's fourth consecutive top ten album to do so. It also entered the top thirty in Austria and Switzerland, eventually selling 30,000 copies within the first five months of release. In promotion of the album, Starwatch released three singles from ''Ladylike'', including the band's seventh top ten hit " Like a Lady" and follow-up "This Is Me". Following Monrose's announcement of their disbandment in fall 2010, album track " Breathe You In",''Ladylike''s third single, also served as the group's farewell single.

Background

Following the release of the final single from their third album ''I Am'' (2008), " Why Not Us," in November 2008, the Monrose members decided to take a break from music business, during which the trio pursued different branches of the entertainment industry. In summer 2009, they eventually reunited to start work on their fourth studio album ''Ladylike'', which was partially recorded in Germany and in New York City. The three members agreed that recording overseas was very "inspiring." Bahar Kizil commented, that "recording an album in a city like New York, means putting yourself on a higher level." The songs that were recorded there include "Superstar DJ" and "Don't Take It Personal." In the end, the group reportedly had the highest number of songs to choose from, as in two years of break, a lot of new material had been collected. The songs for the final track list were chosen by the band members, as well as their families and friends. The trio appreciated the break of two years between their third and fourth album releases. Senna Guemmour explained, that in this way, the recording sessions were very relaxed and could be done without any stress.

Promotion

The first new song introduced from ''Ladylike'' was Billy Burnette-penned "All or Nothing," premiered during a fan club meeting. The second song was "Superstar DJ," co-written by Alistair Tennant, which was first performed during a promotional event for Douglas fragrances. Monrose first presented "This Is Me," along with the Donna Summer cover " On the Radio" at the ''Thomas & Helga Show'' on NDR. The lead single "Like a Lady" was sent to radios on 17 April 2010. The music video had its premiere on 12 May 2010. The song was also performed during the season finale of the fifth season of Germany's Next Topmodel.

Reception

''Ladylike'' received generally mixed reviews. ''Pooltrax'' found that the album "increasingly leans towards electro, but the lyrics and voices of the three Monrose singers still clearly recall pop ..However, the girls still excel at the calm ballads. The soothing sounds do the otherwise very loud album a lot of good and showcase the voices much better than the fast-paced up-tempo numbers." ''LetMeEntertainYou'' noted that the songs on the ''Ladylike''were much "more mature" and "more melodic" than the songs on previous album ''I Am''. laut.de

HOME


Content is Copyleft
Website design, code, and AI is Copyrighted (c) 2014-2017 by Stephen Payne


Consider donating to Wikimedia



As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases