''FMA'' (an abbreviation for ''Forgive My Attitude'') is the debut studio album by Australian singer and songwriter

Grace Grace may refer to: Places United States * Grace, Idaho, a city * Grace (CTA station), Chicago Transit Authority's Howard Line, Illinois * Little Goose Creek (Kentucky), location of Grace post office * Grace, Carroll County, Missouri, an uninco ...

, released on 1 July 2016 by

RCA The RCA Corporation was a major American electronics company, which was founded as the Radio Corporation of America in 1919. It was initially a patent trust owned by General Electric (GE), Westinghouse, AT&T Corporation and United Fruit Comp ...

. It follows the release of her debut

extended play An extended play record, usually referred to as an EP, is a musical recording that contains more tracks than a single but fewer than an album or LP record.

(EP) '' Memo'' in May 2015.

Critical reception

Harriet Gibsone of ''

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...

'' 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 Lesley Sue Goldstein (May 2, 1946 – February 16, 2015), known professionally as Lesley Gore, was an American singer, songwriter, actress, and activist. At the age of 16, she recorded the pop music, pop hit "It's My Party (Lesley Gore song), I ...

's 1963 anthem '

You Don't Own Me "You Don't Own Me" is a popular song written by Philadelphia songwriters John Medora, John Madara and David White (musician), David White and recorded by Lesley Gore in 1963, when Gore was 17 years old. The song was Gore's second most succe ...

' for

House of Fraser House of Fraser (also operating as Frasers) is a British department store group with 44 locations across the United Kingdom, which is now part of Frasers Group. It was established in Glasgow, Scotland in 1849 as Arthur and Fraser. By 1891, it w ...

'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 Meghan Elizabeth Trainor (born December 22, 1993) is an American singer-songwriter and television personality. She rose to prominence after signing with Epic Records in 2014 and releasing her debut single "All About That Bass", which reached ...

, Sewell's lyrics borrow more from

Amy Winehouse Amy Jade Winehouse (14 September 1983 – 23 July 2011) was an English singer and songwriter. She was known for her deep, expressive contralto vocals and her eclectic mix of musical genres, including soul, rhythm and blues and jazz. A membe ...

'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 ''Rolling Stone'' Australia is the Australian edition of the United States' ''Rolling Stone'' magazine devoted to music, politics, and popular culture, published monthly. The Australian version of ''Rolling Stone'' was initially published in 197 ...

''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 Frank or Franks may refer to: People * Frank (given name) * Frank (surname) * Franks (surname) * Franks, a medieval Germanic people * Frank, a term in the Muslim world for all western Europeans, particularly during the Crusades - see Farang Curr ...

''. 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 Quincy Delight Jones Jr. (born March 14, 1933) is an American record producer, musician, songwriter, composer, arranger, and film and television producer. His career spans 70 years in the entertainment industry with a record of 80 Grammy Award n ...

. 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

* "Hell of a Girl", was released on 13 May 2016 as the album's only single. It charted at number 55 in Scotland. The album also includes two single, originally on '' Memo'' in 2015. "

", a cover of

's 1963 hit song, was released on 17 March 2015. It features American rapper

G-Eazy Gerald Earl Gillum (born May 24, 1989), better known by his stage name G-Eazy, is an American rapper. His first major-label album, '' These Things Happen'', was released on June 23, 2014, and peaked at number 3 on the US ''Billboard'' 200 ...

, 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 on 25 September 2015.

Track listing

;Notes *"Church on Sunday" samples "Outside Love" by Brethren. *"Feel Your Love" samples "You're a Different Lady" by Al Johnson. *"Boys Boys Boys" has an interpolation of "

Moody's Mood for Love "Moody's Mood for Love" is a 1952 song by Eddie Jefferson, whose melody is derived from an improvised solo by jazz saxophonist James Moody (saxophonist), James Moody (and a brief solo in the middle by pianist Thore Swanerud) on a 1949 recording ...

" by James Moody. *"Say" samples " Love Ballad" by L.T.D.

Personnel

Adapted from the booklet of ''FMA''. *Efe Ogbeni: executive producer *Erwin Gorostiza: RCA creative director *Maria Paula Marulanda: art direction and design *Dennis Leupold: photographer *Liz McClean: stylist *Jillian Halouska: hair *Megan Lanoux: make-up *Rie Yoco: manicurist

Charts

References

{{Authority control 2016 debut albums RCA Records albums Albums produced by Quincy Jones Albums produced by Naughty Boy Albums produced by Mannie Fresh Albums produced by Da Internz Albums produced by Fraser T. Smith