Heaven (Rebecca Ferguson Album)

''Heaven'' is the debut studio album by English singer-songwriter Rebecca Ferguson. The album was released on 5 December 2011 under the recordings of Syco Music and RCA Records. Recording sessions include: London, Los Angeles and Sweden. Eg White, who has worked with Adele and Duffy, serves as a major collaborator. Additional producers and songwriters include Steve Booker, Fraser T Smith, Xenomania, Paul Barry and Mark Taylor.
Ferguson later revealed that she would be co-writing the whole of her album in order for her to "connect" with the songs. The main genre from the album features genres like soul, pop, blues and R&B. The lyrical content of the album mainly explores the subjects of betrayal, friendship and love found, lost and unrequited. The album's music was compared to Macy Gray, Aretha Franklin, Adele, Joss Stone and Duffy. Ferguson also wished to record with Franklin on the album. The album's title ''Heaven'' came around as Ferguson said she was in "heaven" while recording the album.

The album received universal acclaim, receiving no less than four out of five stars from all critics. ''The Daily Telegraph'' said that "reality television has finally turned out someone who not only has the hallmarks of a real star, but is also an artist in her own right." Upon the release of the album, the album charted at number-three on the UK Albums Chart selling 128,458 copies in its opening week. The most copies for a number three chart position in 2011. It was held off the number-one by Amy Winehouse's posthumous album '' Lioness: Hidden Treasures'' and Michael Bublé's album ''Christmas''. After two weeks of the album being released, the British Phonographic Industry awarded Ferguson with a Platinum certification. As of August 2012 ''Heaven'' had sold 536,960 in the United Kingdom.

A deluxe edition of the album was released in the United Kingdom on 15 October 2012. It features three new tracks and two covers. "Backtrack" was released as the fourth single on 14 October. "Shoulder to Shoulder" was released as the album's fifth and final single in the United Kingdom, while "Teach Me How to be Loved" was released in Germany as the fifth and final single from ''Heaven''.

Background

Ferguson revealed that recording her first album was a dream come true after struggling to get into the Music industry and previously being rejected from ''The X Factor'' during series 2 and series 3 before deciding to try for '' P. Diddy's Starmaker'' in 2007 and then ''Britain's Got Talent'' in 2009; she was rejected from them all. She said when she got the rejections it was the hardest thing ever. She added that the first time she got rejected she was disappointed as she thought she had a talent, and could make it into the industry. She noted that she began to doubt her talent when she got rejected the fourth time. On 21 October 2011 Rebecca confirmed the title of her debut album, ''Heaven'' and would be released in the UK on 5 December 2011. She co-wrote the album with songwriters including Steve Booker ( Duffy) and Eg White, who has previously worked with Adele, Duffy and James Morrison. After the ''X Factor'' Ferguson began dating fellow contestant from band, One Direction, Zayn Malik. She said that the split from Malik inspired her on her debut album. She went on to reveal that her album was based on previous relationships and her children, which is why she co-wrote everyone song on the album so the album could be "more personal" to herself.

Development

Ferguson revealed that her journey throughout ''The X Factor'' and standing on the stage with Matt Cardle waiting for the winner's name to be called out enthused her to put the "feelings of that" into her debut album. She went on to say that on the album you can see the "vulnerability" of her which appears when she is singing on the stage. She went on to say that she was nervous after she wasn't crowned the winner of the show as she knew there was a risk she would not get a record deal after the show. It was revealed by Ferguson herself that label bosses Simon Cowell and head of RCA Records already had tracks for her to record, but Ferguson refused to record the material written for as she wanted to write her first LP to be written by her. She said; "Syco have been really brilliant – as soon as I put my foot down they back off completely. I just wanted songs I'd written on the album. At first I was going into sessions with writers who'd pretty much got all of the songs done already. But I told management they needed to let me write it because otherwise no-one's going to think I'm a credible artist. Then they let me just go into sessions on my own – I couldn't believe it." Ferguson said not only were they wanting to write the album for her, they were not writing the album the way she wanted it to be written. She confirmed that her album is a pop with a retro soul vibe which reminiscent Macy Gray and elevated by Ferguson's bruised voice.

Ferguson planned to have a collaboration with the Kings of Leon on the album. She revealed that she was recording the album for 11 months straight. Ferguson also revealed that she wanted to write her own songs in order for her to "connect" to the songs properly, though she did not have anything against people who do not write their own music. Ferguson said that her record label's gave her fantastic options for her album but the option were not for herself. She said the songs she was given were not bad songs, they were just not for her. The album has inspiration from Aretha Franklin who she calls the "queen of soul" Simon Cowell praised the album, saying that he was "blown away" when he heard it. She said that she would never be like Rihanna after she said she was a "bad role model" for her children and children around the world and Ferguson refuses to let her children watch her. Adele admitted she is a fan of Ferguson's voice.

Composition and recording

Ferguson confirmed that after The X Factor Live Tour she was in the album full-time recording for around 11 months before deciding the album was ready to be released. About the lead single from Ferguson's debut album "Nothing's Real but Love", she said that the song pretty much sums her up as an artist, in the sentiment of the song. She went on to say that the song is not particularly commercial and saying the song is "a bit different" from what is currently being played on the radio at the minute.

She said that she thought it was important to put her "own little stamp" on her music and she hopes she has done that with the album. She said that the album focus's on relationships and that she has been "sternly honest" on the album, her relationship with her two children and her parents and growing up in a foster care home. she said that it also has her feelings of stuff which have "hurt" her in the past, and putting the feelings into words. Although that she previously said that the album's lyrics are inspired from ex-boyfriend