Idina (album)

Idina
Studio album by
Idina Menzel
ReleasedSeptember 23, 2016 (2016-09-23)
GenrePop[1][2]
Length45:36
LabelWarner Bros.
ProducerGreg Wells, Eric Rosse
Idina Menzel chronology
Holiday Wishes
(2014) 		Idina
(2016) 		Christmas: A Season of Love
(2019)
Singles from I Stand
  1. "Queen of Swords"
    Released: 2016
  2. "Small World"
    Released: 2017
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
NewsdayB+[2]

Idina (stylized as idina.) is the eponymous fifth studio album by singer Idina Menzel. It was released on September 23, 2016, by Warner Bros. Records.[3]

Overview

In late 2015, Menzel announced via Twitter and in interviews that she was working on a new studio album, set to be released in Fall 2016. On August 5, 2016 at midnight, Menzel appeared on Facebook Live from the Skylark Rooftop in New York City to announce that the album would be released on September 23, 2016, and gave a world premiere performance of her single "I See You".[4]

The week after she announced the album, Menzel appeared on Facebook Live again from The Berkshires with her all-girl performing arts camp A Broader Way, where she gave another sneak preview of a song from the album titled "Queen of Swords" along with the campers. The song was released as a single several days later. Music videos for both "I See You" and "Queen of Swords" were posted to her YouTube channel.

Menzel shared her thoughts with People magazine about the inspiration behind the album, reflecting on how her personal and professional experiences shaped its creation: "This album in particular, I had so much that I wanted to say. I had been through so much over the last couple of years simultaneously —  going through a divorce, and all of the sadness and regret that that brought about, while experiencing this incredible professional success with Frozen and the Oscars and singing at the Super Bowl,” she adds. “It was such an interesting, complicated couple of years that I just knew that it was a really rich time for me to get in the studio and put all of that down in music."[5]

The album was supported the following year by a World Tour which played in over 50+ cities across North America, Europe, and Asia.[6]

Reception

The album received fairly positive reviews from music critics. AllMusic awarded it 3.5 stars, saying she was able to "craft a sound that's expansive enough to resonate with fans of her stage work while adding a bit of a modern age," particularly drawing attention to "Queen of Swords", "Cake", and "I Do". The review also noted that the album was very personal and was a vast improvement on her last pop album, I Stand.[1] Newsday gave the album a B+, noting her "gorgeous voice" and mentioning "Queen of Swords", "I See You", and "Perfect Story" as stand-out tracks.[2]

Commercial performance

Idina debuted at number 29 on the Billboard 200 chart, selling 15,000 album-equivalent units in its first week, including 14,000 pure sales. Additionally, the album peaked at number 9 on the Billboard Top Album Sales chart.[7][8]

Track listing

Standard edition[9]
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Small World"
Wells3:35
2."Like Lightning"
Rosse3:39
3."Queen of Swords"
Wells4:20
4."I See You"
Rosse3:39
5."Everybody Knows"
  • Wells
  • Stephen Wrabel
Wells3:25
6."Show Me"
Wells5:02
7."Last Time"
Rosse3:57
8."I Do"
  • Menzel
  • Rosse
  • Sloan
Rosse3:29
9."Cake"
Wells2:54
10."Extraordinary"
Wells3:33
11."Perfect Story"
Wells3:39
12."Nothin' in This World"
  • Menzel
  • Connor Pledger
  • Rosse
Rosse4:24
Total length:45:36
Target edition bonus tracks[10]
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
13."Bitter Core"
  • Menzel
  • Mae
  • Rosse
3:05
14."Stronger Than Hate"
2:46
Total length:51:36
Japanese edition bonus track[11]
No.TitleLength
15."Blind"4:02
Total length:55:38

Charts

Chart (2016) Peak
position
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[12] 129
Scottish Albums (OCC)[13] 47
UK Albums (OCC)[14] 86
US Billboard 200[15] 29

References

  1. ^ a b c Monger, Timothy. "idina. – Idina Menzel | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 2016-11-28.
  2. ^ a b c "'Idina.' review: Idina Menzel turns her attention to pop". Newsday. 2016-09-21. Retrieved 2016-11-28.
  3. ^ Robinson, Will; Clark, Noelene (August 5, 2016). "Idina Menzel announces self-titled album, performs new song live". Entertainment Weekly. United States. Archived from the original on August 6, 2016. Retrieved August 5, 2016.
  4. ^ "World Premiere of "I See You" by Idina Menzel". 2016-04-18. Retrieved 2016-11-28 – via YouTube.
  5. ^ Havens, Lyndsey (2016-10-10). "Idina Menzel Talks New Album, Being Vulnerable, and Giving a S— About What People Think". Billboard. Retrieved 2024-11-23.
  6. ^ "Idina Menzel to Embark on 2017 World Tour!". BroadwayWorld.com. BroadwayWorld. Retrieved January 17, 2017.
  7. ^ Caulfield, Keith (2016-10-07). "Billboard 200 Chart Moves: Idina Menzel & Kristin Chenoweth's 'Wicked' Reunion in the Top 40". Billboard. Retrieved 2024-11-23.
  8. ^ "Idina Menzel | Biography, Music & News". Billboard. Retrieved 2024-11-23.
  9. ^ "idina. by Idina Menzel on Apple Music". iTunes Store (US). Retrieved October 22, 2016.
  10. ^ "Idina Menzel - idina. (Target Exclusive) : Target". Target. September 23, 2016. Retrieved October 22, 2016.
  11. ^ "Idina Menzel - idina". Warner Music Japan. Retrieved December 2, 2016.
  12. ^ "Ultratop.be – Idina Menzel – Idina." (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved September 30, 2016.
  13. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 1, 2016.
  14. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 1, 2016.
  15. ^ "Idina Menzel Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved October 4, 2016.