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Big Fat Lie
Studio album by
LabelRCA
Producer
Nicole Scherzinger chronology
Killer Love
(2011)
Big Fat Lie
(2014)
Singles from Big Fat Lie
  1. "Your Love"
    Released: May 30, 2014
  2. "Run"
    Released: September 30, 2014
  3. "On the Rocks"
    Released: October 10, 2014
  4. "Bang"
    Released: December 15, 2014

Big Fat Lie (stylized in all caps) is the second studio album by American recording artist Nicole Scherzinger.

Big Fat Lie was a commercial disappointment, peaking at number 17 on the UK Albums Chart and appearing on the lower regions of Belgium (Wallonia), France, and Switzerland.

Background

[edit]

Nicole Scherzinger released her debut studio album, Killer Love, in March 2011 in the United Kingdom.[1] It skewed towards Eurodance and explored genres such as dance and electronic."[2][1] The album sold over 140,000 copies in the UK by November 2011,[3] and spawned three top-three UK singles, including her first number-one single as a solo artist on the UK Singles Chart, "Don't Hold Your Breath".[4] A US version featuring an alternate track list was initially delayed to coincide with her role as a judge on the first season of The X Factor US[5] but the release never materialized.[3] The following year, Scherzinger was hired as a judge on the ninth series of The X Factor UK to positive reception from viewers acknowledging that she set aside an album's release in favor of her work as a mentor.[6]

In March 2013, Scherzinger released "Boomerang" as the lead single from the project.[7] According to Scherzinger, the album was executive produced by will.i.am and featured contributions from producers Afro Jack, Dallas Austin, Toby Gad and Sandy Vee.[8] Whilst planning to release the new album worldwide in November, Scherzinger had doubts about returning for the tenth series of The X Factor as the promotion for the album would clash with the live stages of the singing competition.[9] She ultimately decided to return as a judge,[10] and according to The Guardian, scrapped the project after "Boomerang's" lackluster success.[11] It was during this time reports surfaced that Scherzinger was dropped from Interscope Records, however a spokesperson for Scherzinger denied speculation and confirmed that she was working with The-Dream and Tricky Stewart.[12] Scherzinger previously collaborated with them during Her Name Is Nicole sessions where they produced "Power's Out", featuring Sting which was later included in Killer Love.

Development

[edit]
An Afro-American man wearing a white shirt, a black cap and sunglasses is walking onto a stage while holding a microphone.
An Afro-American man is smiling. He is sitting in a control room, which includes a mixing console and monitor speakers. He wears sunglasses, a black shirt and a wristwatch.
The-Dream (left) and Christopher Stewart (right) produced Big Fat Lie

Scherzinger, The-Dream and Tricky Stewart began recording for her second studio album in 2013 before The X Factor live shows would began.[13] For Killer Love's follow-up, she sought to create a record without pressure from any label nor A&R and create music based from personal experiences.[14]

She sought to create a "cohesive" album that would help her distinguish her from other artists.[15] She took inspiration from the music of artists, such as Sade and Janet Jackson's The Velvet Rope (1997), to make a record that is "midtempo, supercool, [and] super-vibey."[15]


After Scherzinger completed The X Factor, she reunited with the producers in January 2014 and travelled to Miami for further studio sessions,[16] where the album's opening track "Your Love", was produced.[17] The following month, Scherzinger confirmed that she signed a record deal with Sony Music Entertainment and RCA Records for a reported $4.5 million.[18][19] Scherzinger stated that she left Interscope Records revealing they didn't put out her previous album and felt that it was "time to make a change."[20]

Composition

[edit]

Scherzinger said that songs from Big Fat Lie are pop with more urban and R&B influences.[21] She cited The Velvet Rope (1997), the sixth studio album by American recording artist Janet Jackson and Sade as major influences.[22] She further elaborated that the album is "vibey, it’s cool, it’s got a lot of soul and it’s a very personal album to me.”[21]

The album opens with "Your Love" a pop and Dance song, where the singer expresses how her man's love makes her feel.[23] "Electric Blue" is a funk song which evokes the work of Janet Jackson.[24] The album's closing track "Run" is an emotive, piano-led ballad where Scherzinger offers advice to the next broken heart.[25]

Release and promotion

[edit]

On September 16, 2014, Scherzinger revealed the track listing for Big Fat Lie through Instagram via a crossword puzzle that fans had to solve.[26] Later she unveiled the album artwork along with the title for the standard and deluxe versions of the album; the black-and-white image depicts a close-up image of Scherzinger tussling her hair. Mike Wass of Idolator noted that the image "screams early Janet Jackson." It was made available the same day for pre-order through the iTunes Store and it was confirmed that it would be released on October 20 in the United Kingdom.[27]

Scherzinger first performed "Your Love" on the British chat show Alan Carr: Chatty Man on June 13, 2014.[28] At the Isle of MTV festival in Malta on June 25, 2016, Scherzinger performed "Your Love" along with a number of songs which included songs from her former group the Pussycat Dolls. She performed while wearing black leather shorts and gold body chains and was accompanied by male and female dancers.[29] "Run's" first televised performance was on Access Hollywood Live on October 1.[30] The following day, several songs of the album were played at a spin class at SoulCycle studios in New York.[31] On October 4, she traveled to France and performed "Don't Cha", "Run" and "Your Love" at the NRJ Music Tour in Saint-Etienne.[32] The following day she sang the song for French television shows Le Mag and Touche pas à mon poste!.[33] On October 15, she held an acoustic showcase of her album at Hotel Café Royal.[34] She performed "On the Rocks" on This Morning on October 17 and five days later performed it at the 2014 MOBO Awards.[35][36] On October 20, she held an album signing at a HMV store in Oxford Street.[37]

Singles

[edit]

"Your Love" was released as the lead single from Big Fat Lie on May 30, 2014.[38] It generally received positive reviews from music critics who complimented the song's catchy chorus.[39] The song peaked at number six on the UK Singles Chart and received moderate success in other international markets.[40] The accompanying music video was directed by Dawn Shadforth and sees Scherzinger frolicking at a beach in Malibu, California.[41]

"Run" was released as the second single and was chosen as the lead single from the US edition of Big Fat Lie impacting contemporary hit radio stations on September 30.[42][43][44] An accompanying music video was released on November 14, 2014 depicting Scherzinger in an opulent mansion.[45]

The third single, "On the Rocks" was released on October 10, 2014 as the second single in the UK.[46] The song received negative reviews from music critics, criticizing the outdated production and the use of Auto-Tune.[47][48] The accompanying black-and-white music video was released on September 5 and depicts Scherzinger confronting her boyfriend before running outside the house liberating herself.[49]

Reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[50]
Digital Spy[24]
Evening Standard[51]
MTV UK[25]
The Times[52]

Critical

[edit]

Theo Watt of MTV UK described the Big Fat Lie as a "very like able record" and applauded the singer for putting her "life and insecurities on a record."[25] John Aizlewood of the Evening Standard wrote that despite its "filler" the album is a "result is an appealing unity of supertight sound, where Scherzinger suggests a more vulnerable Beyoncé."[51] In a more mixed review Lewis Corner of Digital Spy wrote that none of the songs quite to showcase her "flying vocal range, sharp choreography and glorious demeanor." He ended the review saying that the album "reaches for something it can't quite accomplish."[24] Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic found that the album's production "isn't particularly distinctive" and criticized Tricky Stewart and The-Dream for not bringing "their A game." He ended the review writing, "There's nothing embarrassing about their work here but there's nothing memorable, and that suits a singer who has yet to strike a memorable pose in a decade of trying."[50]

Commercial

[edit]

The album first appeared on the Irish Album Chart at number thirty-nine.[53] On the UK Albums Chart, the album under-performed entering at number seventeen and spending two weeks on the top 100.[54] Following the commercial disappointment of the album, reports emerged that Scherzinger had been dropped by RCA Records, however she later clarified that she has signed a new record deal and will release new music in 2016.[55] Big Fat Lie also appeared on the lower regions of Belgium (Wallonia) [number 156], France (number 108) and Switzerland (number 95).[56]

Track listing

[edit]
Big Fat LieStandard edition
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Your Love"
  • Stewart
  • Nash
  • Bart Schoudel[a]
 
2."Electric Blue" (featuring T.I.)
  • Nash
  • Stewart
  • Stewart
  • Nash
  • Schoudel[a]
 
3."On the Rocks"
  • Stewart
  • Nash
  • McKinney
  • Schoudel[a]
 
4."Heartbreaker"
  • Nash
  • Stewart
 
5."God of War"
  • Nash
  • Stewart
  • Stewart
  • Nash
  • O'Ryan[a]
 
6."Girl with a Diamond Heart"
  • Nash
  • Stewart
  • Stewart
  • Nash
  • O'Ryan[a]
 
7."Just a Girl"
  • Nash
  • Stewart
  • Stewart
  • Nash
  • Schoudel[a]
 
8."First Time"
  • Nash
  • Stewart
  • Stewart
  • Nash
 
9."Bang"
  • Nash
  • Stewart
  • Stewart
  • Nash
  • Schoudel[a]
 
10."Big Fat Lie"
  • Stewart
  • Nash
  • Schoudel[a]
 
11."Run"
 
Notes
  • Godz Of Analog † C. "Tricky" Stewart, Terius "The-Dream" Nash*
  • ^a signifies a vocal producer

Credits and personnel

[edit]

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Big Fat Lie.[57]

  • Alejandro Baima – assistant engineering (track 11)
  • Kevin "KD" Davis – mixing (track 4)
  • Manny Dominick – additional percussion (track 1)
  • Josh Drucker – assistant mixing (tracks 1 - 3, 5 - 10)
  • Brian Gardner – mastering (track 1)
  • Brandon Harding – assistant engineering (track 10), assistant recording (track 3)
  • Jordan Lewis – additional recording (track 5), assistant recording (tracks 1 - 4, 6), assistant mixing (track 7)
  • Carlos "Los da Mystro" McKinney – producer (track 3)
  • Terius "The-Dream" Nash – producer (tracks 1 - 10), programming, sequencing (tracks 3, 7, 8)
  • Bart Schoudel – vocal production (tracks 1 - 3, 7, 9, 10), engineering (tracks 1, 3, 7 - 10), additional recording (tracks 2, 4)
  • Felix Snow – producer, mixer (track 11)
  • Brian "B-LUV" Thomas – engineering (tracks 2, 3, 5, 6), additional recording (tracks 1, 3)
  • Christopher "Tricky" Stewart – producer (tracks 1 - 10), programming, sequencing (tracks 3, 7 - 10)
  • Pat Thrall – additional editing (track 1)
  • Brent Paschke – guitar (tracks 1, 10)
  • Bianca Puente – assistant engineering (track 8), additional recording (track 5), assistant recording (tracks 2, 4, 6)
  • Stevy Pyne – guitar (track 3)
  • Eddie Smith III – additional programming (tracks 10)
  • Chris "TEK" O'Ryan – vocal production (tracks 4 - 6, 11), engineer (track 11), additional recording (tracks 2, 4 - 6), guitar (track 4)
  • Nick Valentin – assistant engineering (track 1), assistant recording (track 1)
  • Andrew Wuepper – mixing (tracks 1 - 3, 5 - 10)

Release history

[edit]
Country Date Version Format Label Ref
Germany October 17, 2014
  • Standard
  • Deluxe
Sony Music
[58]
Ireland
[59]
Netherlands
France October 20, 2014
[60]
Spain
[61]
United Kingdom RCA Records
[62]
Italy October 21, 2014 Sony Music
[63]
Brazil
[64]
Poland
[65]
Australia October 24, 2014
[66]

References

[edit]
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  2. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. Nicole Scherzinger - Killer Love at AllMusic. Retrieved Octomber 21, 2020.
  3. ^ a b Halperin, Shirley (November 11, 2011). "'X Factor' Judge Nicole Scherzinger's Solo Album Delayed Again". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved October 31, 2020.
  4. ^ Copsey, Robert (February 19, 2014). "Nicole Scherzinger signs new record deal, confirms album release". Digital Spy. Retrieved October 31, 2020.
  5. ^ Gallo, Phil (August 19, 2011). "Nicole Scherzinger Preps U.S. Album Release: 'It's a Lot Deeper Than Pussycat Dolls". Billboard. Retrieved October 16, 2020.
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  7. ^ Corner, Lewis (January 18, 2013). "Nicole Scherzinger unveils pictures for single 'Boomerang'". Digital Spy. Retrieved October 31, 2020.
  8. ^ Copsey, Robert (March 12, 2013). "Exclusive: Nicole Scherzinger on new album: 'It takes no prisoners'". Digital Spy. Retrieved May 30, 2014.
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  23. ^ Lipshutz, Jason (May 29, 2014). "Nicole Scherzinger Returns With 'Your Love' Single: Listen". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved December 11, 2014. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |work= (help)
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  28. ^ Scum, David (June 13, 2014). "Alan Carr: Chatty Man on Channel 4 tonight with Pharrell Williams, Nicole Scherzinger, Phillip Schofield & Cher Lloyd". Scunthorpe Telegraph. Retrieved July 8, 2014.
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  45. ^ Walker, John (November 14, 2014). "Nicole Scherzinger Still Don't Need A Man In 'Run': Watch The Video". MTV. Viacom. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
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  47. ^ Newman, Melinda (August 26, 2014). "Listen to Nicole Scherzingers latest tune, On The Rocks". HitFix. HitFix. Inc. Retrieved October 6, 2014.
  48. ^ "Nicole Scherzinger's "On The Rocks": How Did This Happen?". MuuMuse. Retrieved October 6, 2014.
  49. ^ "Video: Nicole Scherzinger – 'On the Rocks'". Rap-Up. September 5, 2014. Retrieved October 8, 2014.
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  51. ^ a b Aizlewood, John (October 17, 2014). "Albums of the week (Oct 17-23)". Evening Standard. Retrieved September 3, 2016.
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  54. ^ Percival, Ashley (June 14, 2015). "Nicole Scherzinger 'Dropped By Record Label' After Poor Sales". The Huffington Post. Retrieved November 3, 2015.
  55. ^ McGrath, Rachel (September 16, 2015). "Nicole Scherzinger Denies Being Dropped By Record Label, Promising New Music For 2016 (EXCLUSIVE)". The Huffington Post. Retrieved June 10, 2016.
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  57. ^ Cite error: The named reference Booklet was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  58. ^ Cite error: The named reference 'Amazon.de was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  59. ^ Cite error: The named reference 'Deluxe was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  60. ^ "Big Fat Lie (Deluxe) [Explicit]: Nicole Scherzinger: Téléchargements MP3" (in French). Amazon.fr. Retrieved September 17, 2014.
  61. ^ "Big Fat Lie (Deluxe) [Explicit]: Nicole Scherzinger: Tienda MP3" (in Spanish). Amazon.es. Retrieved September 17, 2014.
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  64. ^ "iTunes - Música - Big Fat Lie (Deluxe) de Nicole Scherzinger" (in Portuguese). Sony Music. Retrieved October 4, 2014.
  65. ^ "Nicole Scherzinger ujawnia szczegóły pierwszej płyty w Sony Music!" (in Polish). Sony Music Poland. Retrieved September 17, 2014.
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