Something Special

Something Special is the debut studio album by Canadian R&B singer Jackson Bradshaw, that will be released on June 25, 2012 via Fusion. With most of the songs on the album written by Bradshaw himself and his frequent songwriting partner, Stephanie Kesh, Bradshaw worked with various producers such as Rodney Jerkins, The Neptunes, Carl Falk, David Banner, Dot da Genius, and others as well. Beginning work on his debut album in 2010 under the working title Come Closer and later re-titling it Keep Me Talking for a planned 2011 release before the songs recorded during those sessions were eventually deleted, particular sessions for Something Special began in late 2011 and ended in early 2012. The album also includes collaborations with and guest appearances from Aimee Lyons, Honey, and Hey Lolita.

The album incorporates a R&B/soul sound, though it also includes element of urban-influenced pop as well. Though not necessarily a concept album, all of the songs on the album deal with themes of love and relationships. The album has since received mostly positive reviews from critics and fans who have complemented the album's musical direction and Bradshaw's range of vocal performance throughout the songs on the album.

To date, the album has spawned one single titled "Missing You". "Missing You" was released in May 2012 and surprisingly became Bradshaw's first top three single when it reached #2 on the UK Singles Chart. Becoming his highest peaking single to date, the single has been certified Gold by the BPI. Bradshaw's previous singles "Daze of Summer", "I Bet That You Don't Love Me", and "Hard To Find" were not included on the album as confirmed by Bradshaw himself in numerous interviews.

Background
After spending many years as a male model, in 2010, Bradshaw launched his music career and then released his debut single "Daze of Summer". After "Daze of Summer" reached the top ten in the UK, Bradshaw announced that he would be releasing his debut album which was then titled Come Closer. Finished in the autumn of 2010, Come Closer, along with a possible second single titled "Cold", was supposed to be released in December 2010 before it was then pushed back to a January 2011. Bradshaw then confirmed that he had cancelled "Cold" as a single and that he would be re-recording half of his studio album. After the new recording sessions were complete, Bradshaw once again tried to release the album in the early spring of 2011. Problems with his manager, however, began to arise who felt that the album "lacked quality" and the album was shelved entirely soon after and Bradshaw announced that he would be re-recording the album from scratch.

After re-recording the album, Bradshaw then released "Hard To Find" in the summer 2011, which was meant to be the lead single from the so-called "improved" album which he now was calling Keep Me Talking. Shortly before the release of "Hard To Find", Bradshaw was involved in an altercation with his manager which resulted in him getting shot in the leg by said manager. Hospitalized for weeks, Bradshaw was still determined to release his solo album even when "Hard To Find" failed to make the top ten in the UK. Bradshaw eventually fired his manager following the shooting incident and he decided that once he made a full recovery that he would once again re-record the album from scratch. The songs recorded during the Come Closer and Keep Me Talking sessions were deleted, with the exception of one song titled "Cold".

Sessions for Bradshaw's new "improved" album, which for the longest time was untitled, began in late 2011 shortly after he was released from the hospital and after his initial breakup with his girlfriend and pop singer Ruby Stephingham. Bradshaw recorded the sessions in his hometown of Vancouver, as well as in London, Los Angeles, and New York City. All of the songs on the album were completely new and not re-hashed from the previous session eras of the album with exception of one track titled "Cold", which was initially recorded during the Come Closer sessions in 2010. "Cold" has since then been heavily re-worked, re-written, and re-recorded for the Something Special sessions. Production of the album wrapped in the spring of 2012 with Bradshaw confirming the album's completion in an interview with a Canadian radio station.

Writing and composition
All of the songs on the album, with the exception of one ("Thinking of You"), was written by Bradshaw himself and his frequent songwriting partner Stephanie Kesh. "Thinking of You" was not written by Bradshaw nor Kesh and is actually a cover of a Whitney Houston song that was featured on Houston's self-titled debut album in 1985. Bradshaw admitted that he recorded "Thinking of You" before Houston passed in February 2012 but was not going to include it on the album until Houston's death. "Thinking of You" is meant to be Bradshaw's tribute to Whitney Houston.

All of the songs on the album deal thematically with love and relationships, though the album itself is not meant to be a concept album of any sort. Musically, the album incorporates R&B, soul, and urban-inspired pop.

Release
The album will be released in the UK and Ireland on June 25, 2012 and in the United States and Canada on June 26, 2012 on CD and digital download.

Singles

 * "Missing You" was the lead single from the album and was released in May 2012. It reached #2 on the UK Singles Chart, becoming Bradshaw's highest charting single and his first top three hit. The single also reached #2 in Canada, Ireland, and on the R&B charts in the United States; it reached #19 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US.


 * "You Complicate Me" was released as the second single from the album overall and in the United States, Canada, and Ireland, while also being Bradshaw's debut single in France, Italy, and the Netherlands; the song was originally not released in the United Kingdom. To date, it charted internationally and became Bradshaw's first top ten hit and biggest hit in the US where it peaked at #8 and was certified Platinum there. The single has been confirmed to be the second single to be released in the UK as well, replacing his double A-side effort "Before You Walk Out"/"In Touch"

"Before You Walk Out" was to be the second single from the album and features Honey, though for the single release she is co-credited alongside with Bradshaw. To be released as a double AA single in the UK with "In Touch", a song that failed to make the album, the single was to be released on August 13, 2012 but has since been postponed.

"In Touch" is a single that was to be released on August 13, 2012, but has since been postponed. Though planned to be on the album, for reasons unknown (Bradshaw's manager was blamed regardless anyway), it did not make the final version of the LP. It will be released alongside with "Before You Walk Out" as a double AA single in the UK.

Critical reaction
The album managed to receive mixed to positive reviews from critics and fans. Many critics complimented Jackson's vocal performance and his willingness to explore and dabble genres outside of R&B and soul music; for that same reason, however, some felt that the album was "at parts, very random and unlike Jackson. Furthermore, it seems that Jackson tried to mix his individuality with whatever musical trend is popular at the time on some songs." Many critics and fans noted that "You Complicate Me" and "Above Ground" were standout tracks from the album. Critics were ambivalent towards the album's lyrical content but the overall production of the album was praised.

Commercial performance
Something Special debuted at #2 on the UK Albums Chart, selling 80,213 copies in its first week. In the following week, the album dropped to #7 but managed to be certified Silver by the Urapopstar Recording Association Phonographic Selection (URAPS) in the UK. To date, the album has sold 299,240 copies and has been certified Gold by URAPS.

In Ireland, the album debuted at #2 while in Canada, it debuted at #3. In Canada, the album has been certified Gold. In the United States, the album debuted on Billboard 200 at #7 while on Billboard R&B/Hip Hop Albums chart at #1, becoming his first number one on the chart. In the United States, the album has sold close to 300,000 copies.

Personnel

 * Jackson Bradshaw: Writing and vocals.
 * Stephanie Kesh: Writing
 * Aimee Lyons: Vocals on "You Complicate Me"
 * Jared Nevo (as apart of Hey Lolita): Vocals on "It's Whatever You Want" and vocal arrangements.
 * Nyla Harley (as apart of Hey Lolita): Vocals on "It's Whatever You Want"
 * Honey: Vocals on "Before You Walk Out".