Here's What I Believe

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Here's What I Believe is the upcoming fourth studio album by English singer, Joe McElderry. It will be released on 17 September 2012 under Decca Records, it will be McElderry's third album with the label and his first album featuring self penned songs.

Background

After releasing his second studio album Classic his first with Decca Records, he embarked on his debut solo tour, the Classic Tour and released a holiday album Classic Christmas. In the tour program, McElderry first spoke about what he'd like to do for his next album, "I'd really like to spend some time and do some song writing and do some more original songs, like on my first album... I feel like these past 2 years have gone so quick that I want to just step out of the craziness for a minute and write a nice song. Maybe write about what I've experienced." On 20 January 2012, he tweeted "I know I'm on holiday ... but just been sent some new songs to listen to for ideas etc ... Can't wait to start recording!!! :D". On 26 January 2012, he tweeted he was making mood boards, song list ideas and references for the album. He spoke about the direction of the album in the Sunday Sun, saying "This album is going to be a new direction, not classical or pop. It is going to be new and just me. People will get what they are expecting, but in a good way – it will be a nice surprise.” McElderry started recording the album in February 2012.

During the recording of the album, he performed at The Royal Albert Hall in support of The Hunger Project, singing "Don't Stop Believin'"', "Nessun Dorma" and a duet with Dionne Warwick, "One World, One Song”. He was also scheduled to make a guest appearance in the Coronation Street musical, Street of Dreams, singing the finale number "Ghost - Take My Hand" in the show's Newcastle dates, originally set for 29 May and 30 May. However, after the first two shows, the later dates, including the ones on which Joe was set to perform, were postponed. On 3 June 2012, he performed at the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant, he sang for guests on board a Dunkirk ship, The Viscount.

He finished recording the album on June 2, 2012. The photo-shoot for the album took place in his hometown South Shields on 19 June 2012, speaking about the photo-shoot, he said: "I’d go to the beach every Saturday and go to Minchella’s at the seafront, so I really wanted that to be part of this album. Everyone knows that I’m from South Shields, but they never really get to see where I’m from and the places I went when I was growing up, so this really gives them a chance to get to know the real me. We could have easily shot this in a studio in London but coming here has made it really special.”

Songs

The album is set to include collaborations with Marcella Detroit and Ludovico Einaudi. The only song with a confirmed title so far is the album's title track "Here's What I Believe" which is one of the songs McElderry wrote.On 15 June 2012, he performed an intimate "An Audience With..." type of show at Luton, he confirmed that there will be one Italian song on the album, he also performed snippet of a song he wrote with Jamie Squire, featuring the lyrics; "Why does it feel so right? / When really it's all gone wrong, / it hurts to hear you say / that i will never be your only one." He spoke about the content of songs that will be on the album, "the album does have some covers on but it’s mostly original songs, and there’s two tracks on there that I co-wrote and one that I wrote myself. It’s kind of mid-tempo ballads and some emotional ballads as well – the kind of things that people know me for and will really be able to connect with. I’ve grown a lot vocally in the last year, and with me helping to write some of the songs it’s a very personal album. The last two were all covers and I didn’t have much say in the first album, so I’ve really put my stamp on this one.