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Dignity (album)

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Dignity is the fourth studio album by American actress and recording artist Hilary Duff, released by Hollywood Records on April 3, 2007. The album's musical style mostly is electropop and dance music in contrast to the primarily pop rock sounds of Duff's previous albums.

Musically, Duff cited the influence of Beyoncé Knowles, Gwen Stefani and The Faint, while critics noted similarities to Madonna, Justin Timberlake and Kylie Minogue. Unlike her previous records, where most of the songs were written by others and chosen by Duff, she wrote almost every song. Many songs were co-written with Kara DioGuardi who was enlisted due to her history of writing songs for Duff. The lyrics of the album reference events that happened in Duff's life between the releases of her previous studio album Hilary Duff (2004) and Dignity.

Dignity received mostly positive reviews from music critics. Many noted the lack of strength in Duff's vocals, but praised the songwriting, production and Duff's decision to make a dance album during a period of the genre's unpopularity. The album has reached the top ten of the album charts in the United States, Canada, Ireland and Italy, while also reaching the top twenty in Argentina, Australia and Spain. It has been certified Gold in the U.S.

Background

Duff's previous studio album, the self-titled Hilary Duff (2004), was a critical failure, receiving generally unfavorable reviews.[1][2] Despite peaking at number two on the Billboard 200, it only performed modestly commercially, exiting the chart after 22 weeks and only managing to sell 1.8 million copies in the United States.[3][4]

During the time between the releases of Hilary Duff and Dignity, Duff underwent several emotional struggles. In October 2006, she and her boyfriend, Joel Madden of punk rock band Good Charlotte, claimed that they were being stalked by Russian emigre Maksim Miakovsky and his roommate, paparazzo David Joseph Klein.[5] According to a restraining order filed by Duff, Miakovsky came to the United States solely to pursue a relationship with her. He was later arrested after threatening to kill her.[6] In November, she ended her two-year relationship with Madden.[7] Around the same time, her parents Robert and Susan separated after 22 years of marriage after Robert was involved in an affair with another woman.[7][8]

Writing and development

A woman with short blonde hair sitting and singing into a microphone. She wears a silver dress and plays a yellow guitar.
"Outside of You" was originally co-written by singer Pink for use on one of her albums.

Duff explained of the album's title, "I'm older and more mature now than I was when I made my last record, but I don't think I know it all. Having dignity is something you work on your whole life, in how you treat people and how you treat yourself. I hope I always strive to have it."[9] She continued, "It's not something that you can be given or that you can just get or that you're born with. It's something that you have to work on."[10] She stated that with Dignity, her increased songwriting output was a breakthrough for her. "That hadn't really been part of my process on previous records, except here and there. It was important this time," she said.[9] She co-wrote all of the album's songs, with the exception of "Outside of You", written by Pink, Chantal Kreviazuk and Raine Maida. In an interview, Maida stated that the song was written for a Pink album but did not make the final cut. When Duff expressed interest in the song, she recorded it.[11] Duff explained of her writing process:[12]

[The album] has all of me in it. I never did my records like that before. I got to choose the music, but this time around it was, like, I'd sit down and think: 'What happened to me yesterday? What happened to me today?' and just write. It was very therapeutic, in a way. And easy – I was shocked at how easy it was to be honest about yourself and things that affect you. It is a dance record, but I wanted it to be serious. I wanted to talk about serious things, but do it in a not-so-serious way, with music that makes you want to get up and dance.

Much of Dignity was written in Duff's own home, as she felt "comfortable and free" there.[13] She said that she knew from the beginning that she wanted to write the album with the assistance of songwriter and producer Kara DioGuardi, due to their previous work history on songs such as "Come Clean" and "Fly".[13] Another reason that Duff wished to work with her was that she found her lyrics were complemented by DioGuardi's melodies. She added, "I helped with the melodies, but that's not my strongest suit. Coming up with the lyrics was mainly [what I did]. I'd tell her this is how I want it to go, and she would help with the lyrics, too, sometimes. She'd say, 'This doesn't really fit,' and if I was adamant, we'd make it work."[9]

Composition

A woman looking to her right and holding a microphone in her right hand, which she holds at her mouth. She has short blonde hair which is partially curled towards the bottom. She wears a frilled beige dress with a black belt at her stomach. The sleeves of her dress have yellow and white stripes.
One of Duff's musical inspirations for Dignity was Gwen Stefani.

For the album, Duff cited inspiration from indie rock band The Faint and pop singers such as Gwen Stefani and Beyoncé Knowles,[9] with critics comparing the album to the musical styles of Stefani, Depeche Mode, Madonna and Justin Timberlake.[4][14] Duff felt that the album's dance-pop themes were a deviation from the pop rock of her previous albums. "I didn't necessarily plan the album to sound like this, but it was so easy to write to," she said.[15] Critics have noted that Dignity's musical style is dance-rock, New Wave and electropop, with influences of hip hop, rock and roll and Middle Eastern music.[16][17][18] According to Duff, the album is a combination of dance, electro and rock music.[10]

Several songs on the album lyrically pertain to events Duff experienced during the time between the releases of Hilary Duff and Dignity. The songs "Stranger" and "Gypsy Woman", despite speculation that they were written about Madden's then-new girlfriend Nicole Richie, were actually written about Duff's father's affair. She said that "Stranger" was written from her mother's perspective. "Stranger is a song I wrote about how my mom must feel around my dad," she said. "I made it seem like it was about a relationship I was in, because I didn't want people to know about my parents. But I've realized that so many people can relate to what I've gone through."[8]

The album's title track has also been reported to be about Richie, though Duff did not deny rumors that it was. "Dignity is a song that is definitely about people in Hollywood," she said. "I wouldn't say that it is about her specifically but it is about people that kind of do what she does and act the way she acts."[19] The song "Danger" was written about one of Duff's friends' relationships with an older man. "I understand that feeling of wanting to be dangerous," she said. "You may know morally something's not right, but you can't help yourself."[9] She has stated that the song "Dreamer" was written about a stalker in a tongue-in-cheek fashion,[20] and it has been speculated that it was written specifically about Miakovsky.[21][22]

Release and reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
About.com[23]
Allmusic[14]
Billboard(favorable)[16]
Entertainment Weekly(B+)[17]
The Guardian[24]
IGN[25]
PopMatters[22]
Rolling Stone[26]
Slant Magazine[27]
Sputnikmusic[18]

Dignity was released on April 3, 2007 by Hollywood Records.[28] Three singles were released from the album. The first, "Play with Fire", was considered by Duff to be a "tease" of Dignity's musical sound. Although she felt it was different from the album's other songs, she saw it as embodying the dance/electro/rock combination of the album, which influenced her decision to release it as the lead single.[10] Though it failed to chart on the Billboard Hot 100, it was her first single to chart on the magazine's Hot Dance Club Play chart, peaking at number 34.[29] The second single was "With Love", which became her highest-peaking single on the Hot 100 (number 24) in addition to her first Hot Dance Club Play number one.[29] The final single, "Stranger", peaked at 97 on the Hot 100 and also reached the summit of the dance charts.[29] Dignity was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America on July 19, 2007 for 500,000 shipments to retailers.[30] By August 23, 344,000 copies of those shipments were sold.[31]

Rolling Stone gave a positive review of the album, feeling that Duff's attempt to make an adult-oriented dance-pop album was successful.[26] About.com called Duff "as likeable as ever" and praised the songwriting and production contributions of Richard Vission and will.i.am.[23] Allmusic noted that the album was firmly based on "sturdy, hooky, and memorable" songwriting. The review claimed similarities between Dignity and Justin Timberlake's FutureSex/LoveSounds (2006), noting that Duff was musically fashionable but not a trendsetter. At the same time, the review criticized Duff's thin vocals, calling them "not at all like a woman".[14] Billboard called Duff's decision to make a dance-pop album daring, considering the unpopularity of the genre at the time. The review continued, "It's practically something straight out of the United Kingdom for all of its poppy goodness."[16] Entertainment Weekly noted that Duff's break-up with Madden brought out her personality, which the magazine felt was lacking in her previous work. "She's never sounded less eager to please or more messily human," the review claimed.[17]

The Guardian praised Duff's decision to opt for a more electronic dance sound as opposed to the teen pop of her previous work, despite the questionable marketability. They argued that some of the album's strongest tracks rivaled some by Kylie Minogue.[24] Sputnikmusic's review noted various flaws of the album, such as what they felt were a lackluster guitar solo on the song "I Wish" and Duff's childish, uncharacterized vocals throughout. However, they continued, "For all its inadequacies, Dignity is a solid, cleverly-constructed pop album. Like all albums of the genre not written solely by the performer, it's never quite clear which parts, if any, are Duff's words and which represent the feelings of the under-appreciated co-writer, but in Dignity we at least have an album where it's worthwhile listening to the lyrics." They praised the songwriting of every track except "Play with Fire", which they felt was a poor choice for a lead single.[18]

IGN gave a more mixed review of Dignity. They praised what they felt was Duff's more mature image, but ultimately claimed, "Duff is still Duff and her music is still running the standard pop line."[25] PopMatters noted that the synthesizers used on the album's tracks failed to disguise Duff's speak-singing. The website believed her vocals were not on the level of her pop music peers such as Kelly Clarkson and Mandy Moore. "Nevertheless," they added, "thanks to the miracle of processing, reverb effects, and multi-tracking tricks to beef up her vocals, Duff's voice is still sweetly candy-coated enough to make the medicine go down."[22] Slant Magazine said, "Duff is mostly just an anonymous voice for an assemblage of producers and songwriters. Which is perfectly acceptable for a self-proclaimed dance album, but Duff's voice is nondescript and her delivery is blank; the impish, quirky, or coolly disaffected vocal characteristics and sex appeal that make other dance-pop divas viable performers is nonexistent." The website's review claimed that the album was not very adventurous, and noted that the pop rock "Outside of You", which they felt was the catchiest song on Dignity, was not a dance song like the others.[27]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Stranger"Hilary Duff, Kara DioGuardi, Vada Nobles, Derrick Haruin, Julius DiazNobles, Haruin, Logic4:11
2."Dignity"Hilary Duff, DioGuardi, Chico Bennett, Richard VissionBennett, Vission3:13
3."With Love"Hilary Duff, DioGuardi, Nobles, DiazNobles, Logic3:03
4."Danger"Hilary Duff, DioGuardi, Nobles, Mateo Camargo, DiazNobles, Camargo3:31
5."Gypsy Woman"Hilary Duff, Haylie Duff, Ryan TedderTedder3:15
6."Never Stop"Hilary Duff, DioGuardi, Bennett, VissionBennett, Vission3:13
7."No Work, All Play"Hilary Duff, DioGuardi, Greg WellsWells, DioGuardi4:17
8."Between You and Me"Hilary Duff, DioGuardi, Bennett, VissionBennett, Vission3:05
9."Dreamer"Hilary Duff, DioGuardi, Farid NassarFredwreck, DioGuardi3:11
10."Happy"Hilary Duff, DioGuardi, Mitch Allan, Rhett LawrenceBennett, Vission3:29
11."Burned"Hilary Duff, DioGuardi, NassarFredwreck, DioGuardi3:22
12."Outside of You"Alecia Moore, Chantal Kreviazuk, Raine MaidaBennett, Vission4:04
13."I Wish"Hilary Duff, DioGuardi, Tim Kelley, Bob RobinsonTim & Bob3:51
14."Play with Fire"Hilary Duff, DioGuardi, Lawrence, will.i.amLawrence3:01

Personnel

Charts and certifications

References

  1. ^ Burr, Ty (15 October 2004). "Music Review: Hilary Duff (2004)". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 23 February 2010.
  2. ^ Burns, Todd (24 September 2004). "Hilary Duff - Hilary Duff - Review". Stylus Magazine. Retrieved 23 February 2010.
  3. ^ "Hilary Duff - Hilary Duff". αCharts.us. Retrieved 23 February 2010.
  4. ^ a b "Duff Explores Her Dance Side On 'Dignity'". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. Retrieved 23 February 2010.
  5. ^ "Hilary Duff & Joel Madden: We're In Mortal Danger". TMZ. TMZ Productions, Inc. 12 October 2006. Retrieved 23 February 2010.
  6. ^ "Man Busted After Allegedly Threatening to Kill Duff". TMZ. TMZ Productions, Inc. 5 November 2006. Retrieved 23 February 2010.
  7. ^ a b Saroyan, Strawberry (1 July 2007). "The outsider". The Daily Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group Limited. Retrieved 23 February 2010.
  8. ^ a b Gardner, Elysa (2 April 2007). "The focus is on Hilary". USA Today. Gannett Co. Inc. Retrieved 23 February 2010.
  9. ^ a b c d e Gardner, Elysa (2 April 2007). "Duff finds 'Dignity' in words". USA Today. Gannett Co. Inc. Retrieved 23 February 2010.
  10. ^ a b c 2007. "At Home with Hilary Duff" featurette on Dignity deluxe edition DVD. Hollywood Records.
  11. ^ Lostracco, Marc (10 November 2007). "Tall Poppy Interview: Raine Maida". Torontoist. Gothamist LLC. Retrieved 23 February 2010.
  12. ^ Rayner, Ben (25 April 2007). "Duff's double life". Toronto Star. Retrieved 13 March 2010.
  13. ^ a b Dignity (album liner notes). 2007. Hollywood Records.
  14. ^ a b c Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Dignity > Review". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 22 February 2010.
  15. ^ "From Duff With 'Love'". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. Retrieved 13 March 2010.
  16. ^ a b c "Billboard CD reviews: Hilary Duff, Martina McBride". Reuters. Thomson Reuters. 31 March 2007. Retrieved 23 February 2010.
  17. ^ a b c Bernstein, Jonathan (30 March 2007). "Music Review: Dignity (2007)". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 22 February 2010.
  18. ^ a b c de Sylvia, Dave (12 April 2007). "Hilary Duff - Dignity Review". Sputnikmusic. Retrieved 23 February 2010.
  19. ^ "Hilary dumps teen queen tag". The Sunday Mail. Queensland Newspapers. 1 April 2007. Retrieved 13 March 2010.
  20. ^ Stevenson, Jane. "Hilary Duff avoids party crowd". Jam!. Canoe Inc. Retrieved 13 March 2010.
  21. ^ "Hilary Duff takes aim at Nicole Richie?". msnbc.com. 7 March 2007. Retrieved 14 March 2010.
  22. ^ a b c Cooper, Lana (2 May 2007). "Hilary Duff: Dignity < Reviews". PopMatters. PopMatters Media, Inc. Retrieved 23 February 2010.
  23. ^ a b Lamb, Bill. "Hilary Duff - Dignity". About.com. The New York Times Company. Retrieved 23 February 2010.
  24. ^ a b Macpherson, Alex (23 March 2007). "Electronic CD: Hilary Duff, Dignity". The Guardian. Guardian News and Media Limited. Retrieved 22 February 2010.
  25. ^ a b D., Spence (3 April 2007). "Hilary Duff - Dignity". IGN. IGN Entertainment, Inc. Retrieved 23 February 2010.
  26. ^ a b Greene, Andy (2 April 2007). "Hilary Duff: Dignity". Rolling Stone. RealNetworks, Inc. Archived from the original on December 17, 2007. Retrieved 10 April 2010. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  27. ^ a b Cinquemani, Sal (27 March 2007). "Hilary Duff: Dignity". Slant Magazine. Retrieved 23 February 2010.
  28. ^ "Dignity: Hilary Duff: Music". Amazon.com. Amazon.com, Inc. Retrieved 6 April 2010.
  29. ^ a b c "Hilary Duff > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 6 April 2010.
  30. ^ a b "Gold & Platinum: Hilary Duff - Dignity". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 6 April 2010.
  31. ^ Barnes, Ken (23 August 2007). "Latest RIAA awards: The reality check". USA Today. Gannett Co. Inc. Retrieved 6 April 2010.
  32. ^ "Ranking Mensual de Audio Abril - 2007 (Repertorio Popular)". Argentine Chamber of Phonograms and Videograms Producers (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 April 2010.
  33. ^ a b c d e f g "Hilary Duff - Dignity". Australian-Charts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 9 April 2010.
  34. ^ a b "Hilary Duff > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 9 April 2010. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |DUFF&sql= ignored (help)
  35. ^ "Top 75 Artist Album, Week Ending 29 March 2007". Chart-Track. 29 March 2007. Retrieved 9 April 2010.
  36. ^ "Hilary Duff - Dignity". ChartStats.com. Retrieved 9 April 2010.

External links

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