In epic credit to her handlers, Jennifer Hudson‘s star has shone brighter with each year since her Oscar winning turn in ‘Dreamgirls’ seven years ago.
Ironically, though, this has been in parallel to the unremarkable performance of not one, but two studio albums on the charts. The singer’s 2008’s self-titled managed to go Gold, yet it’s follow-up, 2011’s ‘I Remember Me’, failed to connect with listeners and to-date has only sold 370,000 in the US. Hoping to right those wrongs, the great Clive Davis has taken the helm of Hudson’s third project.
Having orchestrated much of the late Whitney Houston‘s success, can the industry icon have a similar effect on a career in much need of it? Flip the hood to read his plans for Hudson’s new album in an exclusive interview with Billboard….
Billboard: What are you working on musically now?
Clive Davis: I’m looking for material for Jennifer Hudson. I believe in Jennifer; it’s her third album. She just came from a movie with Ne-Yo. And I’ll be meeting with our great songwriters in that time honored tradition because she is an enormous talent. And we’re looking to find more signature songs for her.
I just signed Aretha Franklin, the greatest voice of all time, say the readers of Rolling Stone. We’re going to do an album where we’ll pick great diva signature songs going back to Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan and bringing it up to date with Whitney, Alicia Keys, Adele. Babyface and Dangermouse are going to co-produce it with me. That’s a project I’m very much looking forward to.
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Interesting.
Hudson has the odd predicament of having an amazing voice and high media visibility, and yet many would be hard pressed to name five songs of hers.
With this project, Davis and the rest of Team J.Hud are tasked with finding a sound that works for her powerful, yet Old Skool voice. A sound that gives a necessary nod to her Soulful musical ancestors, while also appealing to today’s generation of radio requesters and iTunes buyers.
Hudson has had two album outings to try and find her musical Promise Land, but has delivered duds on both occasions (save for a few tracks). We can only hope, like Janet Jackson, she has her all-important “moment” on her third try. Indeed, a select few will recall that -contrary to popular belief- ‘Control’ was not Jackson’s first album. The iconic set was preceded by two projects that have been all but erased from her discography. Will J.Hud experience a similar trajectory? Time will tell.
In the meanwhile, here are a few musical directions we’d love to see Hudson further explore. They may be her own songs, yet each were rare diamonds in the sea of boring ballads. More of these, please!
Randomness: The new Aretha project sounds like a great concept for her at this point in her career.
![Did You Miss It? Jennifer Hudson Rocked David Foster's 75th Birthday Bash with 'And I Am Telling You' & Whitney Houston's 'I Will Always Love You' [Watch]](https://thatgrapejuice.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/75th-birthday-thatgrapejuice-jennifer-hudson-david-foster-whitney-houston-hollywood-bowl-464x260.jpg "Did You Miss It? Jennifer Hudson Rocked David Foster's 75th Birthday Bash with 'And I Am Telling You' & Whitney Houston's 'I Will Always Love You' [Watch].")
Rihanna is amazing !
This is a Jhud post. Comment reportes. U mad?
‘reported’
With all due respect to Clive, he’s had some incredible success in the past, but he is completely out of touch with new age. If you pay attention to projects he’s been involved in lately, they all ended up being unsuccessful.
i agree with you on this. I remember all the hype for Aretha’s “Jewels In the Crown” cd. it was her worst cd release on the Arista label. He should take advantage of the Babyface/Aretha union and get a hit cd rolling!!! Nothing could go wrong with those two!
Vocally I would love to see JHud uses more of here lower registers and use falsettos now and again and most importantly show restraint people don’t need to listen to a song and think it is a shouting match.
Very true.
JHUD does have a good voice but like me I’m sure others may feel the same way I do, I’m tire of her voice(Dreangirl’s) sound. I truly hope Clive don’t try and morpe her into another Whitney which I think that’s the sound he’s going for. Truthfully JHUD sound better to me on gospel and I’m sure she’ll do great in that direction. Also I like Aretha but who’s looking/talking about her. Just like Alicia, her sound is her piano not all her yelling her songs out.
I agree especially when we aleady have Fantashia who has stated she has patterned herself after Aretha May!
I am looking, EXTREMELY, forward to the ‘Aretha Franklin’ project.
Everybody else…
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YAWNNNNNNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!!
She BORING as F***!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
She is boing and I think that is pat of her problem. She has a great voice and I don’t think anyone would deny her ability to sing but they just don’t connect with her in the same way as a Beyonce, Adele, Rihanna etc.
YESSS SHES THE NEXT WHITNEY HOUSTON
b**** bye with that f****** b*******.
Her last album is elgible for a gold certification. It has sold way more than what u have here.
Yes, those sales are very outdated. She’s sold close to 450k.
P*** poor sales for someone of her caliber. There is a major disconnect between J. Hud and the public. You either love her, or hate her.
She’s selling more than most R&B female singers if you exclude Beyonce, Alicia Keys, and Mary J.
The problem once again is not the artists but the POWERS THAT BE! That entity who controls the MUSIC-MEDIA MONOPOLY, dictates whose songs will be played where and who will perform in support of their projects. Another person who should have more commercial success based on he ability is Melanie Feona (sp?). She has a similar range and is just as capable vocally as J-Hud IMO but look at her success record pe CD sells!
She needs songs that fit her
I can see Clive trying to receate Whitney Houston using Jennifer. Sorry Clive, THERE WILL NEVER BE ANOTHER WHIT-WHIT!
After hearing her rendition of Feeling Good by Nina Simone, I would love to hear he take a s*** at other classics. I think she has the chops for such a venture!