In Return (Shola Ama album)

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In Return
Studio album by
Shola Ama
Released8 November 1999[1]
GenrePop,[2] R&B
Length71:18
Label
  • Freakstreet
  • WEA
Producer
Shola Ama chronology
Much Love
(1997) 		In Return
(1999) 		Supersonic
(2002)
Singles from In Return
  1. "Still Believe"
    Released: 1999
  2. "Imagine"
    Released: 17 January, 2000

In Return is the second studio album by British singer Shola Ama. It was released by Freakstreet and WEA on 8 November 1999. The album saw Ama working with various producers such as Fred Jerkins III, Stargate, Soulshock and Karlin, D'Influence and Ali Shaheed Muhammad. Ama would also co-write some of the songs on the album, along with Angie Stone, Babyface, and David Foster.

Two singles were released from the album, "Still Believe" and "Imagine". Both of them would reach the top thirty of the UK Singles Chart.[3]

Background[edit]

After recording her debut album, Much Love, Shola Ama would release her sophomore record, In Return. The album would be led off by the single "Still Believe". "Still Believe" would reach the top 10 in France.[4] However, it would chart moderately elsewhere, charting at number 26 in the UK.[5]

The second single taken from In Return, "Imagine", was released in 2000. It would prove to chart moderately like the previous single from the album, reaching number 24 in the UK. However, the single would reach the top spot on the country's dance charts.[6]

Ama would join Warner Music executives to celebrate the release of In Return in the St Martin's Hotel in London.[7]

A potential release of In Return in the United States was slated for release in 2000.[8] Ama said that she could "stand a pretty good chance" in crossing over there.[9] However, the release never came to fruition.

Despite having support from her record label, In Return underperformed, barely reaching the top 100 in Germany and the UK. Following this, Ama took a break from recording.[10][11]

Critical reception[edit]

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]

Bryan Buss from AllMusic wrote that "sounding like a cross between Janet Jackson and Emilia, but with softer, more girlish, and more developed vocals, Ama's new CD is packed with pop songs perfectly tailored for 2000 [...] She sings with sincerity and conviction, often sounding like a heartbroken angel. With only hints of R&B, this is far more a pop album than anything else, though, despite the sheen, it isn't just for teenagers. This is good, old pop, a throwback to '60s girl groups with a contemporary twist."[2]

A review from Billboard's Kwaku named the album a "quality product [with] poor sales".[12]

UK garage remixes of "Imagine" and "Run to Me" by Club Asylum would prove popular. NME later included the remix of "Imagine" in their "25 essential UK garage anthems" list, highlighting the "grubby bassline".[13] Capital Xtra also included the remix of "Run to Me" in their list of "The Best Old-School Garage Anthems of All Time".[14]

Track listing[edit]

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Still Believe"
Stargate4:12
2."Imagine"
Jerkins4:19
3."Deepest Hurt"
  • M. Redbone
  • A. Whittby
  • T. Faragher
4:52
4."Lovely Affair"
Muhammad4:06
5."Run to Me"
  • Ama
  • Baden-Powell
  • Kwaten
  • Marston
  • Baden-Powell
  • Kwaten
  • Marston
4:03
6."My Heart"
  • Ama
  • Stevie Bensusen
  • Shaun LaBelle
LaBelle4:39
7."Everything"
  • Paul Waller
  • Greg Lester
Waller4:26
8."Can't Have You"
  • Ama
  • Jerkins
  • Daniels
  • Mason
Jerkins3:56
9."This Time Next Year"
D'Influence4:20
10."Surrender"
  • Ama
  • Yana Johnson
  • Baden-Powell
  • Kwaten
  • Marston
  • Baden-Powell
  • Kwaten
  • Marston
5:08
11."That Thing"
  • Wayne Lawes
  • Rickardo Reid
  • Ama
  • Johnson
  • Lawes
  • Stargate
4:24
12."In Return"
  • Bradley Spalter
  • Jason Edmonds
  • Mark Tabbs
Spalter4:26
13."He Don't Know"
  • Bensusen
  • LaBelle
  • Lil Roger
LaBelle3:58
14."Queen for a Day"
Stargate3:37
15."Superficial Fantasy"
  • Ama
  • Sarah Ann Webb
  • Baden-Powell
  • Kwaten
  • Marston
  • Baden-Powell
  • Kwaten
  • Marston
6:43
16."Can't Go On"
Soulshock and Karlin4:09
Total length:71:18

Charts[edit]

Chart (1999) Peak
position
French Albums (SNEP)[15] 57
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[16] 97
UK Albums (OCC)[17] 92

Release history[edit]

List of release dates, showing region, formats, label, and reference
Region Date Format Label Ref.
United Kingdom 8 November 1999
  • CD
  • cassette
[18]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Billboard" (PDF). Billboard. 16 October 1999. p. 89. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
  2. ^ a b c Buss, Bryan. "In Return". AllMusic. Retrieved 4 October 2020.
  3. ^ "SHOLA AMA". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved 19 May 2024.
  4. ^ "lescharts.com - Shola Ama - Still Believe". lescharts.com. Retrieved 18 May 2024.
  5. ^ "STILL BELIEVE". Official Charts Company. 6 November 1999. Retrieved 18 May 2024.
  6. ^ "IMAGINE". Official Charts Company. 29 April 2000. Retrieved 19 May 2024.
  7. ^ Billboard. Billboard. 30 October 1999. Retrieved 18 May 2024.
  8. ^ Billboard. Billboard. 4 March 2000. p. 72. Retrieved 19 May 2024.
  9. ^ Billboard. Billboard. 26 August 2000. p. 24. Retrieved 19 May 2024.
  10. ^ "Ama ruined by cocaine". 21 July 2004. Archived from the original on 17 February 2013. Retrieved 1 July 2008.
  11. ^ "R&B singer tells of cocaine fight". BBC News. 20 July 2004. Archived from the original on 9 February 2010. Retrieved 1 July 2008.
  12. ^ Billboard. Billboard. 30 December 2000. Retrieved 18 May 2024.
  13. ^ "The best UK garage tracks of all time". NME. 16 September 2019. Archived from the original on 18 April 2024.
  14. ^ "The Dumb Old-School Garage Anthems Of All Time". Capital XTRA. Archived from the original on 16 May 2017. Retrieved 18 May 2024.
  15. ^ "Lescharts.com – Shola Ama – In Return". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 4, 2020.
  16. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Shola Ama – In Return" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved October 4, 2020.
  17. ^ "Shola Ama | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved October 4, 2020.
  18. ^ Kwaku (16 October 1999). "R&B Scene Percolates In The UK". Billboard. Retrieved 4 October 2020.
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