I Am (Chrisette Michele album)

I Am is the debut studio album by American R&B recording artist Chrisette Michele, released in the United States on June 19, 2007, by Def Jam Recordings.

I Am
Studio album by Chrisette Michele
Released	June 19, 2007 (2007-06-19)
Recorded	2006–2007
Studio	Various Brandon's Way Recording, The Underlab, The Record Plant (Los Angeles, California) Chung King Studios, The Cutting Room, Legacy Recording Studios, Sony Music Studios (New York City, New York) Housing the Hits (Freeport, New York) Mixdown Recording Studios (Yonkers, New York) Instrument Zoo (Miami, Florida) WoodaWorx Productions (Huntsville, Alabama)
Genre	R&B soul jazz
Length	56:25
Label	Def Jam
Producer	Chrisette Michele Babyface John Legend will.i.am Kelvin Wooten GI Joe Mo Jaz Kevin Randolph David Lee Stewart Salaam Remi
Chrisette Michele chronology
I Am (2007) Epiphany (2009)
Singles from I Am
"If I Have My Way" Released: May 2007 "Best of Me" Released: July 6, 2007 "Be OK" Released: December 11, 2007 "Love Is You" Released: April 2008

Production

Michele began working on the music that would make up I Am before she had a recording contract, and started promoting her work by visiting events for independent artists. During this time, she caught the attention of L.A. Reid, who later signed her to Island Def Jam, where she got support from producers such as Babyface, will.i.am, and John Legend.

The video for the album's lead single "If I Have My Way" premiered on VH1 Soul. The video for her second single "Best of Me" premiered on July 6, 2007, on Yahoo! Music, and was later added to VH1's video rotation. "Be OK", which features will.i.am, was released as the third single from the album, whose music video was on BET's 106 & Park on December 18, 2007. "Love Is You" was the fourth and final single and was released in 2008.

Reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
The A.V. Club	B[2]
Billboard	favorable[3]
Christgau's Consumer Guide	[4]
Ebony	favorable 2007
PopMatters	5/10 link
USA Today	2007
The Village Voice	mixed 2007

I Am debuted at number twenty-nine on the US Billboard 200, selling 26,000 copies in its first week.^[5] Despite lack of promotion, the album has thus far managed to sell 419,000 units in the United States as of late February 2009.^[6]

I Am received generally positive reviews. Internet publication AllHipHop gave the album a stellar rating, stating: "She is Chrisette Michele and with her debut, I Am (Def Jam), this constituent of the House of Hov delivers one of the quietest, yet most powerful albums out there." The album's third single, "Be OK", won the 2009 Grammy Award for Best Urban/Alternative Performance.

Track listing

I Am – Standard edition

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Like a Dream"	Chrisette Payne Christopher Grant Dwayne "Whateva" Lindsey	3:59
2.	"Work It Out"	Payne Grant Lindsey	4:21
3.	"If I Have My Way"	Payne Kevin Randolph David Lee Stewart	4:02
4.	"Best of Me"	Payne Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds	3:53
5.	"Your Joy"	Payne Edmonds Rob Lewis	4:32
6.	"Good Girl"	Payne Salaam Remi	4:04
7.	"Be OK" (featuring will.i.am)	Payne William Adams, Jr. Bob Marley	3:43
8.	"Mr. Radio"	Payne Grant Lindsey	3:54
9.	"Golden"	Payne Joseph Smart	4:23
10.	"Let's Rock"	Payne Adams Darryl McDaniels Joseph Simmons	4:44
11.	"Love Is You"	Payne John Stephens	3:17
12.	"In This for You"	Payne Remi	3:41
13.	"Is This the Way Love Feels"	Payne Kelvin Wooten	6:46
14.	"I Am One" (hidden track)	Payne Wooten	3:45

I Am – Japanese edition (bonus tracks)

No.	Title	Length
15.	"Good Girl" (Def Jam First Look Live)	4:14
16.	"If I Have My Way" (Def Jam First Look Live)	4:05

I Am – iTunes edition (bonus tracks)

No.	Title	Length
17.	"Golden" (Def Jam First Look Live)	4:28

Sample credits

• "Good Girl" contains a sample from "Move Over" performed by The Soul Children.
• "Be OK" contains a sample from "Could You Be Loved" performed by Bob Marley & the Wailers.
• "Let's Rock" contains a sample from "Here We Go" performed by Run D.M.C.

Personnel

Musicians

Chrisette Michele – singing, backing vocals Face – acoustic guitar, drums Lino Gomez – bass clarinet Vincent Henry – baritone saxophone Christopher Johnson – drums Norris "Sirone" Jones – guitar Lisa Kim – violin Gail Kruvand – bass John Legend – piano Rob Lewis – keyboards Emily Mitchell – bass clarinet

Eileen Moon – cello Sandra Park – violin Bruce Purse – bass trumpet Salaam Remi – bass, drums, guitar, piano Robert Smith III – drums Qiang Tu – cello Jeremy Turner – cello Omari Williams – drums Steve Williamson – clarinet Kelvin Wooten – bass, organ, piano Sharon Yamada – violin

Production

Chrisette Michele – producer Babyface – producer, keyboard programming Stephen Barber – string arrangements A.J. Benson – A&R Shalik Berry – A&R Paul Boutin – engineer Thom Cadley – engineer Lysa Cooper – stylist Dwayne"Whateva" Lindsey - Producer Andrew Dawson – engineer Nichell Delvaille – art coordinator, photo coordination Gleyder "Gee" Disla – assistant Dylan Dresdow – mixing engineer Doug "Biggs" Ellison – programming, executive producer, management, vocal editing Anthony Gallo – vocal engineer Jon Gass – mixing GI Joe – producer Don Goodrick – assistant engineer Christopher "Jazz" Grant – engineer Bernie Grundman – mastering Courtney Harris – assistant engineer Q. Nicole Jackson – A&R Matt Jones – photography

Doug Joswick – package production Hyomin Kang – assistant engineer John Legend – producer Rob Lewis – string arrangements Riley Mackin – engineer Manny Marroquin – mixing Tony Maserati – mixing Mo Jaz – producer Amber Noble – marketing Linette Payne – personal manager Kevin Randolph – producer L.A. Reid – executive producer Kendal "KD" Revanales – programming, engineer, vocal editing Rubin Rivera – engineer Mark Roule – digital editing, mixing assistant Joseph Smart – engineer Jason Stasium – engineer David Lee Stewart – producer Matt Taylor – design Nadia Vessel – hair stylist will.i.am – producer Kelvin Wooten – producer, string arrangements Patricia Yankee – grooming

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (2007) Peak position Japanese Albums (Oricon)[7] 186 US Billboard 200[8] 29 US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[9] 5

Year-end charts Chart (2007) Position US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[10] 58 Chart (2008) Position US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[11] 44

Release history

Country	Date	Format	Label	Catalog	Ref.
United Kingdom	June 18, 2007	CD digital download	Island	14466	[12]
United States	June 19, 2007		Def Jam	B000877402	[13]
Canada	July 10, 2007
Germany	July 24, 2007		Universal Music	–	[14]
Japan	November 21, 2007		Universal Japan	91147	[15]