English soul songstress Rebecca Ferguson is about ready to RE-RELEASE her MAGNIFICENT 500,000+ selling debut album, Heaven on October 15th via RCA Records. Always a profitable marketing tactic, the re-release makes sense, given the disappointing chart performance of Ferguson’s last two singles (“Too Good To Lose,” and “Glitter & Gold“) and is certain to drive some more interest in the project, re-injecting some much needed energy into the album’s now, relatively stagnant sales. Included on this new Deluxe Edition of Heaven are 5 new tracks, including Rebecca’s STUNNING cover of Drake‘s “Take Care,” “I’ll Count The Days,” (featured on the forthcoming new season of Downton Abbey) and brand new single, “Backtrack,” which will be released the day before the album on October 14th.
While “Backtrack” is a new song for UK fans, it first made an appearance as a bonus track on the U.S. edition of the album, released back on May 29th of this year. In my initial review, I called the song a “retro-infused up-tempo number,” essentially dismissing it as a throwaway, despite how well it fit with the soundscape of the rest of Heaven. Now that I’ve had time to reflect back on it, I judged the Eg White-co-written piece a bit too quickly, I’m afraid. Having listened to it a bunch more since the review went live, it’s grown on my considerably (as songs tend to do). The song is a sexy and confident addition to the already quality tracklisting. “Backtrack” OOZES old school soul-pop with Ferguson’s unique tone and timbre shining flawlessly from beginning to end. Definitely a stand out for me now.
In addition to “Backtrack” and Ferguson’s cover of “Take Care,” the Deluxe Edition of Heaven also includes a cover of “Strange and Beautiful,” originally performed by Aqualung plus another new song, “Good Days, Bad Days.” “I’ll Count The Days,” another of the reissue’s new tracks, features prominently in the new season of the internationally-acclaimed ITV 1 series, Downtown Abbey, with lyrics written especially for Rebecca by songwriter Don Black. You know you’ve made it big when your music is featured on a hit TV show!
It’s hard to believe that it’s been almost two years since Heaven’s original UK release back in December of 2011. Since then, the album has gone on to achieve near double platinum status, selling over half a million copies in the UK alone. Rebecca has also been taking America by storm, performing at a triumphant showcase in New York City (which I was invited to, but couldn’t make it), dazzling on NBC’s Today Showand ABC’s The View and on The Tonight Show With Jay Leno, not to mention seeing her debut album debut on the Billboard 200 chart at an impressive #23! Amazing to see Rebecca Ferguson, an artist I’ve championed since seeing and falling in love with her on the UKs X-Factor, achieve such tremendous success.
Another sign that you’re successful is when some of the world’s most successful and popular DJs are commissioned to serve up seriously SICK dance floor do-overs of your music. Ferguson’s discography is loaded with some flawless dance remixes, most notably the glitchy Logistics Remix of her debut single, “Nothing’s Real But Love,” Seamus Haji‘s take on second single “Too Good To Lose” and the Cahill remix of Ferguson’s third single, “Glitter & Gold.” New single “Backtrack” too has been remixed to the nines by 7th Heaven, DEVolution, Blue Eyed Boy and RAW. Check out the RAW remix ABOVE and check out the ever STUNNING Rebecca Ferguson in the video for “Backtrack” BELOW. Ferguson is now working on her followup to Heaven, which appears to be taking a more up-tempo/dance-oriented direction, at least according to recent Tweets from the singer. YES!
Pre-order the Deluxe Edition of Heaven now (iTunes UK) or snag it when it’s released October 15th and make sure you pick up “Backtrack” October 14th (iTunes UK).
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