Soulstar (album)

Soulstar is the third studio album by American singer Musiq Soulchild. It was released on December 9, 2003. It debuted on the Billboard 200 at number thirteen, spending 23 weeks on the chart and exiting on May 29, 2004; on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart where it peaked at number three, it spent 37 weeks, falling off on September 9, 2004.

Soulstar
An image of Musiq standing between loudspeakers stacked on top of each other, sporting a white t-shirt, jeans, hat and black headphones.
Studio album by
Musiq
ReleasedDecember 9, 2003 (2003-12-09)
Recorded2002–2003
StudioHome Cookin' Studios
(Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
Genre
Length70:26
LabelDef Soul
Producer
Musiq chronology
Juslisen
(2002)		 Soulstar
(2003)		 Luvanmusiq
(2007)

This would be Musiq's final album for Def Jam's Def Soul subsidiary, before he transitioned to Atlantic in a de facto trade for his next album Luvanmusiq (2007).[1]

The vinyl release of Soulstar has a different track listing from the CD. The songs "Whereareyougoing" and "Leaveamessage" do not appear on the vinyl version of the album.[2]

Critical reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[3]
Entertainment WeeklyB[4]
USA Today[5]
Vibe[6]

Soulstar garnered positive reviews from music critics. AllMusic editor Andy Kellman said that despite the length of the record, he praised Musiq's growing musicianship to craft modern R&B tracks that don't carry gimmicks or personas that give his performances on them "a sense of intimacy that many of his contemporaries lack." He concluded by calling it "one of the finest contemporary R&B releases of 2003, with both style and substance in good supply."[3] Raymond Fiore from Entertainment Weekly said of Musiq being able to transcend his "humble-pie persona" amongst the other neo soul artists throughout the album: "But while the former ”Soulchild” is maddeningly predictable, the grooves on Soulstar prove surprisingly rewarding. Just when you think Musiq’s songs remain the same, he unleashes a series of harmonically lush chords that elevate him way above average."[4] Steve Jones of USA Today said, "Although he often wears his Wonder-Hathaway influences on his sleeve, his ever-improving songwriting and vocal phrasings set him apart. Love themes predominate, but his songs often paint detailed scenarios and are anything but simple."[5] In a mixed review for the New York Times, Jon Pareles praised Musiq's lyricism for being reminiscent of '70s Stevie Wonder but was off-put by Ivan Barias' production causing said lyrics in the tracks to "ramble until they begin to sound like recitatives." He later called Soulstar "an album of dense, fascinating textures and articulate lyrics that ends up pleasant but prosy."[7]

Track listing
Soulstar track listing
No.TitleProducer(s)Length
1."Soulstar" (featuring DJ Aktive and Carol Riddick)MAD3:02
2."Youloveme"Carvin & Ivan3:50
3."Womanopaly"Carvin & Ivan4:55
4."Forthenight" (featuring AAries)Carvin & Ivan3:50
5."Infatueighties"Carvin & Ivan4:36
6."Whoknows"Carvin & Ivan4:55
7."Babymother"Carvin & Ivan4:43
8."Missyou"Carvin & Ivan4:00
9."Momentinlife" (featuring Cee Lo Green and Kindred the Family Soul)Junius Bervine4:43
10."Thereason"Carvin & Ivan5:29
11."Dontstop/her" (featuring Bilal)88-Keys8:08
12."Wherareyougoing"Da Gutta Fam4:28
13."Romancipation"Carvin & Ivan4:10
14."Interlude" 0:38
15."Givemorelove/Leaveamessage"Carvin & Ivan9:46

Samples

  • "Soulstar" contains a sample of "I Found Love (When I Found You)", as performed by The Spinners
  • "Youloveme" contains a sample of "Soft Touch", as performed by Henry Mancini
  • "Babymother" contains a sample of "Shadows", as performed by Tom Scott
  • "Romancipation" contains a sample of "The Jam", as performed by Graham Central Station
  • "Givemorelove" contains a sample of "Getaway Day", as performed by Tom Scott

Personnel

Charts and certifications

Certifications
Certifications for Soulstar
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[13] Gold 500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References
  1. Acevedo, Kai. "Musiq Soulchild on new album, working with Rapsody, getting traded for Fabolous". revolt.tv. Revolt TV. Retrieved 2023-05-12.
  2. "Musiq - Soulstar (Vinyl, LP, Album)". discogs. Retrieved December 6, 2015.
  3. Kellman, Andy. "Soulstar - Musiq (Soulchild)". AllMusic. Retrieved July 27, 2011.
  4. Fiore, Raymond (December 19, 2003). "soulstar". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved June 3, 2022.
  5. Jones, Steve (December 8, 2003). "Musiq's 'Soulstar' shines; Setzer's 'Daddy' is all grown up". USA Today. Gannett. Retrieved July 27, 2011.
  6. King, Jason (Jan 2004). "Musiq 'Soulstar'". Vibe. Vibe Media. 12 (1): 119. ISSN 1070-4701. Retrieved July 27, 2011.
  7. Pareles, Jon (December 22, 2003). "Critic's Choice/New CD's – Seducing With Words and Wiles". The New York Times. Retrieved July 27, 2011.
  8. "R&B : Top 50". Jam!. December 18, 2003. Archived from the original on December 23, 2003. Retrieved January 29, 2023.
  9. "Musiq (Soulchild) Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard.
  10. "Musiq (Soulchild) Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard.
  11. "Year-End Charts: Billboard 200 Albums - 2004". Billboard. Retrieved December 17, 2018.
  12. "Year-End Charts: R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – 2004". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 19, 2015. Retrieved December 19, 2018.
  13. "American album certifications – Musiq – Soulstar". Recording Industry Association of America.
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