Trey Songz is lucky and so are you… According to the “Neighbors Know My Name” singer, his now hit album, “Ready,” could have been the album that put his career to rest. “I was at the point that it was make or break,” Songz recalls in a recent interview, discussing his decision to step it up after his sophomore album failed to live up to expectations. “I had to take my career into my own hands. I think a lot of artists, when they get signed, they think the label is going to make them this star. I created the demand that my label had to step up to the plate and match what I was doing.” Today, Songz is in control over everything that has to do with his brand, telling JET “Anything involving Trey Songz has to go through me”. With the success of “Ready” Songz is positioning for the release of his fourth studio album, now slated for release Fall 2010 (more on that story here…).
Trey Songz is one of the biggest names in R&B. His fifth studio album, Ready, was released in 2009 and it was a huge success. In an interview with Rolling Stone magazine, Trey Songz opened up about how this hit album nearly didn’t happen and why he felt like it was make or break for his career. Here’s what he had to say.
The title track “Ready” has become an anthem not just among Trey Songz fans but all over the world. It’s earned him countless awards and nominations, including three Grammy nods. But did you know that Trey Songz almost scrapped the entire project? He revealed during his chat with Rolling Stone magazine that at the time he wasn’t sure if releasing this album was going to be worth it and could potentially ruin his career as an artist.
So what changed? Why did Trey Songz decide to move forward with Ready? What kind of impact did this decision have on his life and music career? Find out more by reading our article about Trey Songz Claims ‘Ready’ Was ‘Make Or Break’ Album!
Artist Background
Trey Songz is an American singer, songwriter, rapper and record producer. Born in 1984, he rose to fame with the release of his debut album “I Gotta Make It” in 2005. Since then, Trey has released seven albums including five studio albums which have all gone platinum or multi-platinum. He has also won a number of awards such as three BET Awards and two Soul Train Music Awards.
In April 2009, Trey released his third studio album “Ready”. This was seen by many as a make or break moment for him as it had been nearly four years since his last studio album. The singles from this album included “Say Aah”, “Neighbors Know My Name” and “LOL:-)”. Despite its success on the charts, some critics were not happy with the lack of lyrical depth found on the album.
Nevertheless, Trey continued to tour around America promoting the album and even managed to sell out venues such as Madison Square Garden in New York City. His fans showed their appreciation for his music at these concerts proving that “Ready” was successful regardless of what critics said about it.
Critical Reception
Overall, the critical reception of “Ready” was mixed. While some noted that it showed Trey Songz’ signature smooth R&B sound and contained catchy hooks, others felt that it lacked lyrical depth compared to his previous work. It also failed to generate any Grammy nominations or major awards recognition which further solidified its lack of mainstream appeal.
On the other hand, many fans were still drawn in by the album’s upbeat tempos and infectious melodies. Songs like ‘Say Aah’, ‘Neighbors Know My Name’ and ‘LOL:-)’ continued to be played on radio stations across the US for months after its release. The success of these singles saw Trey embarking on a nationwide tour shortly afterwards to promote “Ready” and this proved to be successful as he sold out venues such as Madison Square Garden in New York City.
This shows that despite what critics may have said about the album, there are still plenty of people who appreciate Trey Songz’ music and will continue to support him regardless. His ability to connect with an audience through his live performances is testament to this fact and proves why “Ready” was so important for his career – it gave him an opportunity to showcase his talent while connecting with a new generation of listeners.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Trey Songz’ Ready album has been a game-changer for his career. It marked the beginning of an exciting period in his musical journey and provided fans with some unforgettable music. The album featured guest appearances from artists such as Drake and Soulja Boy, giving it a unique flavor that only added to its success.
The critical reception for Ready was overwhelmingly positive which is testament to how well-received this project was by both critics and fans alike. This proved that even after five albums, Trey could still excite us with something new and fresh. He had said himself that this album was make or break for him, and thankfully it turned out to be the former rather than the latter.
Ready certainly made waves in the industry when it dropped back in 2009 – there’s no doubt about that! Fans were thrilled by the array of songs on offer and praised Trey for taking risks and pushing boundaries musically. It set up Trey nicely for future releases like Chapter V (2012) and Tremaine (2017), further cementing his status as one of R&B’s most consistent acts over the last decade
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