Footprints (album)

Footprints is the debut studio album by Australian singer Holly Valance. It was released by London Records on 14 October 2002 in the United Kingdom. Valance worked with a variety of producers on the album, including Cutfather & Joe, Julian Gallagher, Jem Godfrey, Nellee Hooper, Bill Padley, Richard Stannard, and Phil Thornalley.

For the 2006 album, see Karrin Allyson. For the Pat Martino album, see The Visit!

Footprints
Studio album by
Holly Valance
Released14 October 2002 (2002-10-14)
Genre
Length46:39
LabelLondon
Producer
Holly Valance chronology
Footprints
(2002)		 State of Mind
(2003)
Singles from Footprints
  1. "Kiss Kiss"
    Released: April 2002
  2. "Down Boy"
    Released: September 2002
  3. "Naughty Girl"
    Released: December 2002

The album was a success in the United Kingdom, where the first single "Kiss Kiss" reached the top position on the singles chart. Footprints peaked at number nine on the UK Albums Chart, selling over 100,000 copies and being certified Gold. In Valance's home country of Australia, success was similar. Footprints reached the top fifteen, sold over 35,000 copies, and was later certified Gold. All three of its singles also reached the top 3 on the singles chart. Footprints was also successful in Japan, where the album reached number nineteen on the Oricon albums chart and sold 159,606 copies. It was later certified Gold.[1]

Critical reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[2]
The Guardian[3]

Allmusic rated the album three and a half stars out of five.[2] Caroline Sullivan from The Guardian found that Valance's "Kylie impersonation lacks the self-deprecating charm of the original, without which this "project" feels like an ambitious soap starlet chancing her arm. Despite producer Nellee Hooper affixing a bit of acoustic gravitas to the likes of "Down Boy," Footprints quickly comes up against Valance's breathy mediocrity. That said, the burbling "Naughty Girl" makes it clear that Valance's primary purpose is to disturb impressionable men, making the album a triumph in that respect."[3]

Singles

"Kiss Kiss" was the first single released by Valance. The single was released in April 2002 and went straight to No. 1 on the UK and Australian charts. "Down Boy" was the second single, released two months after Valance's debut single "Kiss Kiss". It became a smash hit on the day of its release.

"Naughty Girl" was the third and final single from the album, becoming a Top 3 hit in Australia and Top 20 single in the UK. A fourth and final single, "Tuck Your Shirt In", was scheduled for release in the UK on 10 March 2003;[4] however, the single was cancelled due to poor sales of the previous single, and Valance was beginning to record her second album, State of Mind.

Track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Kiss Kiss"
3:25
2."Tuck Your Shirt In"
Nellee Hooper3:19
3."Down Boy"Rob DavisHooper3:26
4."City Ain't Big Enough"
3:38
5."Cocktails and Parties"
  • Tom Nichols
  • Johnson Somerset
  • Cutfather
  • Joe
4:02
6."Whoop"
  • Padley
  • Godfrey
3:24
7."Hush Now"
Fredro3:33
8."All in the Mind"
  • Fiona Gordon
  • Gerard Saunders
Hooper3:47
9."Harder They Come"
  • Padley
  • Godfrey
3:38
10."Help Me Help You"
  • Thornalley
  • Anders Kallmark[a]
3:36
11."Naughty Girl"
  • Thornalley
  • Anders Kallmark[a]
3:23
12."Connect"
  • Gallagher
  • Stannard
3:10
13."Send My Best"
Boo Dan4:25
Japan bonus track
No.TitleWriter(s)ProducerLength
14."Twist"
Korpi & Blackcell3:46

Notes

  • ^[a] signifies additional producer

Personnel
  • Josh Abrahams – vocal producer, vocal recording
  • James Banbury – programming
  • Joe Belmaati – keyboards, programming
  • Yak Bondy – programming
  • Helen Boulding – background vocals
  • Paul Brady – mixing assistant
  • Pete Craigie – mixing
  • Rob Davis – guitar
  • Matthew Donaldson – photography
  • Niklas Flyckt – mixing
  • Marc Fox – percussion
  • Julian Gallagher – programming, multi instruments, producer
  • Jem Godfrey – arranger, programming, multi instruments, producer, mixing
  • Nellee Hooper – producer, mixing
  • Mark Jaimes – guitar
  • Henrik Jonback – guitar
  • Anders Kallmark – producer
  • Katrina Leskanich – background vocals
  • David Munday – guitar, keyboards
  • Sharon Murphy – background vocals
  • Jonas Ostman – mixing assistant
  • Bill Padley – arranger, programming, multi instruments, producer, mixing
  • Martin Phillipps – keyboards, programming
  • Karen Ann Poole – background vocals
  • Johnny Rockstar – beats
  • Ian Rossiter – assistant engineer
  • Richard Stannard – drums, producer, beatboxing
  • Fredro Starr – arranger, keyboards, producer
  • Alvin Sweeney – programming, engineer, mixing
  • Phil Thornalley – guitar, producer
  • Justin Tresidder – vocal producer
  • Steve Welton-Jaimes – producer
  • Nina Woodford – background vocals

Charts

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Japan (RIAJ)[8] Gold 100,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[9] Gold 100,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References
  1. "GOLD ALBUM 他認定作品 2002年11月度" [Gold Albums, and other certified works. November 2002 Edition] (PDF). The Record (Bulletin) (in Japanese). Chūō, Tokyo: Recording Industry Association of Japan. 518: 7. 10 February 2003. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 November 2013. Retrieved 17 January 2014.
  2. "Footprints". Allmusic. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
  3. Sullivan, Caroline (11 October 2002). "Holly Valance: Footprints". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
  4. Dominic Robinson. "Dominator's UK Charts Digest February 1st 2003". dvdfever.co.uk. Archived from the original on 2 February 2003. Retrieved 22 January 2016.
  5. "Australiancharts.com – Holly Valance – Footprints". Hung Medien. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
  6. "Holly Valance | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
  7. "2002 UK Year-End Chart" (PDF). UKChartsPlus. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
  8. "Japanese album certifications – Holly Valance – Footprints" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
  9. "British album certifications – Holly Valance – Footprints". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 17 October 2020. Select albums in the Format field. Select Gold in the Certification field. Type Footprints in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
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