Virgos Groove Posted June 24 Posted June 24 (edited) It's something I never understood. She was American, produced by the Neptunes - who were on a hot streak in the early-00s -, and had plenty of bangers. Yet very few of her songs took off in the US. Milkshake, When the Last Time and Bossy are her only top-20s there. Hell, her 2nd album wasn't even released in the States. Meanwhile she has 10 UK top-10s and at least four on the European Hot 100. What was the reason Europe embraced her more than her home country? Edited June 24 by Virgos Groove
LanaDelRey Posted June 24 Posted June 24 She was too weird for US audiences. Trick Me would've smashed if it was actually officially released as a single in the US though
Wicked Posted June 24 Posted June 24 Virgin just didn't know how to market her in a neat box at the time. Then by the time Bossy blew up she had been relegated to "Nas' wife". 1 1
Contessa Posted June 24 Posted June 24 Because her sound was more electronic, and she's the one that pioneered and ushered in the European club dance vibes that became mainstream in the late 2000s but maybe atrl isn't really for that conversation yet 1
HonourableVomit Posted June 24 Posted June 24 3 minutes ago, Contessa said: Because her sound was more electronic, and she's the one that pioneered and ushered in the European club dance vibes that became mainstream in the late 2000s but maybe atrl isn't really for that conversation yet This isn't true at all. Flesh Tone was better than a lot of 2007-2009 albums and deserved way more success but it wasn't sonically groundbreaking. Acapella was produced by David Guetta ffs 2
Graves Posted June 24 Posted June 24 Hard to say, but I do think it was a little difficult for them to try and market her in the US. I love her dearly, but I think her brand of off-kilter R&B was a hard-sell for your standard R&B radio audience, especially with it coming from a woman. I know more than a couple R&B-heads who don't rate her stuff at all.
Wicked Posted June 24 Posted June 24 13 minutes ago, Subomie said: Hard to say, but I do think it was a little difficult for them to try and market her in the US. I love her dearly, but I think her brand of off-kilter R&B was a hard-sell for your standard R&B radio audience, especially with it coming from a woman. I know more than a couple R&B-heads who don't rate her stuff at all. I like some songs, and FOOD a lot, but I've never gotten the love for her albums like that. She's always been more interesting to me rather than someone whose music I run the numbers up for.
dumbsparce Posted June 24 Posted June 24 She was weird but in all the best ways possible. She wasn't pop, or r&b, or dance/electronic either. Simply put, she was too ahead of her time, kind of like the Doja of the 00s so perhaps there wasn't a place for her in the US market since all the major artists back then had to be very specific with their sound and branding. 3
Funnyfatty Posted June 24 Posted June 24 Wanderland is her best album and its also her biggest flop. I love Kelis. 1
Asparagus Spears Posted June 24 Posted June 24 Because she made European dance music. European's also are way more ahead of the curve when it comes to trends and different styles of music. America lacks diversity when it comes to music and it shows. Kelis had huge hits everywhere but America. Bounce, 4th of July, Acapella were massive. it was never about marketing her a certain way. If a song is good, it'll hit. America just lacks musical diversity and appreciation for out of box genres
Pendulum Posted June 24 Posted June 24 lemme revisit Flesh Tone before youuuuuu my whole like was accapella
Escape Posted June 24 Posted June 24 (edited) 1 hour ago, Pendulum said: lemme revisit Flesh Tone before youuuuuu my whole like was accapella I just logged in to iTunes with an old ass account to re-download my digital copy the other day Edited June 24 by Kanes
Spicy_TyTy Posted June 24 Posted June 24 2 hours ago, pigeon said: She and Anastacia signed the wrong Illuminati contract I was just about to say this. US has shown a lack of taste countless times for our 00s divas 1
ChooseyLover Posted June 24 Posted June 24 When an American artist finds success overseas instead of in their homeland you just know their music is too good 2 1
QuanticXplosion Posted June 24 Posted June 24 Because she never pushed Trick Me which was 53 weeks #1 in my house. She lost a big opportunity with that one 1
ICLDXU4HS Posted June 24 Posted June 24 P!nk kind of occupied her lane in the early years when you think about it.
Virgos Groove Posted June 24 Author Posted June 24 (edited) 5 hours ago, Asparagus Spears said: Because she made European dance music. European's also are way more ahead of the curve when it comes to trends and different styles of music. America lacks diversity when it comes to music and it shows. Kelis had huge hits everywhere but America. Bounce, 4th of July, Acapella were massive. it was never about marketing her a certain way. If a song is good, it'll hit. America just lacks musical diversity and appreciation for out of box genres Only Flesh Tone was dance music. Her first two albums are Neptunes R&B and songs like Trick Me or Millionaire would've fit right in with 00s US radio. And I hate to defend America, but a lot of those "out of box genres" you talk about were literally invented in the US. A lot of European dance music (late-stage Guetta, Vengaboys) is just as trash as America's lows (Morgan Wallen, etc.). The superiority complex by either market is undeserved. The US does rap and R&B far better than Europe, while Europe tends to embrace pop and dance music way more. If we were to compare low points, we could be here all day. Edited June 24 by Virgos Groove 2
Polgg48 Posted June 24 Posted June 24 (edited) american thinks she's ugly when she is cool factor for european if that's make sense edit: the smasha, so tasteless this wasnt chart success when it was regular played in UK/EU Edited June 24 by Polgg48 1
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