Vivian Green "Vivian"
With the release of her new album, Vivian, the contemporary R&B singer/songwriter Vivian Green broadens the promise of her critically-acclaimed debut, A Love Story, with 12 irresistible new songs written, sung, and co-produced by Vivian Green.
Vivian finds the artist acknowledging the complexities of love--from transcendent passions to poignant, yet liberating realities--in a series of lush musical settings evoking the vibe of classic soul music while showcasing a hard-won independence and fun-loving sensibility uniquely her own.
On songs like "Gotta Go, Gotta Leave (Tired)" "I Like It (But I Don't Need It)," and "Frustrated," Vivian shares the lesson that love, no matter how perilous, can open the door to self-awareness and personal empowerment.
"I don't want anyone to think I'm heartbroken," she confesses. "When I was writing my first album, there was a lot of sadness going on there, but this one is different. Even the breakup on this record is not sad…this is happy, it's all good, I'm not on a rollercoaster."
Like her debut, which achieved RIAA gold status in May 2003, Vivian maintains its sublime consistency while complementing the singer's bold candor and vivid depictions of emotional truths. And yet, she seems even bolder than on her debut, wiser in the ways of the world, yet more playful in her ability to enjoy the joys of a life lived to the fullest. "I really tried to reinvent myself," she offers. "This album is more youthful and more fun and not so melancholy and jazz-oriented as the first one."
Her extraordinary melodic range and deceptively understated vocal delivery blend into the album's translucent production and sophisticated arrangements to redefine the contours of R&B and soul music on tracks like "All About Us," "Sweet Thing," and "Can't Say It Enough." Her collaborations with producer Scott Storch--"Mad" and "Wish We Could Go Back"--show her natural ability to merge modern hip-hop and R&B elements into music that rings comfortable and new at the same time.
Released in November 2002, Vivian's debut album, A Love Story, announced the arrival of a major new star on the contemporary music scene. The New York Times praised her "…subtle acute timing…" and "…the disarming directness…" of her voice while People found the album "…a perfect showcase for her nuanced, never-oversung vocals."
Her live performances proved equally compelling with Vibe covering a Manhattan nightclub gig: "…her rapport with the audience is both engaging and intimate, and her voice pierces every corner of the room."
Her rendition of Billie Holiday's "Love For Sale" in 2004's "De-Lovely" was a highlight of the Cole Porter biopic. USA Today praised Vivian's ability to "…mine the bittersweet yearning…" of the song while Fox News singled out Vivian in its "Ones To Watch In 2005: Music" feature, calling her version of "Love For Sale" a "smash."
While A Love Story announced the arrival of a major new talent, Vivian establishes Vivian Green as one of contemporary R&B's brightest lights.
www.viviangreen.com www.columbiarecords.com
