Chic/Freak

Chic/Freak (also known as Chic/Freak: The Highs and Lows) is the first greatest hits album by British recording artist Alesha (her fourth album overall). It was released on July 3, 2006, by Ensemble Entertainment. Chic/Freak compiles Alesha's first fifteen singles, two of which reached number one, alongside previously unheard material. Chic/Freak marked the first (and only) appearance of the collaborations "So Many Men", "Midweek Sex" and "Happy Slappers" on any of Alesha's albums.

The greatest hits received mostly mixed and negative reviews from music critics, who stated that Alesha did not have enough material for a compilation and deemed it premature. The release received minimal promotion, due to Alesha being heavily pregnant at the time of release. It was accompanied by the single "Gone", written by Naomi. Chic/Freak became Alesha's third top-five album, entering the official albums chart at number four. Although the compilation spent just 13 weeks on the chart, it managed to achieve a platinum certification (which, at the time, indicated sales exceeding 300,000 copies).

Background and development
Alesha released her third studio album Buried Underneath in July 2005. Bolstered by the success of its singles, including Alesha's first number one hit "Infernal Superstar", the album quickly became Alesha's best-selling release to date. By the end of the year, Alesha had started work on her fourth studio album. Early sessions resulted in more alternative rock material. After collaborating with Sarah Summers on the single "Happy Slappers" in February 2006, Alesha scrapped her work so far in favor of a return to pop music. These sessions resulted in songs that were later recorded by artists such as Arwyn Knight ("Rev Our Engines"), or would appear on Alesha's rarities album The Good That Won't Come Out (2008).

In March 2006, Alesha announced that she would be releasing a greatest hits album after the birth of her second child (Maribba Nikia Kurdadze, born May 2006). Alesha and Ensemble Entertainment proceeded with the greatest hits compilation, Chic/Freak: The Highs and Lows. The title was chosen to reflect both the successes and failures of Alesha's young career.

Music and lyrics
The album's first fourteen tracks are divided into "Chic", Alesha's bigger hits, and "Freak", her lower charting singles. Two of Alesha's singles, "Infernal Superstar" and "Close the Door"/"He's Done It Again" (with Neyssa) had reached number one; "Let Me Take You There" and "Happy Slappers" (with Sarah Summers) were number two. Additionally, the album includes two top-five singles, five top-ten singles, and two top-twenty singles. Of Alesha's first fourteen singles, six were collaborations with other artists. Alesha toyed with electro-pop ("Let Me Take You There", "Happy Slappers"), pop rock ("Infernal Superstar", "Little Green High Heels"), and "R&B-lite" teen pop ("Predictable") throughout her early career.

Chic/Freak culminates with five new tracks. "She's the Dynamite" was written by the all-female rock group girlASKboy, while "Something Good" was penned by Amy Marshall (who had contributed a track to Alesha's third studio album Buried Underneath a year prior). "Beautiful Tears" was written by Alesha for the soundtrack to the film Stockholm Syndrome (2006), starring Elizabeth Stratten of Innocent. "Nobody Said Love Was Easy", written by Alesha, and the single "Gone", written by Naomi, are piano ballads.

Reception
Chic/Freak received mixed reviews from music critics. Christy Lemire of the Associated Press stated that it was premature for Alesha to release a greatest hits album compilation after only three years, but highlighted "Infernal Superstar" and "Happy Slappers". Jonathan Keefe of Slant Magazine noted: "Alesha's three studio albums have been a mixed bag, both in terms of quality and overall style, ranging from the R&B-lite of Look Out Below to the slick pop-rock of Buried Underneath. Alesha has yet to settle on a distinct POV as an artist, but the smart sequencing of Chic/Freak downplays this limitation."

The album charted at number four on the official albums chart. Following Hungry for More (number two, 2004) and Buried Underneath (number one, 2005), Chic/Freak was Alesha's third top-five album. The greatest hits spent just 13 weeks on the chart. It sold 341,609 copies in the United Kingdom, reaching platinum certification (sales exceeding 300,000 units). Chic/Freak was the lowest-selling album of Alesha's career until the budget compilation God Save the Queen: The Best of Alesha was released in 2011.

Promotion
Due to her pregnancy, Alesha held back from promotional duties ahead of the album's release. In May 2006, Alesha gave birth to her and Neyssa's daughter, Maribba Nikia Kurdadze (conceived via in vitro fertilization). Just over a month later, Chic/Freak and its lead single "Gone" were released. "Gone" charted at number six. Plans for a second single from Chic/Freak were nixed when Alesha participated in the first Tango Challenge.

Alesha embarked on a small arena tour shortly after giving birth. The Chic/Freak Tour reached six venues across the United Kingdom, with Alesha performing eight concerts altogether. It culminated with two nights at London's Wembley Arena, which Alesha called a "dream come true". The Chic/Freak Tour was Alesha's first headlining tour; she embarked on a joint tour with Innocent in 2004.

Tour dates

 * 1 June – Cardiff International Arena, Cardiff, Wales
 * 3 June – Evening News Arena, Manchester, England
 * 4 June – Evening News Arena, Manchester, England
 * 6 June – SECC Arena, Glasgow, Scotland
 * 8 June – Metro Radio Arena, Newcastle, England
 * 11 June – NEC Arena, Birmingham, England
 * 13 June – Wembley Arena, London, England
 * 14 June – Wembley Arena, London, England