Papermade Hearts

Papermade Hearts is the debut studio album by British-Canadian recording artist Aimee Stevens, runner-up of the first series of The Uraps Factor. It was released in the United Kingdom on November 04, 2013 by Blacklight Records. The album was in progress for several years, with Stevens recording several Christian-pop songs throughout 2010-2011. It wasn't until she appeared on The Uraps Factor that she was able to sign to a major label, and make some serious developments in her album's progress.

Work on the album took over a full year, with contestants from The Uraps Factor's second season releasing albums before Stevens. This is due to the fact that Stevens "did not want to rush any of the music. Blacklight put a lot of trust on me and let me do my own thing at my own pace. I'd rather take 5 years making an album I'm proud of than 6 months making an album that's crap". Completed in 2013 and titled Papermade Hearts, Stevens' debut album features a combination of up-tempo pop songs, as well as mid-tempo and down-tempo ballads. Songs contain influences of rock, soul and funk music, with the specific aim of selecting songs and productions which would lend themselves to being performed live. Amongst the ten-song set is one collaborations, with Ashley!. RedOne and his associates produced several tracks of the album, while other contributions come from the likes of Jim Jonsin, StarGate, The-Dream, Tricky Stewart and Boi-1da.

Papermade Hearts was preceded by the release of the RedOne-produced lead single, "Heels" in 2012, which respectively peaked at number six in the UK, becoming Stevens first charting solo single. It received mixed critical reception, for establishing Stevens with her own sound and identity but was criticized for it's simplistic theme. A second single "We've Got A Problem" was released as part of the 2013 Tango Challenge alongside Ashley! and was Stevens first top five single, debuting at number four on the UK charts. The third single from the album, "Cherryade" was originally due to be released on the same week as the album itself, until the album was later pushed back. The single charted at number nine in the UK. "Your Love Will Kill Me" was released as the fourth single from the album, charting at number six, preceded the albums release by one week.

Upon its release, Papermade Hearts received mixed to positive response from critics. Some praised Stevens' strong vocals and conviction to convey emotion, while others criticized her contrast of songs, ranging from very sexual themes to songs about Christianity. At times it was felt that Stevens lacked coherence across the record, often taking the sound that individual producers had created for her instead of showing originality.

Background and development
Prior to the public's awareness of her via The Uraps Factor, Stevens initially began work on her debut studio album back in 2010. The project, titled Her Name is Aimee, saw the singer recording 75–100 songs in her home, with the majority of the songs being Christian-based. However Stevens struggled to get a record deal, due to their beliefs "Christian music won't sell". After this, Stevens felt auditioning for The Uraps Factor, and showing what she was truly capable off was her last option.

Musical influences and composition
Digital Spy asked Stevens to describe Papermade Hearts sound, during an interview she replied "I wanted something explosive that could be staged live in a full performance and I needed music to match the intensity. It’s raw, dangerous and big. That’s what I want to be on stage. It’s a different energy to anything anyone else has done from Uraps Factor. The music is more rock, funk and soul inspired. On the other end of the spectrum, there's some very subtle and beautiful moments on the album, where I feel I shine the most".

Chart performance
Papermade Hearts debuted at number nine on the US Billboard 200, with 47,000 copies sold in the first-week released. In Canada, the album debuted at number ten, and peaked at number six, It has since been certified double platinum by Music Canada. In the United Kingdom, the album debuted, and peaked at number two on the UK Albums Chart selling over 110,000 copies in its first week. In Australia, it debuted at number eleven and in New Zealand, the album debuted and peaked at number seventeen. It has since been certified Gold, shipping over 7,500 copies.

Critical response
Upon its release, Papermade Hearts received a mixed response from critics. Some praised Stevens' strong vocals and conviction to convey emotion, while others criticized her choice of allowing RedOne to produce the majority of the album, stating that some of the songs sounded too similar to each other. The Observer's Michael Cragg noted the album as being consistent with most other modern R&B albums, stating "Papermade Hearts is two thirds deliriously catchy pop stompers and one third balladry." Cragg also noted that Stevens' "not so inconsiderable voice" takes a backseat allowing the record producers to inject their own influences into her music. Alex Macpherson from BBC Online commented that "Stevens is one of the few pop performers with the requisite power to dominate [her] beats rather than vice versa. Papermade Hearts is far from the album you sense Stevens could still deliver: at times, her personality is all that – barely – carries substandard, unmemorable songs." Kim Dawson from The Daily Star was positive, saying that "Aimee's solo record truly is killer and no filler." Another positive reaction came from "Entertainment Focus" who went to say that: "Papermade Hearts is a competent and enjoyable record from one of the most unique women in pop. Fingers crossed it works out for her, as her musical direction is unlike any artist currently on the charts." The 4Music review was also positive, noting that "Papermade Hearts will definitely establish her as a viable act in her own right." Robert Copsey wrote favorably for Digital Spy that "Papermade Hearts is a sturdy debut from the Uraps Factor runner-up, in part, lives up to her promise of being "in your face and strong" although he did go on to question "the biggest concern is stars from the latest Uraps Factor season are setting the charts alight. Are the public really going to be interested Aimee, or has she left it too late?"

However, Hugh Montgomery from The Independent gave it a negative review for a perceived lack of originality and musical identity, calling it "a debut that doesn't know if it's a horrific sexual experience, or a quote from the bible. The contrast is far too much." Stephen Thomas Erlewine wrote for AllMusic that the album don't have "powerful hooks in the rhythms or melodies." The album track "Pray", was also heavily criticised, particularly from the Christian community, due to Aimee perceiving herself as the "second coming" of God.

Singles
Although the album was only around "half completed" by the time Stevens first single "Heels" was released in October 2012, she felt it needed to be released as "she had already been singing to the public for 10 months, it was about time they heard some music." The song focuses on Stevens love for shoes, and how they will never hurt her like a man would. It was released on October 08, 2012. The single debuted at number six on the UK Singles Chart. It was less successful on the Digital and Airplay charts, peaking at numbers eighteen and thirty-nine respectively. Between Stevens' first and second single, she appeared on the track "All The Same" by Calvin Hawthorne, which gave her another top ten single in the UK, peaking at number seven. It also managed to peak at number five on the Download chart and number fourteen on the Airplay chart, as well as becoming Steven's first appearance on the US Billboard chart, peaking at number forty-six. The track is included in the album as a bonus track. Second single, "We've Got A Problem", was produced by Carl Falk, Steve Josefsson (of the Swedish House Mafia) and Rami Yacoub and written by Stevens herself. It was released on March 04, 2013 as one of the entries for the 2013 Tango Challenge. Released as a duet with Ashley!, it peaked at number four on the UK Singles Chart selling almost 60,000 copies in its first week, and hit number five on Airplay and six on Download.

The third single taken from the album, "Cherryade" is a very sexually explicit track, and was released on July 15, 2013. The single faired poorly compared to Aimee's previous singles, and peaked at number nine on the singles chart. The fourth single from the album, "Your Love Will Kill Me" was released on 28 October, 2013, and debuted at number six, giving Aimee her highest first week sales for a single, with over 60,000 copies sold in the first week. The album was released the following week.

Charts
Papermade Hearts was release on November 04, 2013. It debuted on the UK album charts at number two, selling 110,396 copies in its first week. Less than 2,000 copies away from that weeks number one, which was by Syd Wolfe's "The Scientist" on its 35th week on the chart.

Overall sales: 324,048