I, Whore

I, Whore is the fourth studio album by Russian recording artist Putanovska. It was released on January 7, 2008, by Ensemble Entertainment. Putanovska co-wrote every song on the album, collaborating with various songwriters and producers, including Terius "Dream" Nash, StarGate, The Neptunes, and Nellee Hooper.

Deemed Putanovska's most sexual album, I, Whore deals with her visions of love, sensuality, work, dreams as well as disappointments; the album speaks on the singer's past as a prostitute, which much of the lyrical content alluding to sex and sexuality. Inspired by electro-pop and R&B sounds that were popular at the time, I, Whore is a pop, dance-pop and R&B album with 1980s music influences. Described as a turning point in Putanovska's career, it represents a departure from the more traditional sounding pop of some her previous releases, namely her first two studio albums Simply Puttys (2004) and Extravaganza (2005), and the electronic glam-pop that characterized Fierce & Working It: Chic (2007). Apart from the sound, she also endorsed a new image for the release going from an ingenue to an edgier and more sexually charged, provocative dominatrix.

I, Whore was an immediate global success, reaching number one in then record-breaking 35 countries across the world, including Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Russia the United Kingdom and the United States. Its lead single "Bitch in Heat" was a worldwide hit, becoming the singer's first number one single in the United Kingdom; the song also topped the charts in her native Russia, Japan, Australia, Germany, France, Canada and the United States, where it remained at number one for three consecutive weeks. The song became a top-five hit in other countries such as Italy, Mexico, Brazil, Spain and Turkey. The second single "Make Up Sex", a collaboration with her then boyfriend Ryan Dawson, was also similarly successful, further increasing Putanovska's popularity. A further three singles were released to promote the album, "Diamonds & Dollar Bills" with close friend Alesha, "Intoxicated Girls & Chemical Boys", and "Automatic"/"Skyscraper".

The album was met with generally positive reviews from music critics, who appreciated its overall production value and originality but were ambivalent towards Putanovska's public persona. The singer's sudden image change was seen as very controversial, particularly in her native Russia. The album received seven Grammy Award nominations and one win in the Best Female Pop Vocal Performance category for Bitch In Heat at the 2009 ceremony. It was the second best-selling album of 2008 in the United Kingdom where it was certified diamond by the Official Charts Company, having sold close to 2 million copies; in Russia, it became the best-selling album of both 2008 and 2009, and at the time it was also the best-selling album of all time in the country, until it was surpassed in 2011 by her own album Putanovska's The Black Sea (2010). As of 2017, the album has sold over 12 million copies worldwide.

The album was promoted on Putanovska's third tour, the "Mystic Cowboy World Tour", co-headlining with Ryan Dawson which visited cities of North America, Europe and Asia in 2008. I, Whore is credited as being the album which established Putanovska's position as one of the most prominent female artists of the 00s. The album's singles and their accompanying music videos have sparked debates among scholars and social groups. Coupled with her songs and provocative imagery, the album catapulted Putanovska into worldwide fame.

Track listing

 * 1) "Bitch in Heat"
 * 2) "Make Up Sex"
 * 3) "Dollar Bill"
 * 4) "Faggot Elite"
 * 5) "Intoxicated Girls & Chemical Boys"
 * 6) "Automatic"
 * 7) "Skyscraper"