Hungry for More

Hungry for More is the second studio album by British recording artist Alesha. It was released on August 30, 2004, by breathemusic. In contrast with her debut album's teen pop styles, Alesha embraced a more overtly sexualized public image following her marriage to fellow musician Ben Parker and the birth of their daughter. Musically, Hungry for More explored dance pop, pop rock, and R&B. In addition to her own lyrics, Hungry for More showcases songwriting from artists such as Ivy, Hailey Klass, Tasha and previous collaborator MC Labels. Ivy, Kandi, Larynx Trasher and 4tune provide guest vocals.

The album received mixed to favorable reviews from contemporary music critics. Some commented that Alesha had improved upon her debut album, while others claimed that Alesha had yet to find a distinctive sound. "Fool (No More)" (with 4tune) and "I Know Your Secret" (with Trasher), released in December 2003 and April 2004 respectively, are included on Hungry for More. The electropop lead single "Let Me Take You There", written by Tasha, was a commercial success, peaking at number two. The album also entered the charts at number two, almost outselling her debut album in half the time. However, the commercial failure of second single "It Sucks to Be Me" proved to be a spoke in the album's wheel and the project was promptly abandoned as Alesha pursued other projects.

Background and development
In October 2003, Alesha released her debut album Look Out Below (2003). Its lead single "Predictable" was a top ten hit, earning Alesha the award for Best Newcomer at the 7th Urapopstar Awards; however, the album and its follow-up singles failed to replicate this success. In December 2003, Alesha collaborated with 4tune on the top ten single "Fool (No More)". In April 2004, the earned her first top five single with the Larynx Trasher duet "I Know Your Secret". The public became more aware of Alesha thanks to her relationship with singer-songwriter Ben Parker, who had announced that they were expecting a child together. In June 2004, Alesha and Ben Parker were married shortly before the birth of their daughter Ana-Marie Roxanne Parker.

Alesha began writing and recording for her second album while pregnant with her daughter. The album was originally intended to be a double-disc project entitled Solstice, split into a "Summer" disc and a "Winter" disc. Much of the material recorded for the album was ultimately scrapped in favor of songs written and produced by other artists. Alesha was reunited with Mars/Venus star MC Labels, who produced a handful of songs for Alesha's debut. Two tracks were penned by Ivy, whose twin sister Elizabeth shares a band with Alesha's step sister Phoebe (Innocent). Ivy provides a guest verse on "Maniac". Alesha approached Kandi to contribute a rap verse to the song "Sweet Revenge". Hailey Klass and Tasha also contributed a songwriting credit each.

Music and lyrics
"Let Me Take You There" is an electropop song written by Tasha and her long-term collaborator Paul Stanley. The lyrics speak of "a place in the city where the boys are hot / Where the girls are pretty and they show a lot," and invites the listener. Released as the album's lead single, the song is a complete departure from Alesha's previous, R&B-inspired work. "Fool (No More)", a dance-pop duet with 4tune, follows. The song was written by 4tune and released by the pair as a single Christmas week 2003. "Creepin'", written and produced by MC Labels, and "Maniac", written and produced by Ivy, both showcase a more urban-inspired sound reminiscent of Alesha's earlier material. Ivy provides guest vocals on "Maniac". "Sweet Revenge" continues the R&B influence of the album, featuring a rap from Kandi. Alesha and Kandi would go on to collaborate with the release of "Midweek Sex" in January 2005.

"Answer the Phone" is a "feisty", uptempo pop song, written by Alesha and recorded with top producers in Stockholm, Sweden. The song was compared to material from Britney Spears' teen pop album Oops!… I Did It Again (2000). "Backfire" is a similarly uptempo pop song penned by Alesha herself. "Fame" is a retro pastiche, containing lounge and bossa nova influences. A 2004 review of the album by BBC Music said the song was "a perfect pastiche of French fluffy '60s bubblegum pop." "Alone" is a ballad written by Hailey Klass with emotionally vulnerable lyrics. "Frozen Memories", the second track to be penned by Ivy, is also a ballad. "It Sucks to Be Me" shows a clear, pop-rock influence, touching on ska and punk motifs. The song has become infamous for its much maligned lyrical content; parody group Gingers+Jesus covered the song in 2011. "I Know Your Secret", a ballad written and sung in collaboration with Larynx Trasher, closes the album. In the song, the narrator is letting their lover know that they are aware of their infidelity.

Promotion
Alesha began teasing the album in the first months of 2004, early on in the album's production phase. She performed "Backfire" on MTV's TRL in March 2004. Alesha wed Ben Parker in June; she gave birth to their daughter, Anamarie, days later. In July, Alesha began teasing lyrics to the album's lead single "Let Me Take You There" ahead of its premiere. Hungry for More was officially announced later that month. Upon its release, "Let Me Take You There" charted at number two. Alesha released "It Sucks to Be Me" as the second single from Hungry for More in conjunction with the teen thriller Let Me Tell You How I Died (2004), her first starring role. The single barely scraped the top 20, although it entered the top ten the following week. Alesha promptly abandoned Hungry for More, despite its initial success.

Reception
Hungry for More received mixed to generally positive reviews from contemporary pop music critics. The Times noted that Hungry for More "is packed with everything you want from a pop record – attitude, aggression and disco beats." BBC Music said "time will tell if [Alesha] is set to take the mantle as the new Lucreacia or slip rapidly down pop's dumper. But her second album is sure to shut up at least some of their cynics, myself included." However, many reviewers agreed that the album's quality declined towards the end. RTÉ.ie wrote, "After a while it does start sounding a bit samey but for a manufactured pop album, this is a fairly standard fault."

The album entered the official charts at number two, matching the peak position of its lead single. By comparison, Look Out Below (2003) peaked at number 12. Hungry for More eventually sold just shy of 400,000 copies in only 13 weeks on the chart. Promotion of Hungry for More was abruptly halted after the second single "It Sucks to Be Me" underperformed. Therefore, the album did not have the opportunity to outsell its predecessor. It remains Alesha's lowest-selling studio album to date.