Unexpected (Michelle Williams album)

[2] Her first solo project following the disbandment of her group Destiny's Child in 2006, it marked Williams' first full-length dance-influenced commercial pop album, moving away from the gospel style of her previous efforts Heart to Yours (2002) and Do You Know (2004).Unexpected fuses dance-pop, R&B and electronic music to form a wide selection of up-tempo, beat-driven, club-oriented songs which gradually calm into slower material more R&B in sound and style.Also referenced in the article is Williams' cover of the Al Green classic, "Let's Stay Together" that was not only featured in a Gap commercial but also on the Roll Bounce soundtrack.[35] In his review for About.com, Ben Norman wrote that "with the release of Unexpected, Williams has welcomed R&B back into her arms with a modern edge, a la Rihanna and Chris Brown, infusing her soulful lyrics with party beats and dance-like synths [...] this album fits nicely into a lot of musical niches, making it a good addition to most collections."[38] Similarly, Blues & Soul reviewer Pete Lewis noted that "many of the album's synth-heavy uptempo cuts rely heavily on the kind of Euro-dance-inspired electronica utilised recently by fellow US urbanites like Timbaland and Justin Timberlake."[44] Entertainment Weekly editor Josette Compton wrote that Unexpected "pumps with technodriven tracks like "Hello Heartbreak" (which is reminiscent of Kylie Minogue) and made-for-radio cuts like the lead off single, "We Break the Dawn.""[40] Robin Carolan of Slant Magazine called the Unexpected a "fairly decent album and by far the least pretentious, unashamedly pop record to be made by a Destiny's Child member so far."She noted that Williams had "stepped outside of the confines of the church and into the dark of the clubs, embracing au courant euro-pop sounds, and it's a move that works well for her."[42] Andy Cooper, writing for Cross Rhythms, felt that "though the production quality is undoubtedly extremely high, the lyrical focus will be a big disappointment to anyone looking for some gospel inspiration.
Williams performing on stage at the J&R Musicfest at City Hall Park in New York City in 2008.
Studio albumMichelle WilliamsDance-popelectronicaColumbiaMusic WorldProducerDJ MontayJim JonsinRico LoveSoulshock & KarlinStargateWayne WilkinsDo You KnowJourney to FreedomSinglesWe Break the DawnThe GreatestHello HeartbreakColumbia RecordsMusic World EntertainmentDestiny's ChildgospelHeart to Yourselectronic musiccontemporary R&BBillboard 200Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albumsgospel musicGospel AlbumsBroadwayThe Color PurpleNAACP Theatre AwardstelevisionHalf & HalfStand Up For LoveBeyoncé KnowlesAl GreenLet's Stay TogetherRoll BounceAnthony HamiltonJohn LegendBonnie RaittTwitterFox LightFox Newscontemporary gospelBlogcriticsJ&R MusicfestNew York CityThe Wendy Williams ShowThe Early ShowGood Day LATotal Request LiveLoose WomenSolange KnowlesUnited StatesBillboardHot Dance AirplayBillboard Hot Dance Club PlayUK Singles ChartHungarian Radio Top 40music videoLos AngelesCaliforniaFlo RidaHot Dance Club SongsBillboard Dance Singles SalesHot Singles SalesMetacriticAbout.comAllMusicCross RhythmsEntertainment WeeklySlant MagazineRihannaChris BrownBlues & SoulTimbalandJustin TimberlakeKylie MinogueTop R&B/Hip-Hop AlbumsDigital AlbumsUK R&B Albums ChartNorth AmericaSony Musichip hopJames SchefferKeli Nicole PriceTramar DillardMakeba RiddickMikkel S. EricksenTor Erik HermansenCarsten SchackKenneth KarliniTunes StoreAmazon MP3Ethan FarmerFrank RomanoArrangersEngineeringMasteringMixingManny MarroquinPhil TanMusic producersAlex Da KidProgrammingOriconUK R&B AlbumsSony BMGBillboard.comPlaybill.comOfficial Charts CompanyMahasz7digitalRap-UpVibe MagazineWayback MachineDiscographyHeard a WordSun Will Shine AgainIf We Had Your EyesSay YesBelieve in MeWaiting on YouChicagoOnce on This IslandA Snow White ChristmasChildren of EdenDeath Becomes Her