One of the Boys (Katy Perry album)
One of the Boys ( German: " One of the guys ") is the title of the second studio album by American singer Katy Perry and also the first that appeared on the major label Capitol Records. The album was released in June 2008 worldwide.
Background
Perry said in an interview that she had been working on the album since she was 18 years old. During the making of the album she had been fired from two record labels and have written at that time about seventy songs. Katy worked with renowned producers such as Greg Wells, Dr. Luke, Max Martin and Dave Stewart, on the album .. Perry worked as a co-author of each song and wrote three songs alone.
While she was talking about the songs on the album, she said she So Gay 've published as a sort of introduction of the album the song Ur:
"The album will have a lot of the same features as Ur So Gay. There will be many songs that tell a story, because the lyrics of a song is very important to me. There are a few songs that will make you cry, but there are others who will encourage you to dance and sing. Each song is a specific reason on the album.
Themes and style
Although the musical style and the type of composition is strongly reminiscent of the style of Avril Lavigne and Lily Allen, Perry was by artists and bands like Queen ( in particular Freddie Mercury ), The Beach Boys, Heart, Joni Mitchell, Paul Simon, Cyndi Lauper and Alanis Morissette affected.
The song Ur So Gay she wrote as a kind of tool of revenge against her ex-boyfriend. Their second single I Kissed a Girl was also a controversial issue since many saw addressed a lesbian homosexuality. The song was inspired by the actress Scarlett Johansson. In the single Hot n Cold Perry explains the indecision of a solid friend and the ups and downs of a relationship. Other songs, like the ballad I'm Still Breathing and Thinking of You, talk about relationships that did not work. According to the singer Lost is the most personal song on the album, as it has a biographical reference. Waking Up in Vegas deals with eccentric and crazy trips with friends to Las Vegas. Just like Ur So Gay and Hot n Cold mock the songs mannequin and If You Can Afford Me critical relationships with ex-boyfriends.
Reception
The album received positive reviews from Billboard magazine, which claimed that since the album Jagged Little Pill by Alanis Morissette not a debut album with so many potential hits was packed. The NME wrote that " Madonna and Perez Hilton might be disappointed, but if you're keen to enjoy a plate, they do not buy ."
Commercial success
One of the Boys debuted at number nine of the U.S. Billboard 200, the album sold over 1.2 million and received a platinum certification .. Total held the album 81 weeks in the charts. In Canada it peaked at number six, and has since been certified double platinum by the CRIA. In the UK, the album reached number eleven of the UK Album Charts. In Australia, it debuted at number eleven and was certified platinum for selling over 70,000 copies.
In Austria and Switzerland, the album reached number six and was respectively certified platinum and gold. In the German charts made it the album at number seven and was certified gold for 150,000 copies sold. Worldwide, the album sold more than 5 million times.