Robyn Is Here

Robyn Is Here is the debut studio album by Swedish singer Robyn. It was released on 13 October 1995 by Ricochet Records, Ariola Records and BMG. The album peaked at number eight on the Swedish chart and was certified double platinum by the Swedish Recording Industry Association (GLF). In the United States, the album was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA),[1] and had sold more than 922,000 copies by June 2010, according to Nielsen SoundScan.[2] Worldwide, the album has sold over 1.5 million copies.[3]

Robyn Is Here
Studio album by Robyn
Released	13 October 1995 (1995-10-13)
Studio	BAG Studios Cheiron Studios Polar Studios Radio Nova Softsound Studios Soundtrade Studios
Genre	Pop dance-pop R&B
Length	55:43
Label	Ricochet Ariola BMG
Producer	Anders Bagge Christian Falk Ghost Max Martin Denniz Pop Harry Sommerdahl
Robyn chronology
Robyn Is Here (1995) My Truth (1999)
Singles from Robyn Is Here
"You've Got That Somethin'" Released: 1995 (Sweden) "Do You Really Want Me (Show Respect)" Released: 1995 "Do You Know (What It Takes)" Released: 1996 "Show Me Love" Released: 1997
Alternative cover
US cover

The album is mainly written and produced by Swedish production team Ghost, with all songs co-written by Robyn. Denniz Pop and Max Martin produced two of the album's four singles, "Do You Know (What It Takes)" and "Show Me Love". Both peaked at number seven in the US, while the latter peaked at number eight in the UK.

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[4]
Melody Maker	Positive[5]
MSN Music (Expert Witness)	B+[6]

Writing for Melody Maker in February 1998, Peter Robinson described Robyn Is Here as an "impressive album" and highlighted it as an alternative to other contemporaneous pop acts; "While the music loses its edge stretched over 13 tracks, and at the same time surrenders its subtlety when heard on a song-by-song basis, Robyn Is Here is nonetheless a slinky, funky album, and for all those disappointed by the weediness of Louise, disillusioned by the Spice Girls, or distracted by the hastily drafted in Kim Wilde lookalike factor of All Saints, Robyn's your gal."[5] In his consumer guide for MSN Music, critic Robert Christgau gave the album a B+ rating,[6] indicating "remarkable one way or another, yet also flirts with the humdrum or the half-assed".[7] Christgau described it as "So front-loaded it could almost be a vinyl album with a hot side and a cool side", but commented that "a few spins in, you notice a hint of velvet in her timbre—more like suede, really—that suggests not sensuality but emotional depth".[6]

Track listing

All lyrics are written by Robyn; "Do You Know (What It Takes)" co-written by Herbie Crichlow and "Show Me Love" co-written by Max Martin.

Original Swedish release[8]

No.	Title	Music	Length
1.	"Bumpy Ride"	Robyn Ulf Lindström Johan Ekhé	4:09
2.	"In My Heart"	Robyn Lindström Ekhé	3:59
3.	"You've Got That Somethin'"	Robyn Lindström Ekhé	3:44
4.	"Do You Know (What It Takes)"	Robyn Denniz Pop Max Martin Herbie Crichlow	3:39
5.	"The Last Time"	Robyn Lindström Ekhé	4:40
6.	"Just Another Girlfriend"	Robyn Christian Falk	5:20
7.	"Don't Want You Back"	Robyn Lindström Ekhé	4:00
8.	"Do You Really Want Me (Show Respect)"	Robyn Lindström Ekhé	4:25
9.	"How"	Robyn Lindström Ekhé	4:38
10.	"Here We Go"	Robyn Anders Bagge Harry Sommerdahl	4:43
11.	"Where Did Our Love Go"	Robyn Bagge	5:18
12.	"Robyn Is Here"	Robyn Falk	5:25
13.	"I Wish" (a cappella live at Radio Nova)	Robyn	2:30
Total length:			56:30

Japanese edition[9]

No.	Title	Length
14.	"You've Got That Somethin'" (Marco's hard mix)	4:51
Total length:		61:21

International edition and Swedish reissue[10]

No.	Title	Music	Length
6.	"Show Me Love"	Robyn Martin	3:47
7.	"Just Another Girlfriend"	Robyn Falk	5:20
8.	"Don't Want You Back"	Robyn Lindström Ekhé	4:00
9.	"Do You Really Want Me (Show Respect)"	Robyn Lindström Ekhé	4:25
10.	"How"	Robyn Lindström Ekhé	4:38
11.	"Here We Go"	Robyn Bagge Sommerdahl	4:43
12.	"Robyn Is Here"	Robyn Falk	5:25
13.	"I Wish" (a cappella live at Radio Nova)	Robyn	2:30
Total length:			54:59

Japanese reissue[11]

No.	Title	Length
14.	"Do You Know (What It Takes)" (Allstar short)	3:56
15.	"Show Me Love" (Blue Hill remix)	3:47
Total length:		62:42

Personnel

Credits adapted from the original Swedish release's liner notes[10]

Musicians

• Robyn – vocals (all tracks); background vocals (tracks 4)
• Jeanette Söderholm – background vocals (tracks 4)
• Johan Ekhé – background vocal arrangement (tracks 6, 12)
• Mogge Sseruwagi – additional background vocals (tracks 7)
• Joe Watts – additional background vocals (tracks 10)
• Picks Sjöholm – guitars (tracks 1, 3, 8)
• Henrik Janson – guitars (tracks 10)
• Mattias Thorell – guitars (tracks 12)
• Christian "Falcon" Falk – keyboards (tracks 6, 12)
• Niklas Medin – additional keyboards (tracks 6)
• Päl Svenre – additional keyboards (tracks 12)
• Per "Rusk Träsk" Johansson – saxophone (tracks 3)
• Goran Kajfes – trumpet (tracks 3)
• Ronny Farsund – horns (tracks 10)
• S.N.Y.K.O. – strings (tracks 10, 11)
• Janson & Janson – string arrangement (tracks 10, 11)

Technical

• Ulf Lindström – production, arrangement, recording & mixing (tracks 1-3, 5, 7-9); vocal production (track 11)
• Johan Ekhé – production, arrangement, recording & mixing (tracks 1-3, 5, 7-9); vocal production (track 11)
• Denniz Pop – production, arrangement, recording & mixing (track 4)
• Max Martin – production, arrangement, recording & mixing (track 4)
• Christian "Falcon" Falk – production, arrangement, recording & mixing (track 6, 12)
• Anders "BAG" Bagge – production, arrangement, recording & mixing (track 10, 11); vocal production (track 11)
• Ronny Lahti – mixing (track 6, 12)
• Harry "Slick Harry" Sommerdahl – recording & mixing (track 10); co-production (track 11)
• Björn Engelmann – mastering
• Håkan Wollgård – engineering
• Anders Lundin – assistant engineering
• Peter Swartling – creative direction & executive production
• Alex Strehl – creative direction & art direction
• Marlene Waltman – hair & makeup
• Miles Cockfield – stylist
• Christian Coinbergh – photography

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1995) Peak position Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[12] 8 Chart (1997–98) Peak position Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)[13] 21 Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[14] 62 French Albums (SNEP)[15] 68 US Billboard 200[16] 57 US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[17] 51

Year-end charts Chart (1995) Position Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[18] 25 Chart (1996) Position Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[19] 64

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[20]	2× Platinum	200,000^^
Denmark (IFPI Denmark)[21]	Gold	25,000^^
Sweden (GLF)[22]	Gold	50,000^^
United States (RIAA)[1]	Platinum	1,000,000^^
^^shipments figures based on certification alone

Release history

Region	Date	Format	Label
Sweden	13 October 1995	CD	Ricochet Ariola BMG
Japan	21 February 1996		BMG
United States	24 June 1997		RCA
Canada

References

1. "American album certifications – Robyn – Robyn Is Here". Recording Industry Association of America. 10 April 1998. Retrieved 2 October 2017. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH. 
2. McLean, Craig (11 June 2010). "Swedish Pop Sensation Robyn Brings 'Body Talk' To United States". Billboard. Retrieved 6 July 2010.
3. Lofthus, Kai R. (19 June 1999). "Robyn's Second Album Displays Matured Sound". Billboard. Vol. 111 no. 25. p. 50. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
4. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Robyn Is Here - Robyn". AllMusic. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
5. Robinson, Peter (February 28, 1998). "Review: Robyn – Robyn Is Here, RCA". Melody Maker. p. 43. ISSN 0025-9012.
6. Christgau, Robert. "Expert Witness – Robyn". MSN Music. Archived from the original on 9 March 2011. Retrieved 18 February 2011.
7. Christgau, Robert (2000-10-15). "CG 90s: Key to Icons". Robert Christgau. Retrieved 2011-02-05.
8. Robyn Is Here (booklet). Ricochet, Ariola, BMG. 1995.
9. Robyn Is Here (booklet). BMG. 1996.
10. Robyn Is Here (booklet). RCA. 1997.
11. Robyn Is Here (booklet). BMG. 1997.
12. "Swedishcharts.com – Robyn – Robyn Is Here". Hung Medien. Retrieved 11 February 2011.
13. "Top RPM Albums: Issue 3286". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
14. "Dutchcharts.nl – Robyn – Robyn Is Here" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 11 February 2011.
15. "Lescharts.com – Robyn – Robyn Is Here". Hung Medien. Retrieved 11 February 2011.
16. "Robyn Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
17. "Robyn Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
18. "Årslista Album (inkl samlingar) – År 1995" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Archived from the original on 14 June 2015. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
19. "Årslista Album (inkl samlingar) – År 1996" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Archived from the original on 9 January 2016. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
20. "Canadian album certifications – Robyn – Robyn Is Here". Music Canada. 8 June 1998. Retrieved 16 March 2018.
21. White, Timothy (17 May 1997). "Robyn Can Get There From 'Here'". Billboard. Retrieved 29 October 2018.
22. "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 1987−1998" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. Retrieved 23 April 2019.