Sheridan (album)

Sheridan is the debut studio album by English singer and actress Sheridan Smith. It was released by East West on 3 November 2017, and debuted at number nine on the UK Albums Chart.

Sheridan
Studio album by Sheridan Smith
Released	3 November 2017
Recorded	2017
Genre	Pop showtunes R&B
Length	45:31
Label	East West
Producer	Tris Penna Steve Sidwell
Sheridan Smith chronology
Sheridan (2017) A Northern Soul (2018)

Details of the album were first announced in August 2017, with Smith subsequently confirming Sheridan as its title in October. To coincide with its release, she appeared in a one-off television special for ITV, also titled Sheridan, in which she chatted to comedian Alexander Armstrong and performed tracks from the album. The album received a mixed reception. Smith also announced that she would embark on a UK tour in 2018.

Background

Smith has enjoyed a prolific television and stage career, and won critical acclaim for her performances in productions such as the West End musical Legally Blonde and the television series Mrs Biggs.[1][2] She also portrayed Cilla Black in a 2014 biopic made for ITV. In August 2017 it was reported that Smith had signed a record deal with East West Records to release an album.[3] On 20 September 2017, ITV confirmed that Smith would star in a TV special later in the year. Titled Sheridan, the one-off special would feature her performing some of the songs from the album, and talking about her life.[4] On 3 October, Smith posted an image of the album on Instagram, revealing its title.[5] Smith subsequently appeared on the 8 October edition of the Strictly Come Dancing results show,[6] where she performed the song "My Man" from the musical Funny Girl, which was well received by viewers.[7]

Sheridan, a one-hour programme featuring a mix of chat and music, was aired by ITV on Sunday 5 November 2017 at 9.00pm. The show was presented by comedian Alexander Armstrong, who talked to Smith in between numbers about her life and career. At one point Smith discussed her experience of personal relationships and loss, performing an emotionally charged version of "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going", something Jack Seale of Radio Times described as an "extraordinary moment".[8] Generally the programme received a mixed reception, with the Coventry Telegraph describing how Smith "wowed fans with an intimate one-off TV show",[9] while Ed Cumming of The Telegraph felt the show's format "made for uneasy viewing" as "it had the sense of a relaunch".[10]

Following its release, the album debuted at number nine on the UK Albums Chart.[11]

Critical reception

Giving the album seven out of ten, Kerri-Ann Roper of the Belfast Telegraph praised the album for "[adding] another impressive notch to [Smith's] many talents", singling out her version of Jennifer Hudson's "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" as "probably one of the most impressive songs [which] she makes her own quite easily and gently".[12] Describing Sheridan as "an album of cover versions that veers wildly between singing styles; less like interpretation than impersonation at times", Martin Townsend of the Sunday Express gave the album two out of five. However, Townsend felt that Smith had found what he called her "own" voice, a "soft-edged croon", in her rendition of Rufus Wainwright's "Dinner at Eight".[13]

Tour

Smith embarked on her first solo UK tour in support of the album in early 2018.[14][15] The set list included both songs from the album and her career in musical theatre.

Tour dates

Date	City	Country	Venue
10 April 2018	Gateshead	England	The Sage
13 April 2018	Liverpool		Philharmonic Hall
16 April 2018	Manchester		Bridgewater Hall
17 April 2018	Blackpool		Blackpool Opera House
19 April 2018	Nottingham		Royal Concert Hall
22 April 2018	Norwich		Theatre Royal, Norwich
24 April 2018	London		Royal Albert Hall
26 April 2018	Edinburgh	Scotland	Edinburgh Playhouse
28 April 2018	Cardiff	Wales	Wales Millennium Centre

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Crazy"	Brian Burton, Thomas Callaway, Gian Franco Reverberi, Gian Piero Reverberi	3:25
2.	"Anyone Who Had a Heart"	Burt Bacharach, Hal David	3:27
3.	"City of Stars"	Justin Hurwitz, Benj Pasek & Justin Paul	3:20
4.	"Mad About the Boy"	Noël Coward	3:55
5.	"I Smell a Rat"	Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller	2:32
6.	"Dinner at Eight"	Rufus Wainwright	4:22
7.	"Superstar"	Bonnie Bramlett, Leon Russell, Delaney Bramlett	3:49
8.	"Hurt"	Jimmie Crane, Al Jacobs	3:36
9.	"Addicted to Love"	Robert Palmer	4:45
10.	"My Man"	Jacques Charles, Channing Pollock, Albert Willemetz, and Maurice Yvain	3:10
11.	"For Forever"	Benj Pasek & Justin Paul	4:33
12.	"And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going"	Tom Eyen, Henry Krieger	4:34
Total length:			45:31

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2017)	Peak position
Scottish Albums (OCC)[16]	11
UK Albums (OCC)[17]	9

Year-end charts

Chart (2017)	Position
UK Albums (OCC)[18]	58

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[19]	Gold	100,000^*
^^shipments figures based on certification alone

References

1. "Sheridan Smith 'self-medicated' after the death of her father – but claims she was never drunk on stage". The Telegraph. 15 October 2017. Archived from the original on 25 October 2017. Retrieved 10 November 2017.
2. "Sheridan Smith to perform songs & chat about her life & career on ITV tonight". Scunthorpe Telegraph. 5 November 2017. Archived from the original on 5 November 2017. Retrieved 10 November 2017.
3. Parry, Josh (23 August 2017). "Sheridan Smith announces exciting career move after success of ITV's Cilla". Liverpool Echo. Archived from the original on 4 November 2017. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
4. Jones, Paul. "Sheridan Smith to front "lavish" ITV "extravaganza" celebrating her music, life and career". Radio Times. Archived from the original on 12 October 2017. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
5. McCreesh, Louise (3 October 2017). "Sheridan Smith unveils her first ever album cover". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on 11 October 2017. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
6. Lowe, Mark James (8 October 2017). "Fans are dazzled by Sheridan Smith on Strictly". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on 10 November 2017. Retrieved 9 November 2017.
7. Jones, Caroline; Needham, Lucy (8 October 2017). "Cilla fans delighted with Sheridan Smith's performance on Strictly". Liverpool Echo. Archived from the original on 4 November 2017. Retrieved 9 November 2017.
8. Seale, Jack (5 November 2017). "What time is Sheridan on TV?". Radio Times. Archived from the original on 8 November 2017. Retrieved 7 November 2017.
9. Rodger, James (6 November 2017). "Sheridan Smith wows viewers with intimate one-off ITV show". Coventry Telegraph. Archived from the original on 9 November 2017. Retrieved 9 November 2017.
10. Cumming, Ed (5 November 2017). "Sheridan (ITV) made for uneasy viewing, despite its light format – review". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 9 November 2017. Retrieved 9 November 2017.
11. "Sam Smith lands second number one album with The Thrill Of It All". The Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 10 November 2017.
12. Roper, Kerry-Ann (3 November 2017). "Albums of the week: From Sam to Sheridan Smith". The Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 7 November 2017.
13. Townsend, Martin (5 November 2017). "New CD releases review: Lee Ann Womack, Gregory Porter and more". Sunday Express. Retrieved 11 November 2017.
14. "TV star Sheridan Smith announces tour of her first studio album". ITV News. 27 October 2017. Archived from the original on 8 November 2017. Retrieved 7 November 2017.
15. "Sheridan Smith announces UK tour and Royal Albert Hall show". The Stage. 27 October 2017. Archived from the original on 8 November 2017. Retrieved 7 November 2017.
16. "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 11 November 2017.
17. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 11 November 2017.
18. "End of Year Album Chart Top 100 – 2017". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
19. "British album certifications – Sheridan Smith – Sheridan". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 4 January 2018. Select albums in the Format field. Select Gold in the Certification field. Type Sheridan in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.