Though she didn't come out of the R&B tradition, Heather Headley has plenty of soul on her debut, This Is Who I Am. Headley, a singer whose vocal strength isn't mere compensation for a lack of interpretive skills or lame songwriting, possesses a range that's surprising and welcome; she slips on dramatic personas continually here, quite ironic considering the title. The arrangements aren't exactly hooky, but the cast of producers -- including Dallas Austin, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, and D'Influence, use everything in their power -- from a Hammond B-3 to synthesizers -- to flesh out these songs. Occasionally, the songs don't reflect their age very well, as on the regrets of a stay-at-home girlfriend ("I Wish I Wasn't") or an increasingly angry housewife who's been neglected ("Like Ya Used To"). The opener, "He Is" (by songwriter/producer Joshua Nile), is very good though -- an intriguing angle on female thoughts about the male side of love (or, just possibly, a look at the aspects of God). Headley sounds excellent throughout, her voice pure as crystal on the ballads, occasionally outré in similar fashion to Mariah Carey, but gritty and soulful when she's sorting out the responsibilities of a relationship in "Fulltime." ~ John Bush, All Music Guide
Terry Lewis (Multi Instruments), Lascelles Stephens (Vocal Arrangement), Steve Ferrera (Producer), Dave Way (Mixing), Mike Ging (Engineer), Brett Kilroe (Art Direction), Kwame Kwaten (Keyboards), Heather Headley (Vocals (Background)), Deborah Cox (Vocal Arrangement), Shep Crawford (Producer), Rob Mounsey (Arranger), V. Jeffrey Smith (Multi Instruments), Steve Ferrera (A&R), D'Influence (Producer), Bradley Yost (Mixing Assistant), Vanessa A. Jones (Vocals (Background)), Carlton Lynn (Engineer), Terry Lewis (Producer), Dallas Austin (Guitar), V. Jeffrey Smith (Programming), Jeff Mironov (Guitar), Michael Norfleet (Keyboards), Tomi Martin (Guitar), Anne Catalino (Pro-Tools), Steve Ferrera (Executive Producer), Richard Locker (Cello), Reed Vertelney (Drum Programming), Peter Mokran (Mixing), Steve Marston (Percussion), Heather Headley (Producer), Bradley Yost (Assistant Engineer), Andy Zulla (Engineer), Terry Lewis (Arranger), V. Jeffrey Smith (Engineer), Herb Powers (Mastering), Reed Vertelney (Producer), Steve Mostyn (Bass), Vada Nobles (Producer), Reed Vertelney (Engineer), Rob Mounsey (Piano), Tony Duran (Photography), Chukki Star (Rap), Jimmy Jam (Producer), Shep Crawford (Vocal Arrangement), Reed Vertelney (Arranger), Rick Sheppard (Engineer), Dave Way (Producer), Adam Kagan (Engineer), Rick Sheppard (Sound Design), Terrence Elliot (Guitar), James "Big Jim" Wright (Keyboards), Anne Catalino (Engineer), Steve Hodge (Engineer), James Muller (Engineer), Audrey Martells (Vocals (Background)), Renee Neufville (Vocals (Background)), Deborah Cox (Vocals (Background)), Jeremy Ruzumna (Organ (Hammond)), Steve Hodge (Mixing), Jimmy Jam (Arranger), Jimmy Jam (Multi Instruments), Rob Mounsey (Producer), Shelley Woodworth (Oboe), Andy Zulla (Mixing), Steve Ferrera (Direction), Wayne Allison (Engineer), Anthony Ruotolo (Assistant Engineer), Christine Sirois (Engineer), Rick Sheppard (MIDI)
This Is Who I Am is the debut album by Trinidadian R&B-soul singer-songwriter Heather Headley, released on October 8, 2002 by RCA Records. The album was certified gold by the RIAA on June 3, 2003,[1] and has sold 677,000 copies in the U.S.[2]
Guitars: Dallas Austin, Terrence Elliot, Tomi Martin, Jeff Mironov
Bass: Steve Mostyn
Percussion: Steve Marston
Keyboards: Kwame Kwaten, Rob Mounsey, Michael Norfleet, Jeremy Ruzumna, James Wright
Rap: Chukki Star
Production
Engineered by: Wayne Allison, Anne Catalino, Mike Ging, Steve Hodge, Adam Kagan, Carlton Lynn, James Muller, Anthony Ruotolo, Rick Sheppard, Christine Sirois, Reed Vertelney, Bradley Yost, Andy Zulla
