Similarly, with the title track ' Confessions Part II', they were conversing about an impregnated mistress, and its concept was written down. Dupri and Cox were talking and felt that there was a song in it, and started writing. For instance, ' Burn' was built around the winding down of Usher's two-year relationship with Rozonda 'Chilli' Thomas from American R&B-Hip hop girl group TLC. Several of the songs in this album were conceptually based on a situation. I've got a lot of things and stuff built in me that I just want to let go of.' He wrote more songs than he contributed to his previous album. He named the album Confessions because he felt it is his most personal record to date: 'All of us have our Pandora's boxes or skeletons in our closets. The more they know about you, the more they feel like they're there with you.' Primarily because of the album's personal content, Usher said that this is his chance to be real. Prather said, 'The music has never been the question, but people tend to buy into the artist. Friend and former A&R rep named Kawan 'KP' Prather thought the album would let the public know Usher personally. One of Usher's first steps in recording Confessions was deciding to reveal 'his own little secrets'. Diddy and The Neptunes during one of those sessions, but those songs were not released. Eventually, the team was able to produce songs like 'Red Light' and 'Yeah!'. He went on recording a few more tracks with help from fellow Atlantans Lil Jon and Ludacris. 'You know what, there's like one or two more records that we just gotta get.' Usher was displeased with the decision he felt returning to the studio was the hardest part and needed to re-motivate himself. Reid, who listened to the record, thought something was missing in it. However, he and the company's then-president, L. When Usher felt that the album was completed, with forty recorded songs, he submitted the album to his record label, Arista. The album features productions by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Just Blaze, Usher's brother James Lackey, Dre and Vidal, among others. You gotta look for something different.' Dupri also invited his frequent collaborator Bryan-Michael Cox. In spite of his vision, Usher stated, 'With this album I chose some new producers who I figured would definitely allow me to really articulate myself in a different way . Production began between Usher and Jermaine Dupri, who produced his last two albums, My Way (1997) and 8701 (2001). When he began recording Confessions in 2003, Usher claimed he did not want to work with any new producers. Confessions has been certified Diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and, as of 2006, has sold over 10.3 million copies in the US and over 15 million copies worldwide making it the best-selling R&B album of the 21st century by a male artist. It was also exemplary of urban music's commercial peak and dominance of the Billboard charts in 2004. With over eight million copies sold in 2004, the album was viewed as a sign of recovering album sales in the US, following three years of decline. Confessions earned Usher several awards, including the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary R&B Album.Īccording to Billboard, it is the second-best selling album of the 2000s decade in the United States, behind NSYNC's No Strings Attached.

To boost sales amid threats of bootlegging, the special edition for the album was issued, which includes the single, ' My Boo' a duet with Alicia Keys. In the United States, the album sold 1.1 million copies in its first week. The album's themes generated controversy about Usher's personal relationships however, the album's primary producer Jermaine Dupri claimed the album reflects Dupri's own personal story. Primarily an R&B album, Confessions showcases Usher as a crooner through a mixture of ballads and up-tempos, incorporating musical genres of dance-pop, hip hop and crunk. Recording sessions for the album took place during 2003 to 2004, with its production handled by his longtime collaborator Jermaine Dupri, along with Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis and Lil Jon, among others. It was released on March 23, 2004, by Arista Records. Confessions is the fourth studio album by American singer-songwriter Usher.

Usher caught up part 1