# Free Me (album)

Free Me is the second studio album by English singer Emma Bunton (credited mononymously as Emma), released on 9 February 2004 by 19 Recordings. The album peaked at number seven on the UK Albums Chart and spawned three top-10 singles: "Free Me", "Maybe" and "I'll Be There". With this album, Bunton became the only former Spice Girl to have sold more copies of her second album than her first.

## Background

In 2001, Bunton released her solo debut album A Girl Like Me through Virgin Records. It spent over 12 weeks inside the UK Albums Chart, peaking at number four and earning a gold certification by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI). It also produced her only solo chart-topper "What Took You So Long?" and the top-five single "Take My Breath Away". Bunton explained that she left Virgin Records due to a lack of support from the label, citing a desire to work with a label "where I know people are going to be right behind me and work as hard as I do.'"

## Composition

The album was inspired by 1960s sounds, such as bossa nova, Motown and French pop. The album was largely produced by Mike Peden and Yak Bondy, who have produced tracks for acts such as S Club 7 and Lucie Silvas. Other contributions on the album are courtesy of Cathy Dennis, Henry Binns, and Puerto Rican singer Luis Fonsi. The album was released via 19 Recordings, which is a division of 19 Management, the company owned by Simon Fuller. Bunton says of the inspiration behind the album: "I've been listening to Motown since I was about five, and just loving it, being very passionate about the fact how it was all done live, and I thought, 'Hold on, I always talk about the fact I love '60s and Motown', so I thought I'd take elements of it, bits of it, and put it into my album, so that's exactly what I did." However, Bunton's songs on this album mainly started life as a simple scribble. She says, "I have a little book beside my bed, where I put all my ideas for songs and stuff. It's kind of weird, 'cuz usually when I'm having a dream, I'll wake up, and I'll write something down, then I'll look at it again and think, 'God, what was I dreaming about?'"

## Singles

The album's lead single, "Free Me", was released in May 2003. The song immediately picked up airplay, peaking at number five on the UK Singles Chart.
"Maybe" was released as the second single in October 2003, and also gained extensive airplay throughout the United Kingdom, peaking at number six.
In January 2004, "I'll Be There" was released as the third single from the album. Like its two predecessors, it performed well on the charts, peaking at number seven on the UK chart.
Later in the year, in May, "Crickets Sing for Anamaria", was released as the fourth single. The song peaked at number 15 on the UK Singles Chart.
In the United States, both "Free Me" and "Maybe" were dance club regulars, reaching numbers four and six on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart, respectively.

## Critical reception

Professional ratings :
| Review scores ||
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic | |
| BBC Music | Positive |
| Blender | |
| The Daily Telegraph | positive |
| The Guardian | |
| musicOMH | mixed |
| Rolling Stone | |
| USA Today | |
Free Me received generally positive reviews from music critics, many of whom approved of the use of sounds from the Motown and 1960s era. BBC Music said the album is "light and frothy, like a good cappuccino, but this time it's with the sugar taken out". General acclaim was given to the album by Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic, who described the album as being the best Spice Girl-related record. He noted: "This music is stylish without being flashy, thanks in large part to the charmingly tuneful, sturdy songs (all but one bearing a writing credit from Emma). While Bunton may still have a small, sweet voice, she's developed a stronger presence on record, giving this album not just a face, but a fetching persona that's hard to resist".
According to Lynsey Hanley from newspaper The Daily Telegraph, Bunton's new musical direction was "a brave move, given that high-sheen, saucy R&B is currently the main mode of expression for female pop performers, but Emma's lilting vocals and only faintly suggestive image suit this album's less aggressive style".
"The album's got charm, grace and it's fun", said Q magazine. Marie Claire magazine said it "mixes up bossa nova with James Bond soundtrack" and that "Emma resembles a seductive Brigitte Bardot".