Big Fat Lie

Big Fat Lie is Nicole Scherzinger's second studio album that was released on October 17, 2014 by RCA Records.
==Tracklisting==
#Your Love	4:06
#Electric Blue (featuring T.I.)	3:41
#On The Rocks	5:07
#Heartbreaker	4:59
#God Of War	3:57
#Girl With A Diamond Heart	3:38
#Just A Girl	3:26
#First Time	3:19
#Bang	4:27
#Big Fat Lie	3:49
#Run	3:30
#Little Boy 3:50
#Unison 3:48
#Cold World 3:26
==Album Background==
Following the end of the ninth series of the UK edition of "The X Factor", Nicole Scherzinger shifted her focus on her second studio album.
In March, she released "Boomerang" as the lead single from the project, and it managed to peak at number six on the UK Singles Chart.
According to Scherzinger, will.i.am served as the executive producer of the album and worked with songwriter-producers Afro Jack, Dallas Austin, Toby Gad and Sandy Vee who produced "Boomerang".
Whilst planning to release the new album worldwide in November, she unveiled that she had doubts about returning for the tenth series of "The X Factor" as the promotion for the album would clash with the live stages of the singing competition.
Scherzinger ultimately decided to return to "The X Factor" as a judge and scrapped the album "Boomerang" was associated with. It was during this time the media reported that she was dropped from Interscope Records; however a spokesperson for Scherzinger denied that speculation and confirmed that she was working with The-Dream and Tricky Stewart.
When asked why "Boomerang" wouldn't appear on the album, she responded: "It's just going to remain a stand-alone single. In fact I did an entire album that belongs with "Boomerang." It had its own family. Unfortunately I don't know if those songs will ever be heard." 
She also revealed that she had recorded five albums between the release of her debut and second album, which were all scrapped.
In January 2014, it was announced that Scherzinger signed a multi-album deal with Sony Records imprint label, RCA Records. 
She left her long-time label, Interscope Records. For the second album, Scherzinger collaborated with The-Dream and Tricky Stewart who executive produced the record whilst a lead single would be released in the summer.
In February, Scherzinger left "The X Factor" because she wanted to work on the new album. Sessions with The Dream and Tricky Stewart began in the summer of 2013 in Los Angeles, California. 
According to her, "the music started to come naturally, without any outside influence, without any labels, just for us, just for music's sake."
===Composition===
Unlike her previous album, "Big Fat Lie" is a departure from the dance-pop sound for the most part, for a more R&B sound, a return to her original sound with some new elements added as well. 
The only full-out dance-pop song on the album is "Your Love", and on the deluxe version, "Cold World."
The rest of the songs on the album are a mix of "urban" pop, R&B, soul, and even some experimental PBR&B on the song "Heartbreaker." 
Scherzinger's vocals on the songs "Heartbreaker" and "Electric Blue" in particular, were compared to those of Janet Jackson. 
"Electric Blue" was compared to Janet Jackson's album, "The Velvet Rope" for the similar production, and Nicole's sweet, soft, soothing, silky, sexy, smooth vocals. 
The song "Bang" was compared to the work of Ciara, specifically her "Basic Instinct" album) which both The-Dream and Christopher "Tricky" Stewart also produced. 
"Just a Girl" is a "throwback to 90's R&B" with its production. 
"Girl With a Diamond Heart" mixes dance-pop & R&B music while "First Time" is features a more traditional pop and R&B sound. 
"Little Boy" is a soulful ballad that is mostly free of a beat to put the focus on Nicole's vocals and lyrics. It was described as one of the most soulful songs on the album, and a mistake to only have it on the deluxe version of the album. 
In sound, it is similar to The-Dream's own song "Fancy" and Kelly Rowland's song "Keep It Between Us". The lyrics speak of wanting somebody that you can't have, and wanting them so much that you forget what you have already.
"Unison" is a "feel good" chilled R&B track while "God of War" is a dark "angry" R&B-ish ballad, similar to the work of The Weeknd. 
Many of the songs incorporate The-Dream's own style into them with some new styles as well. Many liked what The-Dream did with Nicole and her music, while others criticized it for being outdated and too generic. 
Scherzinger said that songs from Big Fat Lie are pop and R&B with more urban influences than her previous album. 
She cited Janet Jackson's album, "The Velvet Rope" and Sade as major influences. She further elaborated that the album is "vibey, it's cool, it's got a lot of soul and it's a very personal album to me."
==Chart Performance==
"Big Fat Lie" peaked at #17 on the UK Albums chart. It also made the album charts in Australia, Belgium, France, Ireland, Scotland, South Korea and Switzerland.
Following the commercial disappointment of the album, there were reports that Scherzinger had been dropped by RCA Records; however, she clarified that she signed a new record deal and planned to release new music in 2016.
==Critical Reception==
"Big Fat Lie" received mixed reviews from music critics. 
Theo Watt of MTV UK described it as a "very like able record" and applauded Scherzinger for putting her "life and insecurities on a record."
John Aizlewood of the Evening Standard wrote that despite its "filler" the album is a "result is an appealing unity of supertight sound, where Scherzinger suggests a more vulnerable Beyoncé."
In a more mixed review of the album, Lewis Corner of Digital Spy wrote that none of the songs quite to showcase her "flying vocal range, sharp choreography and glorious demeanor." He ended the review saying that it "reaches for something it can't quite accomplish."
Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic found that the album's production "isn't particularly distinctive" and criticized Tricky Stewart and The-Dream for not bringing "their A game." 
He ended the review writing: "There's nothing embarrassing about their work here but there's nothing memorable, and that suits a singer who has yet to strike a memorable pose in a decade of trying.
Category:2010s albums
Category:Pop
Category:R&B
Category:Nicole Scherzinger albums