Spotlight

***Spotlight*** is the third studio album by American recording artist Richie McCartney. It was released on April 1, 2011, by Fach Records. The album debut atop of the US Billboard 200, selling more than 1,200,000 copies in its first week.

The album had four singles released and was heavily promoted. It was also supported by a world tour with more than 95 dates, with 70 being sold out. It also had DVD and Bluray released.

## **Background and development**

Spotlight recording process began on February 2010, after McCartney stepped away from all the media and polemics about him. The singer spent almost one year recording this album, working with producers he was familiar with, such as Farren Dan and Max Martin.

The album sound is very similar to In The Club, going more pop, dance and electronic, being more focused for nightclubs.

## **Promotion**

Spolight was heavily promoted, with McCartney coming from a big hiatus to his biggest exposed status to date. It was his most promoted album to date, including performances at awards, TV shows and radio statios, as well as TV adverts, magazine covers e many other supporting stuff.

The album was also supported by the Richie McCartney On The Spotlight Tour, which was his biggest tour to date, in terms of expensive stuff, including 13 wardrobe changes, flying platforms, catwalks, laser lights and much more. The tour was also presented on Rock In Rio 2013.

## **Singles**

"Party Girl" was released as the first single from the album. It was a big success, peaking atop of the US BIllboard Hot 100, and reaching the top 10 in most countries, such as England, Germany, UK, and Australia.

"Diablo" was released as the second single from the album. Upon its release, it received a remix version featuring Francis Leverett, which boosted the single sales making it the biggest hit from the era. "Diablo" debuted atop of the US Billboard Hot 100, staying there for two weeks. It spent five weeks within the top 10. It also reached number one several countries as the UK, Australia, Canada and Germany.

"Overkill" was released as the third single from the album. It reached good numbers around the world, but was shadowed by "Diablo" in most charts. However, it managed to peak within the top 10 in the US, UK, Canada and Australia, due to its heavy promotion and well received music video.

"Paradise" was released as the fourth single from the album. It peaked at number #9 in the US Billboard Hot 100, and reached the top 15 in the UK and Canada. In many other countries, it peaked inside the top 20, making it a moderate hit.

"Lost In Love" was released as the fifth and final single from the album. It failed to make an impact on the charts around the globe, barely making it to the top 60 in most charts.

## Review scores

### Spin

6/10

*Spotlight* received mixed response from music critics. Metacritic calculated an average score of 61 out of 100, based on 30 reviews from reviewers. Robert Copsey from Digital Spy felt that several songs sounded like "half-finished plagues", though suggesting that the album had more good songs than bad tracks. Helen Brown, writing in *The Daily Telegraph*, criticized McCartney's choice to do another album "themed around his own fame" (after *Some Kind Of Crap*), and commented that although the production was better than his previous efforts, the lyrical content and the sound was nothing innovative or special.

Alexis Petridis from *The Guardian* suggested there was "some decent pop" on *Spotlight* but thought the theme was "tired and overused". *The Independent*'s Andy Gill commented, "It's hard not to feel underwhelmed by *Spotlight* lyrical content, but the beats are nice", while Caryn Ganz from *Rolling Stone* called it "a solid pop record" and "generic but addictive".