I look to you

After several statements, starting in 2004 , about recording and releasing a new album, in February 2008, Clive Davis, then Sony BMG chief creative officer , record producer and mentor Houston, said that the new album was planned to be released in the fall of that year ^{[1 ]} . Davis also said that the album will not be tuned to modern hip-hop marketing , because "the public wants Whitney" ^[2] . However, the release of the album was once again delayed. But in July 2008 , Houston’s new song “Like I Never Left”, performed with Akon , as well as some demos hit the Internet ^[3] .

After the singer's performance in February 2009 at the Davis party, dedicated to the next Grammy Award ceremony, the producer said that Houston is really working on a new disc ^[4] . In July 2009, the new ballad “I Didn't Know My Own Strength” also hit the network ^[5] .

Later it became known that such well-known producers and authors as Diane Warren and David Foster (“I Didn't Know My Own Strength”), Akon (“Like I Never Left”), Claude Kelly , Ar Kelly (“ I Look To You ”,“ Salute ”), Alisha Keyes and Swizz Beatz (“ Million Dollar Bill ”), Danja (“ Nothin 'But Love ”), Jonta Austen and Stargate (“ Call You Tonight ”) and others ^[6] .

The album was released in Germany ^[7] and Italy ^[8] on August 28 , in the USA ^[9] on August 31 , in Spain ^[9] on September 1 , in Australia on September 4 , in Japan ^[10] on September 16 , in Great Britain ^[11] - October 19, 2009 under the name "I Look to You" ( ¹²⁾ .

The album debuted on the first line of the American Billboard 200 music chart with sales of 305,000 copies in its first week. I Look to You echoed the success of the 1992 Bodyguard soundtrack and 1987 Whitney studio album, reaching the top of the US main chart.

On December 1, 2009, the singer’s official website announced that the album “I Look to You” was certified platinum in the USA, since by that time the circulation of copies was one million ^[13] . According to Nielsen SoundScan , the total number of copies sold was about 818 thousand at the same time ^[14] .

In January 2010, it was announced that the album received double platinum status ^[15] .

In order to commercialize the album before its release, an exclusive series of listening sessions and parties for special guests and media was held in July in London , New York and Los Angeles ^[16] .

On September 2, Houston gave a small free four-song concert in Central Park in New York from the ABC TV series Good Morning America Autumn Fall Concert ^[17] .

Houston also gave the first seven-year interview with Oprah Winfrey , which aired in mid-September in two parts. Oprah called this interview “the most anticipated musical interview of the decade” ^[18] and “the best interview she has ever done” ^[19] .

However, despite the long-awaited and commercial success of the disc, neither the album itself, nor its authors, nor any of the compositions, nor Houston herself received a single Grammy nomination , which turned out to be a great disappointment and surprised many ^[14] .

In the fall, the singer appeared with performances in several European television programs, advertising a new album. Also in October, a new, first after “My Love Is Your Love World Tour” 1999 year was announced, a world tour in support of the album entitled “I Look to You Tour”, which began in December 2009 from Moscow and St. Petersburg. During her performance in Moscow, the singer dedicated the title track of her new album to the memory of victims of the fire at the Lame Horse nightclub. ^{[20] The} tour has continued in Asia, Australia and Europe since February 2010 under the title “Nothing But Love World Tour” ^{[21] [22]} .

The first two singles from the album were released one after another.

• The song "I Look to You" became the title track and premiere single from the album. The official premiere of the song on American radio took place on July 23 ; from July 27 to July 31, the song was available for free download from the official site ^[23] . The single was also on the charts.
• The second, commercial, single from the album was the song "Million Dollar Bill" ("Million Dollar Bill"), which appeared on American radio in mid-August ^[24] .

Bonus Tracks

12. "I Didn't Know My Own Strength" (Remix)

• Album lyrics
• I Look To You on discogs.com