Testify (Caleb Johnson album)

Testify is the debut album by American Idol season thirteen winner, Caleb Johnson.[1] Its first single was released in July 2014 and the album was released on August 12, 2014, by Interscope Records and is produced by Howard Benson.[2]

Testify
Studio album by
Caleb Johnson
ReleasedAugust 12, 2014 (2014-08-12)
RecordedMay–June 2014
GenreRock
Length40:16
Label
ProducerHoward Benson
Singles from Testify
  1. "As Long as You Love Me"
    Released: May 2014
  2. "Only One"
    Released: July 28, 2014
  3. "Fighting Gravity"
    Released: 2015

Background

The album was first announced soon after Johnson won American Idol. Then it was assumed that the album would be self-titled but on June 23, it was revealed that the album would be titled, Testify. Johnson co-wrote six of the ten tracks and worked with musicians such as, Blair Daly, James Michael of Sixx:AM, Sam Hollander, Aloe Blacc, Justin Tranter of Semi Precious Weapons, and Dave Bassett. The album's first single will be released in July 2014 and his Idol coronation song, "As Long as You Love Me" will serve as a bonus track.[3]

Johnson recorded the album in three weeks in between the Idol finale and tour. He says, "The week after the show ended, I flew all over the place and did a press run," "Immediately after that, I flew back to L.A. and started working on the record. I wrote 12 or 13 songs. Out of those, we picked eight to put on the record." About the songwriting progress, "We really just bounced off each other and pulled these songs out. Most of these songs we wrote in half a day, because we were going so quickly", says Johnson. [4]

Critical reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
All Music [5]
Knoxville News Sentinel[6]

The Knoxville News Sentinel's Chuck Campbell says that Johnson "has a likeable personality and a strong voice. But he's an underdeveloped performer on his undercooked new Testify, blandly molded to appeal to an overbroad audience, much like American Idol itself." [6]

Commercial performance

The album debuted on Billboard 200 at No. 24 with 11,000 copies sold in its debut week, giving him the distinction of having the lowest first week sales and inaugural chart position of any American Idol winner.[7] The album has sold 24,000 copies in the United States as of April 2016.[8] Including album equivalent units, a total of 30,695 units has been sold as of March 2018.[9]

Johnson also has the distinction of being the first American Idol winner to have their Idol coronation song, "As Long as You Love Me," fail to chart on the Billboard Hot 100 charts.[10]

Track listing

[11]

Testify   – Standard edition
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Sailing Away"Jonny Litten, Lenny Skolnik, Sidnie Tipton3:21
2."Save Me"Caleb Johnson, Joleen Belle, Tom Leonard, Skolnik3:39
3."Let Me In"Johnson, Blair Daly, James Michael3:02
4."Only One"Johnson, Josh Alexander, Sam Hollander4:09
5."Fighting Gravity"Johnson, Skolnik, Brian Howes3:58
6."Devil's Daughter"Johnson, Daly, Steve Diamond3:34
7."Another Life"Eric D. Wortham II, Egbert Nathaniel Dawkins III, Freddy Wexler3:16
8."Change"Johnson, Mitch Allan, Nate Cyphert3:52
9."Testify"Johnson, Daly, Dave Bassett3:47
10."As Long as You Love Me"Justin Hawkins3:08
Total length:35:46
Testify   – Deluxe edition
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
11."Dream On"Steven Tyler4:40
Total length:40:26

Personnel

Adapted from AllMusic.[12]

Performers
  • All vocals – Caleb Johnson
  • Background vocals – Justin Hawkins, Johnny Litten, Lenny Skolnik
  • Choir/chorus – Monet Bagneris, Auvrell Christophe, Calvin Dupree, Tommy Leonard

Design
  • Photography – Brian Bowen-Smith
  • Art direction – Stephanie Hsu, Sean Mosher-Smith
  • Design – Sean Mosher-Smith

Musicians

Production
  • A&R – Monica Benson, John Ehmann, Marta Navas, Katherine Neil, Marisa Torbet, Jeanne Venton
  • Digital editing – Paul DeCarlie
  • Drum technician – Jon Nicholson
  • Engineer – Wayne Gordon, Mike Plotnikoff
    • Assistant engineer – Sean Anders, Anthony Martinez, Muktar Muktar
    • Overdub engineer – Hatsukazu "Hatch" Inagaki
    • Vocal engineer – Hatsukazu "Hatch" Inagaki
  • Management – Ginger Ramsey, Brianne Widaman
  • Marketing – Jennifer Bowling
  • Mastering – Brian Gardner
  • Mixing – Chris Lord
    • Mixing assistant – Keith Armstrong, Ismael Barreto, Nik Karpen
  • Producer – Howard Benson, Les Scurry
  • Programming – Jonny Litten, Lenny Skolnik
  • Publicity – Meghan Prophet, Christine Wolff
  • String arrangement – Lenny Skolnik
  • Voices – Howard Benson

Release history
Country Date Label Formats Catalog
Germany August 11, 2014 Universal Music Group
Canada August 12, 2014
United States
002132002
Japan August 13, 2014 Universal Music Group

References
  1. "iTunes - Music - Caleb Johnson by Caleb Johnson". iTunes. Apple Inc.
  2. Schneider, Marc (May 22, 2014). "'Idol' Winner Caleb Johnson to Release Debut Album In August". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved May 30, 2014.
  3. Liberman, Mark. "Caleb Johnson's debut album has a new title, 'Testify'". USA Today. Retrieved June 23, 2014.
  4. Mansfield, Brian. "Caleb Johnson". USA Today. Retrieved August 15, 2014.
  5. "All Music review". All Music. Retrieved August 15, 2014.
  6. Campbell, Chuck (August 12, 2014). "'Tuned In' review: 'Idol' winner Caleb Johnson doesn't triumph with 'Testify'". Retrieved August 27, 2014.
  7. Grein, Paul (August 20, 2014). "Chart Watch: A New Low For 'American Idol'". Yahoo! Music.
  8. Max Willens (April 7, 2016). "'These Were The Biggest Flops 'American Idol' Has Ever Produced". International Business Times.
  9. Jurgensen, John (March 14, 2018). "How Do 'American Idol' Winners Fare in the Music Industry?". The Wall Street Journal.
  10. http://www.digitaljournal.com/a-and-e/music/american-idol-winner-caleb-johnson-flops-with-new-album-testify/article/399751#ixzz3BiLrP76s
  11. http://www.allmusic.com/album/release/testify-mr0004210115
  12. http://www.allmusic.com/album/release/testify-mr0004210115/credits
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