Chris Brown's Angel Numerology Album Review, 11:11
By B. Sims aka ‘Urban Music Enthusiast’
In 2005, at 16 years of age, the world was formally introduced to Chris Brown with his self-titled album, which debuted at number 2 on Billboard Top 200. Since then, he has created 11 albums in 18 years.
In the music business, there is a difference between sales and impact/influence but this man has mastered both. It’s refreshing to support an artist who is serious about nurturing their craft, and the seriousness is reflected in their music sonically and treatments visually. Of note, all of this has been accomplished in the face of an immense amount of adversity, criticism, and false narratives. If the music industry is a theoretical ocean, Chris Brown has been swimming against the current, for over a decade and by passing almost all of his colleagues in sales, production, and relevance without seemingly ever getting tired. He has unmatched work ethic, endurance, and execution.
There are many levels of artistry that Chris excels at. He dances as excellently as he sings, and his director's capacity for video treatments is also of a superior level. Not to mention, he has films in his portfolio as well and is a much better actor than many entertainers turned actors. I’m sure, none of his fans would be disappointed to see him on the big screen again, as it has been quite a while since the release of his last film features 'Think Like a Man' in 2012 and 'Takers' in 2010.
The most recent album, BREEZY, was released in 2022. It sold 70,000+ in 1st week sales and debut at number three on Billboard Top 200. Of note, Chris was displeased with this album's performance and reception, largely because the media was more invested in circulating negative narratives instead of promoting music around album release. Chris is undeniably a living legend at 34 years of age and has most recently released studio album number 11 , titled 11:11.
The project was intended to be released in 2 parts, with the first 11 tracks (A Side) released at 11 am on 11/11/23 and tracks 11-22 (B Side) were to be released at 11 pm on that day. Chris informed the fans days prior to album release, that the entire album would be available 24 hours early.
Surprisingly, out of the 22 tracks, only 5 tracks feature artists like Davido, Lojay, Future, MAETA, Byron Messia and Fridayy. Throughout the project we hear a subtle blend of RnB, pop and Afrobeats, a skill Chris has mastered over the years that has helped to increase his international reach and appeal.
Also, due to his superior songwriting and production capacity, it’s nearly impossible for Chris to create music that is anything less than above average. Even so, aside from the singles that were already released including ‘Summer Too Hot’ and ‘Sensational', none of these songs jump out from the album and stand sonically on their own. Be that as it may, Chris Brown records historically increase in appeal over time, so it is very possible in 6 months that these tracks may stand out more than they do upon release.
However, the album does reflect the artist's personal growth, and the overall energy is uplifting and encourages engagement (mostly in a non-platonic capacity). The album also feels light, most likely because Chris created it from one of the most peaceful and unproblematic places in his adulthood. He starts the album by discussing his healing journey and commitment to personal development. There are also many stories of romantic interest, without the air of desperation and frustration, often expressed by other artists in the dating world who have been single for a sustained amount of time. Since his last relationship, there has been a casual air to courtship expressed in his music, which is refreshing and hopeful.
Although 11:11 did not outperform the albums released previously including Breezy and Indigo, I'm sure this won’t be the last or second-to-last album gift to the world. But at baseline, his music always seems to encourage listeners to live their best life by simply putting on clothes to go outside, getting up to dance, calling a friend to connect or by asking a pretty girl on a date. And with an artist who creates and records music as often as Chris, there is no limit to the extent in which his sound will evolve as it has done consistently over the last 18 years.
Easy Listening, From The Urban Music Enthusiast