Well, we all know that Natasha is beautiful, a great singer, very talented, and so on.

But, I think it would be fair to say that N.B. was only a moderate success in Europe, and, if compared to her debut, a failure.

(Worldwide sales of 250,000 and BPI Gold compared to worldwide sales of over 2.5 million, BPI 3x Platinum and RIAA Platinum).

None of the singles made it to #1 in any country or on any significant chart, and Say It Again failed to chart altogether.:(

I don't really think this is her fault, but more of the record companies, execs, and so on involved.

 

And the release of an album different to the European one in the States (whilst understable given poor sales of N.B.) just reminds us of the usual; UK artists "stepping up the game" - remixing their songs, making new vids, changing their "look", for the US market...which begs the question, why should the Uk and European audience be served inferior stuff than the American market?

 

So, here are my thoughts on her career, what would happen in my ideal world

 

United Kingdom and Europe

 

Release "Not Givin' Up" as the 4th and final single from N.B., around Jan/February.

Even though she will probably be in States doing promo, it is a good song and should hopefully boost sales of N.B.

If the radio stations give it a chance, and loyal fans do their buying, and downloading, and most importanly, requesting, it should chart top 20, at least, and probably higher in Europe.

 

After that...big NO to re-release, it just has failure written all over it.

So, I would advocate a "Best Of.." or "Pocketful of Sunshine (European Version)".

With this tracklisting:

 

1. Put Your Arms Around Me

2. Pocketful of Sunshine

3. Happy

4. Love Like This

5. Piece of Your Heart

6. Freckles

7. I Wanna Have Your Babies (Snowflake Remix)

8. Soulmate (Bimbo Jones Remix)

9. Bruised Water (Natasha Bedingfield vs Chicane)

10. Say It Again (US version)

11. The One That Got Away (Wamdue Mix)

12. BONUS track: Unwritten (Hani Num Remix)

 

Singles:

- Love Like This (even though I'm personally not crazy over it, Sean Kingston has been making it big in Europe recently and I am sure just thanks to his presence it will get added attention from radio, and his own fans).

- Pocketful of Sunshine

- The One That Got Away (Wamdue Mix) - a wicked song that never got released as a single in Europe, sure-fire hit as it was in the States.

- Bruised Water...not sure if it would be able to be included, due to copyright and so on. But, a great song, already a hit on Youtube and another sure-fit hit, both on regular charts and on the dancefloor B)

- Either the best US track / a re-release of Say It Again (how could such a great song flop? Dang!)

 

United States

 

I am hopeful of Love Like This going top 5 and staying around the higher end of the charts at least until the start of 2008.

I am glad it has done so well, I did fear for a while that it would flop and Natasha would get dropped by her label. :(

As for Pocketful of Sunshine, its a far superior single, and I am sure it will do well..although I fear that the great exposure it got on the Hills was a bit too early, and that by the time it is finally released it won't be as "fresh". But, I am pretty sure that it will be a big hit, and I reckon we will soon see it charting prematurely in Singapore or Tokyo or similar charts.

 

The tracklisting for the album though, was a bit disapointing. I guess it is confirmed by now though..but, I would definetely have included Smell the Roses and No More What Ifs.

Smell the Roses could easily go on to become Natasha's next "Unwritten",

whilst "No More (What Ifs)" would be sure to get attention from Hip-Hop and Urban stations and, therefore, fans who normally would never listen to her or who probably don't know even who she is. Eve is a great rapper, and her rap on No More is by no means sub-standard; definite hit material, methinks.

 

I have heard that Say It Again is being mixed again for "Pocketful of Sunshine", I hope the new mix features Adam Levine more prominently.

If so, I am confident of it charting well in the States too, and if re-released in a physical format in UK would chart.

And I am sure that if the follow-up singles to Love Like This do just as well, Pocketful of Sunshine will easily go platinum over there

 

So, what do you guys think? ^_^

 

And the release of an album different to the European one in the States (whilst understable given poor sales of N.B.) just reminds us of the usual; UK artists "stepping up the game" - remixing their songs, making new vids, changing their "look", for the US market...which begs the question, why should the Uk and European audience be served inferior stuff than the American market?

 

It's completely out of order imo, the USA got The One That Got Away & Stumble on their album and imo they are two of the best songs Natasha had ever recorded; as is PFOS, I'm not too keen of LLT but I'm not suprised at it doing well :)

Love Like This is a bit...urgh!...when you first listen to it,

but the more you listen to it, (I at least) warm up to it.

But still not a song I would listen to over and over again...a bit too cheesy.

And not cheesy in a nice way like Babies...just, cheesy.

 

The One That Got Away is a brilliant song and no-wonder it was #1 on the Dance and Dance Airplay charts..

I think it would definetly be a hit in UK and Europe, and would be good for European fans to get the same material the Americans get.

Love Like This is a bit...urgh!...when you first listen to it,

but the more you listen to it, (I at least) warm up to it.

But still not a song I would listen to over and over again...a bit too cheesy.

And not cheesy in a nice way like Babies...just, cheesy.

 

The One That Got Away is a brilliant song and no-wonder it was #1 on the Dance and Dance Airplay charts..

I think it would definetly be a hit in UK and Europe, and would be good for European fans to get the same material the Americans get.

 

It most certainly would. And it would save me the $17 shipping fee too

I am proud to say I bought Love Like This on iTunes. ;D

 

I hope Pocketful of Sunshine does just as well. I don't think LLT has any chance of getting top 5 though. Top 10 POSSIBLY.

Well, it's just stepped back up to #18..

but after studying charts and stuff, I doubt it will make top 10...

At very most, step up a few places...but even so, I reckon it's probably peaked on most charts by now.

 

I just hope Pocketful of Sunshine is released soon, before the album! :yahoo:

To be honest I doubt adding remixes to the album and re-packaging for the UK would do much good, hypothetically speaking. In my mind Natasha needs some tracks that are really commercial and fresh. She needs to get her butt back to the UK, get a really awesome album out there with mostly new material, promote herself like crazy and let people know she's really back and she means it.

 

I don't think that will happen for a moment though. Inside information says she's planning to go back to America, cancelling plans in the UK and just really go for it out there and hopefully have success there with the album. I think maybe that's a safer bet but it doesn't exactly thrill her UK fanbase. But I guess it could be better than a half hearted attempt in both countries at the same time.

 

We will see though, only time can tell.

Well, it's just stepped back up to #18..

but after studying charts and stuff, I doubt it will make top 10...

At very most, step up a few places...but even so, I reckon it's probably peaked on most charts by now.

 

I just hope Pocketful of Sunshine is released soon, before the album! :yahoo:

 

The album is going to be out Jan 22, and "Love Like This" is doing really well so far, so I really doubt it's going to be released as a single prior to the album-release.

 

"Pocket" has enormous potential, though, as my site's traffic went absolutely berzerk after the song was played on "The Hills."

I could be getting it on itunes as well. I am glad they are keeping say it again, that song is awesome and I am also glad they are dropping the excreable I wanna hav e youir babies, so this album will be better

Right now, Love Like This is lurking around the lower ends of the Top 20, can only hope it will climb into the top 10, before it begins falling back down...

 

You're right, Pocketful of Sunshine has enormous potential, I can really see it becoming a huge hit and some remixes of it making it onto the dance chart, for example.

 

Also, Natasha performed 'Say It Again' on "Dick Clark's Rockin' New Year's Eve" (December 07) to pretty rapturous aplause, and following an introduction by Fergie. See here, at the bottom of this page: http://www.thesewords.net/

 

I can really see it being released as a 3rd single after LLT and PFOS...maybe even making it onto the UK charts as well. :yahoo:

 

What do you guys think?