This Is My Time is the third studio album by American singer-songwriter and actress Raven-Symoné, released in the United States on September 21, 2004 by Hollywood Records. The album is her debut with the Disney-owned label and debuted at number 51 on the US Billboard 200,Music Albums, Top 200 Albums & Music Album Charts Billboard.com Billboard.com with 19,000 copies sold in its first week. It nevertheless became Raven-Symoné's best-selling solo album, selling 237,000 copies up to February 2, 2007 in the US, according to Nielsen SoundScan.
Release and promotion Raven-Symoné released a five-track EP with Hollywood Records on January 1, 2004 prior to the release of This Is My Time, containing "Backflip", "Bump", "Overloved", "What Is Love?", and "Mystify".[ allmusic ((( This Is My Time [Advance EP] )))]
The single "Backflip" debuted on Radio Disney on July 28, 2004. Its release was accompanied by a music videoRaven-Symone Takes On The Bad Guys mtv.com directed by Sanaa Hamri. It premiered on BET's Access Granted on August 25, 2004. popdirt.com The video received heavy rotation on Disney Channel, BET and MTV.
Four songs from the album were incorporated into soundtracks of Walt Disney films: The Lion King 1½ with "Grazing in the Grass"; The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement with the album's title track; Ice Princess with "Bump"; and Go Figure with "Life Is Beautiful".
Symoné performed "Backflip" live for the first time at Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on November 25, 2004. Symoné performed the song on tours, This Is My Time Tour and Raven-Symoné: Live in Concert Tour.
Critical reception
Following its release, This Is My Time received generally mixed reviews. Both AllMusic and Vibe gave the album two and a half stars out of five. Vibe editor Angie Romero wrote: "Once known as little Olivia from The Cosby Show, Raven-Symoné wants to show the world she’s all grown up. To prove it, she records an album full of pop/R&B hybrids brimming with Hilary Duff–like innocence and sparkling arrangements. Yet, none of [her] composers can compensate for the teen queen’s sub-par singing, the one thing preventing her from getting her full bloom on." AllMusic critic Jason Thurston found that "Symoné here offers up music that is sweet, melodic, and definitely mature R&B, in the vein of another singer who got her start as a kid on a popular TV show – Janet Jackson."
Commercial performance This Is My Time debuted at number 50 on the US Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and at number 51 on the official Billboard 200 of week dated October 9, 2004, with moderately successful first week sales of 19,000 copies (best debut in the chart to date); making it Raven-Symoné's first album to enter the chart in the United States. The set sold 237,000 copies to date in the US, according to Nielsen SoundScan.Top Hip-Hop and R&B Albums & Charts Billboard.com Billboard.com
Track listing
Notes "What Is Love?" covers the 2003 song originally performed by Play. "Grazing in the Grass" covers the 1969 renderition of the song performed by The Friends of Distinction. "Overloved" was later covered by Paula DeAnda on her debut self-titled album. "This Is My Time" is featured on the soundtrack for The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement. "Bump" appears on the soundtrack Ice Princess.
Tour Raven in Concert was the debut concert tour by Raven-Symoné in support of This Is My Time. Primarily visiting North America, the tour played nearly 40 shows at numerous music festivals and state fairs in the United States.
Opening acts Lil' J (August 6–13, August 16–29, September 8, September 15 and October 7, 2006) Jump5 (Baton Rouge, Fairlea, Agawam and Allegan) LaTanya Monroe (Glen Allen) Lil J Xavier (Arlington) Everlife (Arlington) Choo-Choo Soul (Monroe)
Charts +Chart performance for This Is My TimeChart (2004)PeakpositionCanadian Albums (Nielsen SoundScan)74Canadian R&B Albums (Nielsen SoundScan)19
Release history +Release history and formats for This Is My Time Country Date LabelEuropeSeptember 7, 2004Megaphon ImportserviceUnited KingdomSeptember 14, 2004HollywoodJapanSeptember 15, 2004United States September 21, 2004Canada Hollywood/Universal Music GroupSlovakiaFranceHong KongHong KongOctober 15, 2004
References