Upon release, Free Yourself earned largely mixed reviews from music critics, most of whom praised Fantasia's vocal performance but criticized the record's production. A commercial success, the album debuted at number eight on the US Billboard 200, with first-week sales of 240,000 units; it had sold 1.8 million copies in the US by 2010. Despite critical polarity, the album was nominated for three Grammy Awards in 2006. Free Yourself produced five singles; the lead single "Truth Is" peaked at number 21 on the US Billboard Hot 100, while the title track reached number 41.
Singles
In June 2004, Fantasia released her debut single, "I Believe", which later debuted at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100, making her the first artist in history to achieve this with a first single.[2] On the sales chart, the song spent eleven consecutive weeks at number one, giving it the longest consecutive stay on top of that chart for an American Idol contestant. The CD single, "I Believe", went on to become the top selling single of 2004 in the United States.[3][4] The song was later included as the closing track on Free Yourself.
"Truth Is" was released as the lead single from Free Yourself on November 15, 2004.[5] It peaked at number 21 on Billboard Hot 100,[6] and number two on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.[7] The most successful single taken from the album, it topped the Adult R&B Songs chart for 13 weeks.[8] "Baby Mama" was released as the second single on February 14, 2005,[9] peaking at number 60 on the Billboard Hot 100, and number 16 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.[6][7]
"It's All Good" was released as the third single from Free Yourself on March 15, 2005.[10] Its remixes, produced by The Scumfrog and Nate Skaten, prompted the song to reach number 21 on the US Dance Club Songs.[11] "Free Yourself" was released as the fourth single on April 4.[12] The song peaked at number 41 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number three on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs,[6][7] also becoming Fantasia's second number-one hit on the Adult R&B Songs.[13] "Ain't Gon' Beg You" was released as the fifth and final single from Free Yourself on August 1, 2005,[14] reaching the top 40 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.[7]
Free Yourself was released to largely mixed reviews from music critics. Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic rated the album three out of five stars and wrote: "Free Yourself is looser and hipper than any previous American Idol album. Gone is Matthew Wilder, who contributed to Kelly's debut; gone are Neil Sedaka and Aldo Nova, who featured heavily on Clay's album. In their place are Missy Elliott, Jermaine Dupri and Rodney Jerkins, hip-hop hitmakers who give a good indication that this album is striving to seem fresh and hip, something that no other American Idol album has even attempted."[15]IGN critic Chris Carle "note that "there are a few missteps on Free Yourself, but the album as a whole is solid, old-fashioned R&B featuring thee best voice yet to come from America's most popular show."[1]
Christian Hoard from Rolling Stone found that Free Yourself "leaves too much room for the pyrotechnics that constitute vocal talent on the show. But Barrino has gotten crucial help from a cavalcade of top urban songwriters and producers. The result is solid, up-to-date R&B; that puts some sexy bounce into its soccer-mom pop and bookends a cover of "Summertime" with a Missy Elliott jam."[16] Sal Cinquemani, writing for Slant Magazine, described the album as "a smattering of everything that’s going on in mainstream R&B right now." He added: "These are artists we’ve gotten to know in a live context, and like most of the albums by the Idols before her, Free Yourself doesn't fully capture the Fantasia we watched make Paula weep on TV week after week."[17] Neva Chonin from San Francisco Chronicle felt that Fantasia's "first CD doesn't do her justice [...] Layered vocals pour like waterfalls, Fantasia's skills are extolled in sundry shout-outs, and faux-vinyl scratchiness lends touches of nostalgic verite. Even the Elliott-produced title track is clinically smooth and forgettable."[18]
Free Yourself debuted and peaked at number eight on the US Billboard 200 in the week ending November 12, 2004,[19] with first week sales of 240,000 copies.[20] It also reached number two on Billboard's Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.[21] A steady seller, it remained 42 weeks on the chart and was eventually certified platinum by Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on January 6, 2005.[19][22] By August 2010, Free Yourself had sold 1.8 million copies in the United States, according to Nielsen Soundscan.[20]
