Quote:
Originally posted by Ripedie254
Can someone give me a rundown of what went wrong with Bionique?
Because IHB, NMT, PM, WH, etc all sound like SMASH
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4 paragraphs of teaChristina had announced in 2009 that she wanted to make an experimental and organic record. Producers and collaborators started being confirmed/ leaked, including LeTigre, Sia, Peaches and Goldfrapp, so the initial buzz of the era was that she was coming back with a game changing album. She announced 'Glam' as the lead single in a magazine interview. But then 'Burlesque' came up and the album was delayed for a year.
In 2010 when she finally came back and announced the lead single, it was a song we hadn't heard of before (we had about 20 rumoured song titles at that point) by a producer that she hadn't talked about. 'NMT' and all her collaborations with Pollow Da Don and Ester Dean ('WH', 'IHB', 'Vanity') were recorded just a few weeks before release, because X had decided to re-work the album after she wrapped up 'Burlesque'. It's possible that the label made her record more music because they didn't feel her alternative and experimental sound would work. It's rumoured that Christina wanted the lead single to be a song that we haven't even heard (Sia said that at some point)
'NMT' was poorly received, not because it was a bad song, but because it wasn't what people expected. People (and certain blogs) found a chance to jump on the anti-Christina bandwagon. They had it in for her for a long time. The negativity had started in 2008 when people blamed her for copying Gaga at the VMA's (which, as GaGa admitted, jumpstarted her career) and Christina responded to the controversy by throwing shade (Idk if it's a man or a woman etc). When the 'NMT' video was released, the Gaga comparisons were widespread and people were going in for the kill. Biggest backlash any popstar had received at that time for an album since Madonna's 'American Life'
RCA's mishandling didn't help. After 'NMT' flopped (average first week sales, freefell out of the Top 50 on iTunes soon after, Oprah performance didn't help it at all), the label didn't even try to push the album back or release another song. They uploaded WooHoo on X's channel, made it a free download on iTunes for the fans that pre-ordered the album and tried to send it to rhythmic radio (but didn't at the end of the day). The album was basically released without a single. NMT had already flopped and there was no other song on the radio to support the album. The promo was solely based on the US and only lasted 8 days. The second single was an awful remix of 'YLM' released in the middle of the summer. It's her biggest radio flop to date. The era ended shortly after.
Sorry for the essay. I'm still pressed about the 'Bionic' era, so I'm always ready to talk about it when asked.
. The links for the rate thread, spotify playlist and the PM link is provided
could have been a fun era, but Xtinas image at the time wasn't so great
. The pain still there when i remember it 
