- Title: I Am… Shasha Fierce
- Released: November 18, 2008
- Label: Music World, Columbia
- Sales:
- World: 7,000,000
- US: 2,900,000
- UK: 1,411,189
DISC ONE: “I Am”
01 - If I Were A Boy
02 - Halo
03 - Disappear
04 - Broken-Hearted Girl
05 - Ave Maria
06 - Smash Into You
07 - Satellites
08 - That's Why You're Beautiful
DISC TWO: “Sasha Fierce”
01 - Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)
02 - Radio
03 - Sweet Dreams
04 - Video Phone
05 - Hello
06 - Ego
07 - Scared of Lonely
BONUS TRACKS
“That’s Why You’re Beautiful” (Deluxe edition bonus track)
“Video Phone” (Extended Remix featuring Lady Gaga)
“Why Don’t You Love Me”
“Poison”
ABOUT
I Am… Sasha Fierce is the third studio album by American R&B recording artist Beyoncé. It was released on November 18, 2008, by Columbia Records. The album was released in dual disc format, in which both discs represent a contrasting facet to Knowles’ personality and musical style. The first disc, I Am…, incorporates slow and mid-tempo R&B and pop ballads, while the second disc, Sasha Fierce, named after Knowles’ on-stage alter ego, contains uptempo dance songs that blend Europop and electropop genres. A deluxe edition of the album was released simultaneously with the standard edition.
Knowles credited her husband and rapper Jay-Z and jazz singer Etta James for inspiring her to effectively incorporate other genres and melodies into the album. Musically, I Am… drew inspiration from folk music and alternative rock, while blending acoustic guitar elements into the contemporary ballads. The tracks on the first disc were written and produced by Knowles, with assistance from Kenneth Edmonds, Christopher Stewart, Terius Nash, and Ryan Tedder. Sasha Fierce incorporated production and songwriting from Rodney Jerkins, Sean Garrett, and Solange. The album received mixed to positive reviews from music critics, with many commenting on the album’s failure to differentiate between Knowles and her alter-ego, something that would have been avoided in a one disc collection.
I Am… Sasha Fierce debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart, having sold 482,000 units in its first week, becoming Knowles’ third consecutive US number-one solo album. It became a commercial success, earning at least fifteen platinum certifications in separate markets worldwide. As of March 2011, I Am… Sasha Fierce had sold over seven million copies worldwide, with its digital tracks alone having sold more than 15 million units globally. The album garnered eight Grammy Award nominations at the 52nd annual ceremony, eventually collecting five wins. To promote the album, Knowles made several award show and televised appearances across Europe and America, as well as embarking on the worldwide I Am… Tour.
The album spawned several singles, some serving as international and stateside releases, while others were for promotional purposes. The two lead singles from I Am… Sasha Fierce, “If I Were a Boy” and “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)”, were both international chart toppers. The former topped the charts in over eight countries and reached number three on the Billboard Hot 100, while the latter peaked inside the top ten in several major music markets, becoming her fifth number one single on the Hot 100 chart. “Diva” and “Ego” were released as US-only singles, while “Halo” and “Sweet Dreams” were promoted internationally as the third and fourth singles respectively. “Broken-Hearted Girl” was released internationally as the fifth single and “Video Phone”, the final single, was released in November 2009.
