Background
With the release of two previous albums, Heart to Yours and Do You Know, Williams had established herself as a promising success in the gospel music industry, topping and dominating the US Billboard Gospel Albums chart in 2002, selling over 200,000 units of her debut album and 78,000 of her second. Williams had also pursued acting, starring in the Broadway musical Aida in 2003 and the 2007 touring production of The Color Purple which earned her an award for "Lead Female Actress" in 2008 at the 18th Annual NAACP Theatre Awards. In addition to this, Williams made her television debut via three episodes on UPN's Half & Half as "Naomi".
In 2005 however, during an interview with MTV about Destiny's Child's #1's album and last single "Stand Up For Love", Beyoncé Knowles said Williams was "working on her third solo album" which "may veer from gospel" to a more "mainstream R&B" sound. Also referenced in the article is Williams' cover of the Al Green classic, "Let's Stay Together" that was not only featured in a Gap commercial but also on the Roll Bounce soundtrack. In 2006, Williams confirmed her change of musical direction and sound explaining, "I know my first two albums were gospel, but I'm going to do some soul music because I love R&B music, so I'm excited about that opportunity" at Clive Davis's annual pre-Grammy party. Williams also expressed great interest in working with Anthony Hamilton, John Legend and Bonnie Raitt, stating that the album would "hopefully" be "be out at the end of year early next year".
Read more about this topic: Unexpected (Michelle Williams Album)
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