Billboard Magazine Article

Atlantic's Lewis aims to defy 1-Hit-Wonder status with 'Planet' by Jim Bessman

NEW YORK-With her sophomore Atlantic Records album, "Blue Planet" streeting July 14th, Donna Lewis' goals are two fold: The "I Love You Always Forever" singer/songwriter seeks to prove she's not a mere one hit wonder, as well as demonstrate that she's an artist with a broader range than that massive 1996 hit single might have suggested.

"The last album[her gold certified "Now In A Minute" debut] did really well, and the single did fantastic, and I'm grateful for that," says Lewis. "But at the same time, you're known as a pop one-hit wonder. Not that that bothers me that much, but I think I have such a wealth of material and want to make people aware that at the end of the day, I'm a serious songwriter and more than "I Love You Always Forever.'"

The Welsh born artist, who co-produced "Now In A Minute" in New York, and has been based in Woodstock, later moved to Ireland, where she produced "Blue Planet" in her home studio near Dublin overlooking the Irish Sea. "I wanted to be near my family and have my Celtic roots for this record," she says. "There's a Celtic flavor in a few places, like [album track] "Take Me Home.'"

That song, which was originally written for the movie "Anastasia"-for which Lewis sang the title song-was recorded mostly live, like much of "Blue Planet". "The piano, drums, and bass [on "Take Me Home"] were cut live in the studio," she says. "'Falling' has real drums, and so does 'I Could Be The One' so there's more of a balance this time, instead of using loops everywhere, like the last record. But the atmospheric side of 'the Donna Lewis sound' is still there."

The first single, "I Could Be The One," shipped to pop and AC formats May 29, and will be commercially availible June 23. "We think it's a pop smash, very indictive of 'I Love You Always Forever', which still has reccurent air play as we speak," says Lee Stimmel, Atlantic's senior developer of of product development. Stimmel's speculation is supported by J.R. Ammons, music director at top 40 WSTR Atlanta.

"It sounds like a hit, with an obvious hook, poppy and uptempo," says Ammons, who adds that "I Love You Always Forever"-"obviously an enormous record"-is still played on his station. I imagine ["I Could Be The One"] will be the most added single the week it comes out."

Pointing up at the problem with Lewis, Ammons notes that "she's not a big name artist-just somebody who's had phenomenal success for one single. The follow ups didn't go far, and this is a song-driven format where it's 'What have you done for me lately?' But I think this record will be a big record, a radio hit."

Stimmel says that "I Could Be The One" targets the initial female 12-24 age demo for "I Love You Always Forever" and "Now In A Minute." "It allows the world to know that the new Donna Lewis album is out in a big way," he says.

But the second and third "Blue Planet" singles are aimed at expanding her base, Stimmel notes. "Love Him,' which is tentatively going to be the second single is dancey and upbeat, and will have club remixes," he says. "'Falling,' which is tentaively the third single, is more of an uptempo, luscious ballad. That will get the older females, and thats are goal: to hit first with the original target demo, and explode outwards."

Like Lewis, Atlantic also wants to expand her recognition factor beyond her sucess as a songwriter and singer by focusing on her as an artist. "Last time the record was so huge, so quickly, it overshadowed the artist that was behind it," Stimmel says. "We never really caught up with that, so this is our opportunity to focus on the artist. Donna produced, arranged, wrote and played most of the instruments on the album, and that's phenomenal and not typical of the landscape in today's pop. So from day one we're showing she's an artist, focusing on that in all our press materials, including an electronic press kit."

Besides the radio thrust, the label "will get her on T.V. like nobody's seen," says Stimmel, with appearences covering from the RuPaul show, to "Live with Regis and Kathie Lee." Noting that Lewis benefited last time out by her performance on "Beverly Hills 90210," he adds, "Television is most effective for her and really puts a stamp on an artist like her. So she'll grow on television as the project grows."

A video for the first single, directed by Nancy Bardawill, will be shipped to VH1 as soon as it's completed.

Lewis, who is managed by Arma Andon and Steve Fargnoli and published by Warner/Chapell, is currently without booking agency representation. But Stimel says that an "artist tour" is being put together and will link her with comparable male and female singer/songwriters. The tour is likely to commence in September.

Don't forget, she has a huge international fan base and will go on an international promotion tour as well," says Stimmel.

Lewis says that she's now "working flat-out" getting ready to promote "Blue Planet", which Atlantic will put out worldwide simultaneously with the U.S. release. She's getting a touring band together, "which is very important for me to do," she says. "I did a few gigs in America on the last album, and it was great. Two of the new songs were first played live there, and and went down incredibly well, which is a good sign."

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