I Am... Sasha Fierce is the third studio album by American R&B recording artist Beyoncé Knowles. Columbia Records released a deluxe edition of the album simultaneously with the standard edition in several countries starting on November 14, 2008. The album was marketed 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 midtempo introspective R&B and pop ballads, while the second disc, Sasha Fierce, named after Knowles' on-stage alter ego, shifts focus to more uptempo dance that blend Europop and electropop genres. For the lyrics, Knowles worked with many staffwriters, with instrumentation by session musicians.

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.

Development[link]

Knowles' portrayal of singer Etta James (pictured) in the 2008 movie Cadillac Records, altered the sound of I Am... Sasha Fierce. James' boldness allowed Knowles to take artistic freedom while recording songs for the project.^[1]

In a letter addressed to her fans, Knowles revealed that she worked on I Am... Sasha Fierce for nearly one year, taking time to "create her sound ... Something that says who I am at this stage in my life. I have poured my heart and soul into it." It was project on which she spent the longest period of time since her first records at 15 years old as a member of Destiny's Child.^[2] She began working on I Am... Sasha Fierce in 2007; Knowles felt that she had to show artistic growth on the record, "Even though I've been very successful and very fortunate, I want to still be challenged."^[3] Knowles was inspired by her husband Jay-Z and Etta James, whom she played in the 2008 musical biopic Cadillac Records; James' boldness inspired Knowles to express herself directly and honestly, and explore musical genres and styles that she had not experimented with previously.^[4][1] Knowles had already started producing material for I Am... Sasha Fierce, but in the middle of recording signed on for Cadillac Records. After studying of the life of James and her work on Cadillac Record, the production of I Am... Sasha Fierce resulted in new dramatic range once Knowles had finished the film;^[1] the direction of the album was altered.^[1] Knowles was willing to take risks and redefine who she was. She hoped to reach out for a wider audience, including people who buy records by American singers John Mayer and Carrie Underwood.^[1] She explained in an interview:

The music I made before and after the movie were very different. I was a lot more bold and fearless after I played Etta James, because of course some of the character stays with you. Some of the music I would have been afraid to make, I wasn’t. I got more guts, more confidence as a human being. I think that’s why I love doing movies so much, because it’s not just an art form. It changes my life and my music and the way I look at things. When you’re a pop star, it’s a little conservative, you always have to stay in a box. You have fans that are 5 and fans that are 65, there are so many people that want so many things. But Etta James was the queen of rock ’n’ roll, soul, R&B, jazz — she did it all, and she always made it her own. After playing her and singing her songs, I thought, it’s time for me to challenge myself and do whatever I’m inspired to do. I know you have to make a transition into being legendary, and I knew that it was time.

Production and recording[link]

The recording of the album took place over an eight month period;^[2][5] recording sessions took place during 2007 and 2008 at several recording studios, including Tree Sound Studios in Atlanta; Chung King Studios; Electric Lady Studios; Strawberrybee Productions in New York; GAD Studios in Ibiza, Spain; Mansfield Studios and The Campground in Los Angeles; South Beat Studios in Miami Beach; and The Boom Boom Room in Burbank, California.^[6] Knowles either co-wrote or co-produced all material on I Am... Sasha Fierce.^[7][1] She collaborated with several record producers and songwriters, including Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, Stargate (a production duo composed of Tor Erik Hermansen and Mikkel Storleer Eriksen), Christopher "Tricky" Stewart, Terius "The-Dream" Nash, Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins, Sean Garrett, Solange, Jim Jonsin, Rico Love, Ryan Tedder, Shondrae "Bangladesh" Crawford, Ian Dench, Dave McCracken, Wayne Wilkins and Elvis Williams.^[8] Knowles also collaborated with some musicians she had never worked with in the past, including Toby Gad and BC Jean on "If I Were a Boy", and Amanda Ghost on "Disappear".^[9] The only producer-songwriter duo to feature on both sides of the album is Tricky Stewart and Terius Nash, who worked on "Smash into You" from the I Am... disc and the lead-in track on the Sasha Fierce disc, "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)".^[9]

I'm a human being. I cry. I'm very passionate and sensitive. My feelings get hurt. I get scared and nervous like everyone else. And I wanted to show that about myself. It [The album] is about love. I'm a woman, I'm married, and this portion of my life is all in the album. It's a lot more personal. I'm very private and I don't talk about a lot of things, but there are certain songs that are on the album that are very personal. It's [The album] my diary. It's my story... I still have my album of fun songs.'"

—Beyoncé Knowles on the development of the album.[10]

For the I Am... disc, Knowles was influenced by folk and alternative rock genres, while incorporating other instruments she had not normally used previously, such as the acoustic guitar.^[8] Tedder specifically assisted Knowles with crafting the album's balladry.^[8] The ballads were crafted in a way to combine "the best elements" of pop and soul music, while simultaneously "expanding the possibilities of both genres".^[8] Knowles attempted something different as people had strong expectations from her; she experimented with stronger lyrics.^[8] She affirmed, "I love singing ballads because I feel like the music and the emotion in the story is told so much better. It's a better connection because you can hear it and it's not all these other distractions. I really wanted people to hear my voice and hear what I had to say." Knowles worked with Ghost to re-write Franz Schubert's "Ave Maria" after having co-writtten "Disappear" in London. Ghost told The Daily Telegraph that they were both inspired by their then-recent marriages and had walked down the aisle to "Ave Maria".^[11] For the Sasha Fierce disc, Knowles opted for a collection of songs that she is for.^[9] She said, "I love just as much as the more intimate side of me."^[9]

During the eight-month period, Knowles recorded over 70 songs and decided during the editing process that she did not want to reconcile the two approaches into one disc.^[1][2][5] She explained, "There's my personal life, my sensitive side, and then me as a performer, sexy and energized and fun ... Artistically it was more fulfilling recording and writing [for the I Am... disc]."^[1] If a song was meaningless to her, she cut them off during the process of elimination for the final track-listing.^[9] I Am... Sasha Fierce represented a more personal effort than her previous releases Dangerously in Love (2003) and B’Day (2006).^[1] In the months leading up to the release of the album, Knowles released a statement on her official website giving details about the nature of the album and what could be expected from it. She said: "I am in a different place right now and I want people to see the many sides of me. The music is upbeat for the dance, fun side and it is reflective, passionate and serious for the personal side. It's me and I am so excited to share it with the world on November 18."^[12] Making comparisons to a magazine, Knowles further elaborated that the record was a double album and that it had two covers.^[13] The black-and-white artworks for the standard, deluxe and platinum editions of I Am... Sasha Fierce were all shot by German photographer Peter Lindbergh.^[14]

Composition[link]

	I really wanted people to get to know what I love and to introduce them to different types of music. I started out, obviously, in Destiny's Child singing R&B, and I still love it. So I had to make sure I still had those grooves on the album.'"
—Beyoncé Knowles speaking of the content of the album.[10]

In an interview for Billboard magazine, Knowles described I Am... Sasha Fierce as a double album. She said, "One side has songs that are more mainstream and another has my more traditional R&B songs for my fans who've been there the whole time. Some of it sounds like Barbra Streisand, Karen Carpenter and The Beatles around the 1970s."^[15] In another interview with MTV News, Knowles said: "Half the record, I Am..., is about who I am underneath all the makeup, underneath the lights and underneath all the exciting star drama. And Sasha Fierce is the fun, more sensual, more aggressive, more outspoken side and more glamorous side that comes out when I'm working and when I'm onstage. The double album allows me to take more risks and really step out of myself, or shall I say, step more into myself, and reveal a side of me that only people who know me see."^[13] Music writer Andy Kellman of Allmusic viewed its first disc as, "essentially a small set of adult contemporary ballads. Acoustic guitars, pianos, strings, contemplative soul searching, and grand sweeping gestures fill it out, with more roots in '[19]70s soft rock than soul."^[16] The second disc, Sasha Fierce, contains consistent electro influences, which are displayed in songs like "Radio" and "Sweet Dreams".^[17][18] Kellman said in his review that "Diva" resembles B'Day's "Freakum Dress" or "Ring the Alarm" in terms of audacity.^[16] Despite being on the Sasha Fierce disc, "Ego", "Why Don't You Love Me" and "Scared of Lonely" were noted to be a meeting ground between the album's halves. According to Jennifer Vineyard of MTV News, they resemble Sasha Fierce musically, but thematically and lyrically, they are vulnerable like Knowles on the I Am... disc.^[13]

The album formally introduces Knowles' alter ego Sasha Fierce. She revealed that Sasha was born during the making of her 2003 hit single "Crazy in Love". In an interview with Emmet Sullivan of People magazine, Knowles affirmed that her alter ego is strictly for the stage, with the editor describing Sasha Fierce as the singer's sensual, aggressive alter ego.^[19] Later interviewed by Marie Claire, she revealed that she feels possessed by her alter-ego on stage: "I've created an alter ego [...]: things I do when performing I would never do normally. I reveal things about myself that I wouldn’t do in an interview. I have out-of-body experiences [on stage]. If I cut my leg, if I fall, I don't even feel it. I’m so fearless, I'm not aware of my face or my body".^[20] In the music video for "Single Ladies", Knowles wore a roboglove made of titanium. It was designed by her longtime jeweler, Lorraine Schwartz, and it is worn to complement Knowles' alter ego, "Sasha Fierce". It consists of several pieces, including a ring and a separate component that covers the upper arm.^[21] She first wore the roboglove on the red carpet at the MTV Europe Music Awards on November 8, 2008. She was also later seen with the same glove on Saturday Night Live and on the cover of Gotham magazine.^[21] However, during an interview with Allure magazine in February 2010, Knowles stated that she has "killed" Sasha Fierce, "because I've grown and now I'm able to merge the two [personalities]".^[22]

Musical style and lyrical content[link]

"If I Were a Boy", the first single of I Am..., stands as the only song on either disc that Knowles did not co-write. BC Jean, who wrote most of the song's lyrics, took inspiration from the product of a poor relationship.^[23] Knowles explained in Essence Magazine that "If I Were a Boy" is different from her previous songs in the sense that it is not a traditional R&B song.^[4] Music critics remarked that the song seemed to be a mixture of Knowles' 2006 hit "Irreplaceable", Fergie's 2007 single "Big Girls Don't Cry", and Ciara's 2007 single "Like a Boy".^[24] According to Leah Greenblatt of Entertainment Weekly, "If I Were a Boy" soars with melodic swells and unwavering sentiments shown in its lyrics,^[25] which reference an expression of sadness about misunderstanding between the genders and an indictment of the male side of relationships.^[26] Trish Crawford of Toronto Star compared the other lead single, "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" to Aretha Franklin's "Respect" and Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive".^[27] Ann Powers of the Los Angeles Times saw the song's theme of female empowerment as an expansion on that of "Irreplaceable".^[17] Musically, "Single Ladies" is an upbeat-dance-pop and R&B song^[28][29] and features dancehall and bounce influences.^[30][31] In "Single Ladies", Knowles lays emphasis on her more aggressive and sensual side, her alter ego "Sasha Fierce",^[32] who recognizes her dichotomy from Knowles' more intimate side in the way that she is empowered by the wedding ring on her finger.^[33] According to Jonah Weiner of Blender, the song makes a clear reference to marriage^[34] while Greg Kot of the Chicago Tribune felt that the lyrics had a connection with "post-breakup".^[35]

"Halo", composed by Ryan Tedder and Evan Bogart, was initially intended for Knowles but was almost recorded by Leona Lewis due to Knowles' schedule.^[36] According to Christian Williams of Billboard, "Halo" has a mainstream pop sound, with subtle R&B undertones.^[37] As stated in the Daily Mail, Knowles sings in a lower register than usual in the song, over big drums, pianos and stirring strings.^[38] The piano sound is further amplified by the "soul claps and step stomps".^[39] "Halo" describes a love so phenomenal that it is described as "heavenly" by the protagonist.^[40] Critics noted "Diva" as a variation on Lil Wayne's "A Milli" and coined it as its female counterpart.^[25] "Diva" carries a stuttering beat,^[41] accompanied by a slow-rolling, bass-pumping groove.^[38] In the song, the female protagonist speaks and sings about the positive definition of a diva, explaining "diva is a female version of a hustler", and makes frequent references to her millions of dollars, even fanning herself with dollar bills.^[42] "Ego" is a pop song, set in a rhythm and blues tempo. The song also incorporates influences from bump jazz,^[39] and soul music.^[43] "Sweet Dreams" was critically acclaimed for its use of electronic bassline, which was compared to Michael Jackson's "Beat It",^[44] and for its electropop sound.^[45] "Sweet Dreams" is derived from contemporary R&B and incorporates influences from the classic 1980's funk.^[38] According to Priya Elan of The Times, the disturbed and haunting lyrics of the song describes a relationship, which the singer believes could be a "sweet dream or a beautiful nightmare".^[46] "Broken-Hearted Girl" is an R&B pop-song beginning as a piano-and-vocal ballad, and then transcending into a minimalist beat.^{[citation needed]} The production and melody is backed by strings and a drum machine beat.^[47] Mariel Concepcion of Billboard wrote that Knowles "belts emotively" on the song's hook, "I don't want a broken heart/And I don't want to play the broken-hearted girl".^[48] According to Spence D. of IGN Music, "Hello" comes off like another ballad that "populate[s] the first part of the album." It contains the "Jerry Maguire" line – "You had me at hello" – as part of its chorus.^[39] It essentially consists of "sweet guitar-picking and delicate harmonies."^[25]

"Radio" is an uptempo song that generates influences of 1980s synthpop,^[18] electro,^[38] Europop,^[25] and techno.^[49] In the song, Knowles explores the relationship between a young girl and her love for the songs played on the radio.^[50] "Radio" consists of a bouncy beat with a sneering attitude. In addition, its drum and bass and its techno or house feel that all create a refreshing sound,^[31] which according to James Reed of the The Boston Globe, makes the song "perfect for a night at the club."^[51] According to critics, "Video Phone" contains lyrics that are in reference to "a celebration of Skype sex and putting on a solo show, on camera, for a guy you just met at the club".^[52] The remixed version featured both Knowles and Lady Gaga trading verses with one another.^[53] Musically the song consists of simple lyrics, with hidden innuendos, and is backed by thin-spread beats; Knowles and Gaga uttering gasps and groans while singing the song.^[54] The remixed version of the song, which features Lady Gaga, was included on the 2009 deluxe edition of the album.^[55] The song "Why Don't You Love Me", that appears on the platinum edition of I Am... Sasha Fierce, is different from Knowles' previous dance-pop songs because it makes use of a retro style.^[56] The song is an upbeat track that is derived from the genre of R&B.^[57] The album also contains several reworked songs including "Smash into You", which was previously recorded by Jon McLaughlin as "Smack into You". The song was re-worked and re-recorded by Knowles, earning her minimal song writing credits for changing "Smack" into "Smash".^[58] It was subsequently used for the soundtrack of Obsessed, a 2009 film in which the Knowles had a lead role.^[59] "Disappear" consists of "sweet guitar-picking and delicate harmonies".^[25] "That's Why You're Beautiful" is a slow-tempo soft rock^[45] and rock^[60] power ballad, which consists of a "grungy" guitar riff and stuterring drums.^[13] Critics compared the song with the materials by Alice in Chains and Jill Scott.^[51][13] The platinum edition of the album also included a cover version by Knowles of the 1979 Billy Joel song "Honesty".^[14]

Release[link]

I'm in a very good place right now. I'm very happy. I'm growing up, and I'm really comfortable with myself. I'm getting wiser and smarter. ... I know that people see celebrities, and they seem like they're so perfect – they seem like their life is so great, and they have money and fame. But I'm a human being. I cry. I'm very passionate and sensitive. My feelings get hurt. I get scared and nervous like everyone else. And I wanted to show that about myself. It's about love. That's what this album is all about.'"

—Beyoncé Knowles' statement on the release of the album in 2008.[10]

The deluxe edition of the album was released simultaneously with the standard edition.^[61] Mathew Knowles, Beyonce's father and then manager, held a listening party for the album in New York on October 22, 2008.^[13] Prior to the album's release it was premiered on November 11, 2008, on Beyoncé's MySpace account.^[62] To correspond with the double album's release, Columbia Records created a teaser website for Sasha Fierce.^[5] On June 16, 2009, Above and Beyoncé: Video Collection & Dance Mixes was released as a combined CD and DVD.^[63] The release included a CD of dance remixes to the singles of the album (including the "Ego" remix with rapper Kanye West) and the DVD features videos previously released for these singles.^[63] Finally, the platinum edition of I Am... Sasha Fierce was released in a list of selected countries in November 2009, featuring a CD and a DVD.^[64] The deluxe edition of the album was re-issued in the United States on November 23, 2009,^[65] including all of the previously released songs in addition to the new songs "Poison", "Why Don't You Love Me", and the remix of "Video Phone" with Lady Gaga. An EP titled I Am...Sasha Fierce – The Bonus Tracks was released on November 23, 2009, in several countries featuring these new tracks.^[66]

Following the album's digital release, "Ave Maria" debuted at number 150 on November 29, 2008 on the UK Singles Chart.^[67] Knowles also covered a version of the song "Honesty" (a 1979 song by Billy Joel) and included it as a bonus track for the platinum edition of the album.^[14] It gained some attention in Japan where it charted at number 79 in 2009. Knowles also performed the song on her I Am... Tour (in Korea only) and it eventually charted at number 2 on the Korean Singles Chart during the week ending January 17, 2010.^[68] In September 2009 "Radio" was used in Dutch television commercials to promote local radio stations,^[69] and peaked at number 14 on the Dutch Top 40 due to strong digital downloads.^[70] After the release of I Am... Sasha Fierce – The Bonus Tracks a new song "Poison", which featured on the EP, became very popular in Korea and reached the top position of the Korean Singles Chart during the week ending February 7, 2010.^[71] In February 2010 a bonus track from the album's multiple re-releases "Why Don't You Love Me", which served as a promotional single, climbed up the US Hot Dance Club Songs, eventually taking the top spot and becoming Knowles' thirteenth number-one dance hit.^[72] On May 4, 2010, a full-length music video appeared online.^[73] After its release as a promotional single,^[74] "Why Don't You Love Me" peaked at number fifty-one on the UK Singles chart^[75] and at number fourteen on its R&B chart.^[76]

Promotion[link]

Knowles promoted the album through various televised appearances and awards ceremonies by performing songs featured on I Am... Sasha Fierce. Knowles first promoted "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" in a concert organized by the Power 105.1 radio station on October 29, 2008.^[77] Knowles first performed "If I Were a Boy" on November 6, 2008, at the MTV Europe Music Awards.^[78] She later sang "Single Ladies" on November 9, 2008, at the 2008 World Music Awards in Monaco.^[79] She then took to the stage of The Oprah Winfrey Show to perform "If I Were a Boy" on November 13, 2008.^[80] She appeared on television show Saturday Night Live (SNL) on November 15, 2008, where she sang "Single Ladies".^[81] That particular night, Knowles also featured in a parody of the song's music video, where the two female dancers in it were replaced by pop singer Justin Timberlake and SNL cast members Andy Samberg and Bobby Moynihan.^[82][83] On November 16, 2008, Knowles sang a medley of "If I Were a Boy", "Single Ladies", and "Crazy in Love" during the final episode of Total Request Live.^[84] "Single Ladies" was also performed by Knowles on November 18, 2008, at BET's 106 & Park,^[85] at the 2008 American Music Awards on November 23, 2008.^[86] on The Ellen DeGeneres Show on November 25, 2008,^[87] on The Today Show the following day,^[88] and on The Tyra Banks Show with two male dancers, on January 9, 2009.^[89]

Knowles' first live performance of "Halo" was at the 2009 NAACP Awards on February 12, 2009.^[90] She later performed the song on The Late Show with David Letterman after an interview on April 22, 2009.^[91] In May 2009, Knowles was interviewed by MTV, where she talked about her upcoming single "Ego" and the album, saying: "One of the great things about the album is that it's so diverse."^[92] On June 25, 2009, Michael Jackson died while Knowles was touring,^[93] prompting her to pay tribute to him at some of the venues of the tour, including Atlanta,^[94] on July 1, 2009,^[93] and New Orleans, on July 3, 2009.^[95] She changed the lyrics, replacing "Baby" with "Michael", and adding "your music" between "you" and "won't"—she included "Michael I can see your Halo. I pray your music won't fade away."^[95] She also paid tribute to Michael Jackson on June 28, 2009 during the 2009 BET Awards where she performed "Ave Maria".^[96] Knowles was due to perform "Sweet Dreams" at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards on September 13;^[97] however, she only performed the bridge from the song at the beginning of her performance, before switching to "Single Ladies".^[98] She later performed "Sweet Dreams" at the MTV Europe Music Awards on November 5, 2009.^[99] She performed "If I Were a Boy" on January 31, 2010, at the 52nd Grammy Awards ceremony and also covered Alanis Morissette's 1995 song "You Oughta Know" on the same event.^[100]

I Am... Tour[link]

Knowles performing on the I Am... Tour

To promote the album, Knowles embarked on a worldwide tour with several performances. Knowles' I Am... Tour kicked off in Edmonton, Canada, on March 26, 2009, in support of the album. The European leg of the tour started on April 26, 2009, in Zagreb, Croatia, and ended on June 9, 2009, in London, England. On June 21, 2009, she began the third leg of the tour in the United States and finished in August with the I Am... Yours 4-day revue at Encore Las Vegas on the Las Vegas Strip. Starting on September 15, 2009, the fourth leg began in Melbourne, Australia and finished on September 24 in Perth, Australia. Knowles then went on to perform in Asia, the Middle East, Europe, Africa, and the United Kingdom, before finishing the 2009 portion of the tour on November 24 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The tour had its final leg in 2010, visiting Latin America. Starting on February 4, 2010, in Florianópolis, Brazil, she visited five other places before ending in Trinidad on February 18, 2010. According to Pollstar, the tour earned $17.2 million between January 1 – June 30, 2010, which added to her total of $86 million for her first 86 concerts in 2009,^[101] bringing the tour total to $103.2 million for the 97 shows.^[102] The I Am... Yours residency at the Encore Theater in Las Vegas was recorded on August 2, 2009, and later released as a DVD, audio CD and television special in late November 2009.^[103] Various performances on the tour were filmed worldwide for a live DVD, I Am... World Tour, which was released on November 30, 2010.^[104]

Singles[link]

Knowles performing "Broken-Hearted Girl" in Antwerp

On October 8, 2008, Knowles premiered two lead singles from the album.^[105] One single was taken from the I Am... disc while the other was taken from the Sasha Fierce disc to demonstrate the concept of dueling personalities of Knowles, highlighted by the integral album.^[25][29] The first lead single "If I Were a Boy" peaked at number three on the US Billboard Hot 100,^[106] topped eight charts worldwide and reached the top ten in many other charts.^[107] "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" was the second lead single and peaked at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming Knowles' fifth number-one single,^[106] and was also successful in other international markets, peaking in top-ten listings around the world.^[108] The singles were certified 2× platinum^[109] and 4× platinum^[109] respectively by Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). "Diva" was released as a US-only single and peaked at number nineteen on the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming Knowles' twelfth top-twenty single, and at number three on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.^[110] It was certified gold by the RIAA.^[109] The next single, "Halo", was released internationally and peaked at number five in the US Billboard Hot 100,^[106] proving to be commercially successful and reaching the top-ten listings around the world.^[111] It was certified double-platinum in early 2010 by the RIAA.^[109]

"Ego" was released as a US-only single on May 19, 2009, and subsequently came up as a remix featuring additional vocals from Kanye West.^[92] It peaked at number thirty-nine on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number three on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.^[106] The song was certified gold by the RIAA.^[109] Following announcements of the I Am... Tour two more singles were initially lined up, namely "Broken-Hearted Girl" and "Sweet Dreams"—though they switched order to become the sixth and seventh singles respectively.^[112] "Sweet Dreams" reached the top-ten in most countries^[106] though it did top the New Zealand Singles chart,^[113] and was certified platinum in the United States.^[109] "Broken-Hearted Girl", the seventh single, reached the top-forty in charts around the world, despite never being certified nor released in the United States.^[114] More than one year after the album's release, "Video Phone" was released as the eighth single from the album with a music video and digital download release, taking form as an extended remix featuring American electropop artist, Lady Gaga. Like its predecessor, it reached the top-forty in countries around the world, peaking at number sixty-five in the US.^[106] It also became Knowles' fourteenth number-one on the US Dance Club Chart.^[115] As of July 2010 the digital tracks from the album had sold a combined total of 12.3 million units in the United States;^[116] and according to Columbia Records the album has sold 15 million digital singles worldwide.^[117]

Reception[link]

Critical reception[link]

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[16]
Robert Christgau	(B)[118]
Entertainment Weekly	(B+)[25]
The Guardian	[18]
Los Angeles Times	(favorable)[17]
Pitchfork Media	(5.7/10)[40]
Rolling Stone	[49]
Slant Magazine	[24]
Spin	(4/10)[119]
The Village Voice	(favorable)[120]

Upon its release, I Am... Sasha Fierce received mixed to positive reviews from most music critics.^[121] At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 62, based on 24 reviews, which indicates "generally favorable reviews".^[121] Slant Magazine's Sal Cinquemani commented that "The strength of I Am…Sasha Fierce [sic], then, is its individual songs [...] a testament to Beyoncé as one of today's most reliable singles artists.", but also noted "the real disparity is her inability to reconcile the adult-contemporary schmaltz of I Am with the more modern, edgy sounds of Sasha Fierce."^[24] Adam Mattera of The Observer gave it two out of five stars and noted both discs for lacking depth, stating "Disc 1 is too busy chasing radio formats to expose any genuine soul [...] The Sasha side cuts straight to business with the single-minded 'Radio'...and a succession of independent woman anthems such as 'Single Ladies' and 'Diva', which will no doubt inspire drag queens the world over but leave most others bemused."^[122] Pitchfork Media's Ryan Dombal viewed it as a regression from her previous album B'Day and stated: "Nobody wins the Beyoncé vs. Sasha battle— often, the listener loses."^[40] Allmusic writer Andy Kellman found its double-disc "gimmick" "flimsy" and favored its second disc's "decent, if easily forgettable, upbeat pop."^[16] He expressed that on the I Am... disc, "Beyoncé feels each line to the fullest extent, which almost rescues the set's staidness."^[16] In his consumer guide for MSN Music, critic Robert Christgau gave it a B rating and named it "dud of the month",^[118] indicating "a bad record whose details rarely merit further thought".^[123] Christgau viewed its "split-personality bit" as "deeply vapid" and stated "there are three good songs on this 11-track artifact".^[118]

Jonah Weiner of Blender gave it three out of five stars and stated "Beyoncé is still a beauty-shop feminist, quick with the smack-downs, and she still describes the rattling rush of love with preternatural poise".^[34] Amy Linden of Vibe stated: "Ironically, it's the more tame (and nameless) persona that's the most intriguing, commanding and sexual. ... Beyoncé sounds relaxed, confident and, if for no other reason than the fact that you can't hear her trying, hits the mark".^[124] Matos Michaelangelo of The A.V. Club gave the album a B− rating even though he said that "The two halves wouldn't necessarily sound better shuffled together—both are pretty uneven."^[125] Stacey Anderson of Spin commented that its first disc "meanders over [...] down-tempo cuts" and called ... Sasha, "an intriguing but diluted direction".^[119] The Village Voice's Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond found the I Am... disc lacking cohesion, but stated "Sasha Fierce suffers no such identity crisis. Brassy, big-headed, confrontational, and witty, each incendiary track challenges you to leave your inhibitions at coat-check."^[120] Christian Hoard of Rolling Stone noted that its slow songs are "full of bland self-affirmation and saggy lines", but wrote that "the "Sasha" disc boasts Beyoncé's most adventurous music yet".^[49] Colin McGuire of PopMatters called the album "a little rough around the edges at times" and viewed its Sasha Fierce disc as "a far more compelling trip down dance-lane".^[31] Daniel Brockman of The Phoenix gave the album three stars out of four and recommended to "skip directly to disc two".^[126] Leah Greenblatt of Entertainment Weekly wrote that the album offers "two compelling sides" of Knowles and stated: "The collection might have been better served had she edited it down to one disc, rather than belabor what ultimately seems like a marketing gimmick. And while fans will surely speculate, there's little in the lyrics that feels more revealing than previous emotional fire-starters."^[25] However, Sasha Frere-Jones of The New Yorker gave a mixed review for the album, saying that, compared to her previous two albums, it is "something of a mess", mostly because the alter ego "trips on th[e] idea of redefinition".^[127]

Commercial performance[link]

I Am... Sasha Fierce made its first debut at number five on Japan's Oricon international albums chart and subsequently moved to the top spot on the chart.^[128] The album debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200, selling 482,000 units in its first week and giving Knowles her third consecutive number one album in the US.^[129] Eventually, Knowles became the third female artist of the 2000s decade to have her first three albums debut at the top spot of the US Billboard 200 albums chart.^[130] Having sold 1,459,000 copies in 6 weeks of release in 2008 alone,^[131] I Am... Sasha Fierce emerged as the tenth best selling album of 2008 according to Billboard magazine.^[132] With this achievement, Knowles eventually equaled Garth Brooks, Mariah Carey, and Shania Twain for placing an album in Nielsen SoundScan's year-end top 10 for the fifth time.^[133] The album later emerged as the second best selling album of 2009 in the US itself.^[134] It has been certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).^[135] As of April 2011, the album has sold around 2.9 million copies in the United States according to Nielsen SoundScan.^[136] In the United Kingdom, the album debuted at number ten on November 29, 2008, becoming Knowles' lowest-debuting album despite having higher first week sales than her previous album, B'Day.^[137] Following Knowles' performance at the 2008 The X Factor finale with winner Alexandra Burke, the album moved up to number nine on December 27, 2008.^[138] Due to the success of its singles in the United Kingdom and especially due to the success of "Sweet Dreams", I Am... Sasha Fierce rose from number five to its highest peak of number two in its thirty-ninth week on the chart, which was the week of August 16, 2009.^[139]

Knowles performing "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" in Berlin on the I Am... Tour, 2009

In Ireland, I Am... Sasha Fierce debuted at number three,^[140] making it Knowles' second top three album in that country. It would later go to top the Irish charts for two consecutive weeks in early January 2009,^[141][142] giving Knowles her second Irish number-one album.^[143] In Australia, I Am... Sasha Fierce debuted at number nine in late November 2008^[144] and peaked at number eight in early January 2009.^[145] Following the success of singles "Sweet Dreams" and "Broken-Hearted Girl", the album rebounded to a new peak of three on two separate occasions in October 2009 and it was certified triple-platinum on November 23, 2009.^[146] In New Zealand, the album debuted at number 16 in late November 2008^[147] and initially peaked at number six in early March 2009.^[148] After growing popularity of its singles, especially "Sweet Dreams", the album upped to a new peak of three on September 21, 2009.^[149] The album was certified platinum on April 26, 2009, (after twenty-three weeks on the chart) shipping over 15,000 copies to retailers.^[150] In Spain, the album debuted and peaked at number 7 on November 26, 2008,^[151] and was certified platinum for shipment of over 60,000 copies on October 26, 2009.^[152] The album went on to be certified diamond in Brazil.^[153] After the 52nd Grammy Awards ceremony, I Am... Sasha Fierce either ascended several albums charts or re-entered others and set new peaks in countries such as Switzerland, Austria, and Portugal in February 2010.^{[154][155][156]} After having peaked at number five on the Polish Albums Chart on February 8, 2009,^[157] I Am... Sasha Fierce re-entered the chart at number one on August 28, 2011, that is nearly three years after its release in Poland.^[158] As of March 2011, the album has sold over seven million copies worldwide.^[159]

Accolades[link]

I Am... Sasha Fierce earned Knowles five Grammy awards out of eight nominations at the 52nd Grammy Awards.

Leah Greenblatt of Entertainment Weekly ranked I Am… Sasha Fierce at number two on his list of the 10 Best Albums of 2008, stating that "'If I Were a Boy' and 'Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)' are undoubtedly album highlights; still, the surprise here is how consistently satisfying the rest of it is – even the less showy tracks blossom on repeated listening."^[160] Mark Edward Nero of About.com ranked it at the ninth place on his list of the Best R&B Albums of 2008.^[161] Christian Gerard of NBC Washington placed I Am... Sasha Fierce on his list of "Honorable Mentions" while writing the list for the Best Albums of 2008.^[162] Agence France-Presse, as reported by ABS-CBN News and Current Affairs, recognized the album as the twelfth best selling one of 2008.^[163] A year after the album's release, American author Chuck Klosterman in his book Eating the Dinosaur dismissed the Sasha Fierce persona as unconvincing artistically, suggesting it was more successful at expanding the Beyoncé Knowles brand. "I don't know who came up with the Sasha Fierce concept" he wrote in response to Knowles' account, "but I'm pretty sure it wasn't God".^[164] While he allowed that a portion of her audience might actually imagine that there was some reality to Fierce, as an artistic creation, "[it] did not work. It excites only those who desperately want to be fooled."^[164] He concluded that "[i]t seemed she was trying to guess what a cool person might act like."^[164] On the second anniversary of the debut of the album on the US Billboard 200 albums chart, Kyle Anderson of MTV News wrote an article on December 6, 2010, about Knowles' alter ego, titled "Beyoncé's Alter-Ego Tops The Charts: Wake-Up Video" in which the production and composition of I Am... Sasha Fierce were praised and said to be Knowles' "best and boldest" work yet.^[165] On The Village Voice' Pazz & Jop year-end lists, I Am... Sasha Fierce was ranked at numbers 333 and 580 in 2008 and 2009 respectively.^[166][167] The album was ranked number twelve on the list of Best Albums of the Decade in Rolling Stone's Reader's Poll.^[168] The writers of Entertainment Weekly ranked I Am... Sasha Fierce at number eight on their list of The Best Albums of The 2000s writing, "The alter-ego concept — Sasha for the dance floor, Beyoncé for the ballads — yielded two disparate but equally striking sides of the often-opaque diva."^[169]

I Am... Sasha Fierce also won a 2009 Soul Train Award for Album of the Year.^[170] Knowles won the Favorite Female R&B Artist award at the 2009 American Music Awards, and where the album also garnered a nomination in the category Favorite Album for Soul/R&B.^[171] Knowles also won Best R&B Artists at the 2009 BET Awards.^[172] However, she lost the same award to Alicia Keys at the 2010 BET Awards.^[173] Similarly, Knowles was nominated for Best International Female Solo Artist at the 2009 BRIT Awards^[174] at the 2009 Meteor Awards (Ireland),^[175] and at the 2010 International Dance Music Awards.^[176] In 2009 Knowles won the Best International Act accolade at the Music of Black Origin Awards (United Kingdom), where I Am... Sasha Fierce was also nominated for Best Album.^[177] At the 2009 MTV Europe Music Awards, Knowles was recognized as the Best Female Artist and "Single Ladies" won Best Video accolade with "Halo" the winner in the Best Song category.^[178]

I Am... Sasha Fierce was nominated for the Outstanding Album award at the 2009 NAACP Image Award,^[179] and for International Album of the Year (Album international de l'année) at the 2010 NRJ Music Award.^[180] At the 2010 OVMA World Awards, Knowles won Artist of the Year as well as Best R&B Artist, however, the album lost in the category Album of the Year.^[181] Knowles was also nominated for Favorite Female Artist and for Favorite R&B Artist at the 36th People's Choice Awards^[182] as well as at the 2010 Teen Choice Awards,^[183] and in the categories World's Best R&B Artist and World's Best Pop Artist at the 2010 World Music Awards.^[184] I Am... Sasha Fierce and its singles earned Knowles eight Grammy Award nominations, including Album of the Year,^[185] ultimately winning Best Contemporary R&B Album. "Single Ladies" won Song of the Year, Best R&B Song and Best Female R&B Vocal Performance at the 52nd Grammy Awards on January 31, 2010. "Halo" won in the category Best Female Pop Vocal Performance and it was also nominated for Record of the Year.^[186]

Track listing[link]

2009 deluxe edition[link]

Platinum edition[link]

In September 2009, an enhanced two-disc version of the album was released, its first disc featuring 16 tracks from the original version with four bonus audio tracks, and its second disc, the video collection from Above and Beyoncé, including seven music videos.^[189]

The Bonus Tracks EP[link]

Notes

• The deluxe edition on iTunes contains the videos for "If I Were a Boy" and "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)".^[192]

Personnel[link]

Credits are taken from the album's liner notes.^[6]

Managerial

Performance credits

Visuals and imagery

Instruments

Technical and production

Charts and certifications[link]