Genuine is the debut studio album by American singer and songwriter Stacie Orrico. It was released by Forefront Records on August 29, 2000, in the United States. Orrico worked Mark Heimermann, Michael W. Smith, Tedd T, and Michael-Anthony Tyler on the album and co-wrote three tracks. Genuine earned generally mixed reviews and peaked at number 103 on the US Billboard 200. The album's first single, "Don't Look at Me," reached number one on the Christian hits radio (CHR) charts for eight consecutive weeks, breaking the record of any previous release on the musical chart.[1]
AllMusic editor Al Campbell rated the album two and a half stars out of five. He found that Genuine "combines [Orrico's] positive Christian convictions with musical inspiration, embracing the pop/urban influence represented by Christina Aguilera and Lauryn Hill. Orrico deals with tricky lyrical issues (insecurity, peer pressure, anorexia) while musically sustaining mainstream crossover appeal."[2]Billboard wrote that Genuine "is a muscular sound that offers lots to get listeners' attention but never obscures the charm of Orrico's voice [...] All in all, this is an impressive debut from a young artist whose talent is sure to extend beyond the current teen-act boom."[3]
Chart performance
Genuine debuted and peaked at number number 103 on the US Billboard 200, setting a record in first-week sales for a Christian female debut, selling 13,000 copies.[4] It also reached number six on the Top Christian Albums.[5] By March 2001, Genuine sold more than 200,000 units in its first six months of release.[1]
