A Girl Like Me (Emma Bunton album)

A Girl Like Me is the debut solo studio album by English singer Emma Bunton, released on 16 April 2001 by Virgin Records. Following the release of the Spice Girls' third studio album, Forever (2000), the group announced that they were beginning an indefinite hiatus and would be concentrating on their solo careers in regards to their foreseeable future. Recording sessions for Bunton's first solo album took place from July 1999 to October 2000 at several recording studios.

A Girl Like Me debuted and peaked at number four on the UK Albums Chart, selling 21,500 copies in its first week. The album spawned three singles: "What Took You So Long?" (which topped the charts in the United Kingdom and New Zealand), "Take My Breath Away" and "We're Not Gonna Sleep Tonight". The album also features Bunton's collaboration with Tin Tin Out, a cover of "What I Am" by Edie Brickell & New Bohemians. On 7 September 2001, A Girl Like Me was certified gold by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), denoting shipments in excess of 100,000 copies.

Critical reception
A Girl Like Me garnered a lukewarm reception from music critics, who praised its catchy songs, but were critical of its generic nature.

Deborah J Elliot of Musical Discoveries was positive about the album, calling it a " very nice listen" that showed Bunton "growing out of her pig tails from the days of the Spice Girls, into a grown woman", and singled out the singles as well as the tracks "Better Be Careful", "High on Love", "A World Without You", "Been There, Done That" and "Spell It Out" for praise. Ian Wade of Dotmusic was also positive towards the album: he praised tracks such as the lead single, "Better Be Careful" and "A World Without You", but was critical of the more R&B cuts such "Been There, Done That". In the end, he concluded: "Overall, 'A Girl Like Me', is a thoroughly likeable affair, much like Emma herself, and should put an end to her enforced toddlerism Baby years once and for all". Stewart Mason of AllMusic felt that Bunton's singing voice lacked depth but that it worked with the well-crafted and addictive pop songs, concluding that it "isn't an album for the ages, but it's better than 'not bad.'" Timothy Park of NME gave the album a 6/10 rating. He said that there were great tracks such as "Take My Breath Away" and "We're Not Gonna Sleep Tonight" that Bunton performs adequately, but concluded that "A Girl Like Me, like Emma, is very sweet but, like Emma also, it has no balls." Erik Missio of Chart Attack said he saw promise in the album but felt disappointed by its attempts to resemble the Spice Girls' sound. Stephen Robinson of Hot Press criticised the tracks for being overly sweet and borrowing from other genres but being unoriginal with them, calling it "another album to chuck aboard the pop blandwagon."

In a retrospective article about the album, Quentin Harrison of Albumism wrote: "Behind Bunton’s ever-sunny disposition is the mind of a mature songstress capable of operating comfortably within the confines of a superpower like the Spice Girls or breaking out by herself. Regarding the latter point, it all began with A Girl Like Me, an understated blueprint to the fetching adult pop approach that Bunton wielded to consolidate a staunch, cross-generational, record buying base over the course of her next three albums."

Personnel
Credits adapted from the liner notes of A Girl Like Me.

Musicians

 * Emma Bunton – vocals
 * Ash Howes – programming (tracks 1, 4)
 * Steve Mac – arrangement (track 2)
 * Ulf Forsberg – string concertmaster (track 3)
 * Henrik Janson – string arrangements, string conducting (track 3)
 * Ulf Janson – string arrangements, string conducting (track 3)
 * Simon Hale – string arrangements (tracks 4, 9); brass arrangements (track 9)
 * StoneBridge – keyboards (track 5)
 * Andrew Frampton – arrangement, string arrangements (track 6)
 * Chris Braide – arrangement (tracks 6, 8)
 * Nick Ingman – string arrangements (track 6)
 * Lawrence Johnson – additional vocal arrangement (track 7)
 * Rhett Lawrence – arrangement, programming, guitar (track 10)
 * Ramón Stagnaro – guitar (track 10)

Technical

 * Richard "Biff" Stannard – production (tracks 1, 4, 9)
 * Julian Gallagher – production (tracks 1, 4, 9)
 * Ash Howes – recording (tracks 1, 4, 9); mixing (track 4); engineering (tracks 4, 9)
 * Alvin Sweeney – additional recording, Pro Tools (track 1); additional engineering (tracks 4, 9)
 * Mark "Spike" Stent – mixing (track 1)
 * Jan "Stan" Kybert – mix engineering, Pro Tools (track 1)
 * Matt Fields – mixing assistance (track 1)
 * Steve Mac – production, mixing (track 2)
 * Chris Laws – engineering (track 2)
 * Evan Rogers – production (tracks 3, 5, 11)
 * Carl Sturken – production (tracks 3, 5, 11)
 * Al Hemberger – engineering (tracks 3, 5, 11)
 * Mick Guzauski – mixing (track 3)
 * Tom Bender – mixing assistance (track 3)
 * Stefan Boman – string engineering (track 3)
 * StoneBridge – additional production, mixing (track 5)
 * Andrew Frampton – production (tracks 6, 8)
 * Daniel Frampton – engineering (tracks 6, 8)
 * Brad Gilderman – mixing (tracks 6, 8, 11)
 * Steve Price – string recording (track 6)
 * Tin Tin Out – production, mixing (tracks 7, 12)
 * Rhett Lawrence – production, recording engineering, mixing (track 10)
 * Jason Bonilla – recording engineering (track 10)
 * Will Catterson – recording engineering (track 10)
 * Evan Lloyd – engineering assistance (track 10)
 * Dave "Hard Drive" Pensado – mixing (track 10)
 * Dylan "3D" Dresdow – mixing (track 10)

Artwork

 * Terry Richardson – photography
 * Ian Ross – design
 * Ruth Rowland – lettering