21... Ways to Grow
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2022}}
{{Infobox album
| name = 21... Ways to Grow
| type = Album
| artist = Shanice
| cover = Shanice21waystogrow.jpeg
| alt =
| released = June 21, 1994
| recorded =
| studio = {{flatlist|
- Aire L.A., (Glendale, California)
- Banana Boat Recording Studio, B and B, Bosstown Recording Studios, D.A.R.P. Doppler Studios, Kross Wire Studio (Atlanta)
- Flyte Tyme Productions (Edina, Minnesota)
- Larrabee Sound Studios, Paramount Studios, The Enterprise, Winsonic Process (Los Angeles)}}
| genre =
| length = 51:08
| label = Motown
| producer =
- Lance Alexander
- Bo & McArthur
- Jermaine Dupri
- Kiyamma Griffin
- Krystal Penni Entertainment
- Ike Lee III
- Bryan Loren
- Prof T.
- Guy Roche
- Daryl Simmons
- Chris Stokes
- Tim & Bob
- Colin Wolfe
| prev_title = Inner Child
| prev_year = 1991
| next_title = Shanice
| next_year = 1999
| misc = {{Singles
| name = 21... Ways to Grow
| type = studio
| single1 = Somewhere
| single1date = May 17, 1994
| single2 = Turn Down the Lights
| single2date = July 26, 1994
| single3 = I Like
| single3date = August 1, 1994{{cite magazine|title=Single Releases|magazine=Music Week|page=25|date=July 30, 1994}}
| single4 = I Wish
| single4date = August 21, 1994
}}
}}
21... Ways to Grow is the third studio album by American R&B singer Shanice. It was released by Motown Records on June 21, 1994, in the United States. Less successful than her 1991 album Inner Child, it peaked at number 46 on the US Billboard{{'}}s Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and at number 184 on the US Billboard 200. It includes the minor hit singles "Somewhere" and "Turn Down the Lights".[{{BillboardURLbyName|artist=shanice|chart=R&B/Hip-Hop Songs}} Singles chart]
Critical reception
{{Album ratings
| rev1 = AllMusic
| rev1score = {{rating|2|5}}{{cite web|url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=r203167|pure_url=yes}}|title=21... Ways to Grow - Shanice|publisher=AllMusic|access-date=June 25, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140109005957/http://www.allmusic.com/album/21ways-to-grow-mw0000116543|archive-date=January 9, 2014|url-status=live}}
| rev2 = Los Angeles Times
| rev2score = {{Rating|3|4}}{{cite news|first=Jean|last=Rosenbluth|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-07-03-ca-11250-story.html|title=In Brief|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=July 3, 1994|access-date=January 21, 2023|url-access=limited|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230122092710/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-07-03-ca-11250-story.html|archive-date=January 22, 2023|url-status=live}}
| rev3 = Music Week
| rev3score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite magazine|first=Alan|last=Jones|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1994/Music-Week-1994-06-25.pdf|title=Market Preview: Mainstream - Albums|magazine=Music Week|date=June 25, 1994|page=19|access-date=May 18, 2025}}
| rev4 = Vibe
| rev4score = (negative){{cite magazine|last=Helligar|first=Jeremy|title=Shanice '21... Ways to Grow'|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cy4EAAAAMBAJ&pg=106|access-date=November 26, 2016|volume=2|issue=6|date=August 1994|magazine=Vibe|publisher=Vibe Media|page=106|issn=1070-4701|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220325062028/https://books.google.com/books?id=cy4EAAAAMBAJ&pg=106|archive-date=March 25, 2022|url-status=dead}}
}}
Jean Rosenbluth of the Los Angeles Times wrote that: "On this coming-of-age album, the veteran recording artist celebrates adulthood with her most mature effort yet, a cohesive collection of playful hip-hop, come-hither power ballads and aggressive funk." Vibe contributor Jeremy Helligar commended Shanice's "versatile and finely nuanced" voice and being more involved in the album's production, but felt it lacked cohesiveness when going for numerous R&B demographics, concluding that: "Sure, Shanice wears all these hats well, especially that funky, funky chapeau on "I Like." But she'll have to streamline her scope to compete with the big girls.
Track listing
{{tracklist
| extra_column = Producer(s)
| title1 = Ways to Grow (Intro)
| writer1 = {{hlist|Shanice Wilson|Ronnie Hasley|Penni Wilson}}
| extra1 = Krystal Penni
| length1 = 0:37
| title2 = I Care (Interlude)
| writer2 = {{hlist|Tim Kelley|Bob Robinson}}
| extra2 = Tim & Bob
| length2 = 0:46
| title3 = Don't Break My Heart
| writer3 = {{hlist|Daryl Simmons}}
| extra3 = Simmons
| length3 = 4:24
| title4 = Turn Down the Lights
| writer4 = {{hlist|Bo Watson|McArthur|Babyface}}
| extra4 = {{hlist|Bo & McArthur}}
| length4 = 4:31
| title5 = Somewhere
| writer5 = {{hlist|Wilson|Kiyamma Griffin|Ike Lee|Christopher Williams}}
| extra5 = {{hlist|Griffin|Lee|Williams|Shanice{{ref|a|[a]}}|Crystal Wilson{{ref|a|[a]}}}}
| length5 = 4:13
| title6 = Ace Boon Coon
| writer6 = {{hlist|Wilson|Jermaine Dupri|Manuel Seal}}
| extra6 = {{hlist|Dupri|Seal}}
| length6 = 3:32
| title7 = I Like
| writer7 = {{hlist|Wilson|Chris Stokes}}
| extra7 = Stokes
| length7 = 4:49
| title8 = Give Me the Love I Need
| writer8 = {{hlist|Wilson|Stokes}}
| extra8 = Stokes
| length8 = 4:21
| title9 = I'll Be There
| writer9 = {{hlist|Kelley|Robinson}}
| extra9 = Tim & Bob
| length9 = 5:00
| title10 = I Wish
| writer10 = {{hlist|Lance Alexander|Tony Tolbert}}
| extra10 = {{hlist|Alexander|Prof T.}}
| length10 = 5:56
| title11 = When I Say That I Love You
| writer11 = {{hlist|Bryan Loren|Dianne Quander}}
| extra11 = Loren
| length11 = 3:57
| title12 = I Want to Give It to You
| writer12 = {{hlist|Wilson|Colin Wolfe}}
| extra12 = Wolfe
| length12 = 3:59
| title13 = Never Changing Love
| writer13 = Diane Warren
| extra13 = {{hlist|Guy Roche|Shanice}}
| length13 = 4:16
}}
{{tracklist
| headline = Japan bonus track(s)
| extra_column = Producer(s)
| title14 = Needing Me
| writer14 = {{hlist|Wilson|Griffin|Lee}}
| extra14 = {{hlist|Griffin|Lee|Williams|Shanice{{ref|a|[a]}}|Wilson{{ref|a|[a]}}}}
| length14 = 4:01
| title15 = Jesus Loves Me
| writer15 = {{hlist|Anna Bartlett Warner|William Batchelder Bradbury}}
| length15 = 0:51
| title16 = It's for You
| writer16 = {{hlist|Wilson|Eric Kirkland|Michael Angelo Saulsberry}}
| extra16 = {{hlist|Kirkland|Saulsberry}}
| length16 = 4:05
}}
Notes
- {{note|a|[a]}} denotes a co-producer
Charts
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |
| scope="col"|Chart (1994)
!scope="col"|Peak |
|---|
| scope="row"|Australian Albums (ARIA){{cite web|url=https://i.imgur.com/BHYVpQS.jpeg|title=Shanice chart history, received from ARIA on October 12, 2021|publisher=ARIA|via=Imgur.com|access-date=July 4, 2024}} N.B. The High Point number in the NAT column indicates the release's peak on the national chart. Only releases credited to 'Shanice' are listed.
|150 |
| {{album chart|Billboard200|184|artist=Shanice|album=Every Woman Dreams|rowheader=true|accessdate=August 12, 2022}} |
| {{album chart|BillboardRandBHipHop|46|artist=Shanice|album=Every Woman Dreams|rowheader=true|accessdate=August 12, 2022}} |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|http://www.shaniceonline.com/}}
{{Shanice}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:21...Ways to Grow}}
Category:Albums produced by Tim & Bob
Category:Albums produced by Jermaine Dupri