Feel My Soul

{{Infobox album

| name = Feel My Soul

| type = Album

| artist = Jennifer Holliday

| cover = Jennifer holliday.jpg

| alt =

| released = October 2, 1983

| recorded = 1983

| venue =

| studio = *The Complex

Westlake, Los Angeles
Ocean Way, Hollywood
Evergreen

| genre = Pop, R&B

| length = 40:50

| label = Geffen

| producer = Maurice White

| prev_title =

| prev_year =

| next_title = Say You Love Me

| next_year = 1985

}}

{{Music ratings

|rev1 = AllMusic

|rev1score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/feel-my-soul-mw0000650258|title=Jennifer Holliday: Feel My Soul|author=Loftus, Johnny|publisher=Allmusic|website=allmusic.com}}

|rev2 = People

|rev2score = (favourable){{cite web|url=https://www.people.com/archive/picks-and-pans-review-feel-my-soul-vol-20-no-23/amp/|title=Picks and Pans Review: Feel My Soul|date=December 5, 1983|publisher=People|website=people.com}}

|rev3 =The New York Times

|rev3Score = (favourable){{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1983/10/02/arts/jennifer-holiday-makes-the-jump-from-broadway-to-pop.html|title=JENNIFER HOLIDAY MAKES THE JUMP FROM BROADWAY TO POP|author=Holden, Stephen|date=October 2, 1983|website=The New York Times}}

|rev4 =The Baltimore Sun

|rev4Score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-baltimore-sun/59466611/|title=Charlie Haden's 'Ballad of the Fallen' repeats success of 'Liberation'|author=Considine, J.D.|page=72|date=November 13, 1983|newspaper=The Baltimore Sun|via=newspapers.com|access-date=April 29, 2025}}

|rev5 =Philadelphia Inquirer

|rev5Score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite news |id={{ProQuest|1822254329}} |last1=Lloyd |first1=Jack |title=Albums |work=Philadelphia Inquirer |date=28 October 1983 |page=E.24 }}

}}

Feel My Soul is the debut album by singer Jennifer Holliday, released in October 1983 on Geffen Records. The album reached No. 6 on the Billboard Top Soul Albums chart and No. 31 on the Top Albums chart. Feel My Soul was Grammy nominated within the category of Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female.{{cite AV media notes |title=Feel My Soul|author=Jennifer Holliday|year=October 1983|type=album|publisher=Geffen Records}}{{cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/jennifer-holliday/chart-history/blp/|title=Jennifer Holliday: Feel My Soul (Top R&B Albums)|website=Billboard.com}}{{cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/jennifer-holliday/chart-history/tlp/|title=Jennifer Holliday: Feel My Soul (Billboard 200)|website=Billboard.com}}{{cite web|url=https://www.grammy.com/artists/jennifer-holliday/3153|title=Jennifer Holliday|publisher=The Recording Academy|website=grammy.com|access-date=June 28, 2023}}

Overview

Feel My Soul was produced by Maurice White, founder and leader of the funk band Earth, Wind and Fire.

Critical reception

Johnny Loftus of Allmusic gave 3 out of 5 stars exclaiming " Producer Maurice White doesn't take too many risks with Feel My Soul -- he wisely keeps the focus on his star's voice." Stephen Holden of the New York Times wrote "Feel My Soul is a confident, sophisticated album bursting with spirit and intelligence. While it mutes Miss Holliday's bluster somewhat, it doesn't seriously dampen her emotional fire." Phyl Garland of Stereo Review commented "Feel My Soul, Holliday's album debut, puts her to the test as a solo performer. With a showcase production by Maurice White, who also shaped Deniece Williams's auspicious first release a few years ago, it proves that Holliday's promise was no illusion."{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Audio/Archive-HiFI-Stereo/80s/HiFi-Stereo-Review-1984-02.pdf|title=JENNIFER HOLLIDAY: Feel My Soul|author=Garland, Phyl|volume=48|number=2|page=80|date=February 1984|publisher=Stereo Review|website=americanradiohistory.com}} With his 3 out of 5 stars rating Jack Lloyd of the Philadelphia Inquirer stated "Brought up on gospel music, Holliday possesses a powerful voice, and many gospel influences are evident on the album, produced by Maurice White of Earth, Wind & Fire. At times, it seems here that Holliday is trying too hard to demonstrate the dynamic capabilities of her voice, but it is clear that she will be heard from for some time to come."

Track listing

{{Track listing

|title1 = Just Let Me Wait

|writer1 = Jon Lind, Bill Meyers

|length1 = 4:50

|title2 = I am Ready Now

|writer2 = David Lasley, Willie Wilcox

|length2 = 4:56

|title3 = This Game of Love (I'm Never Coming Down)

|writer3 = Nicholas Ashford, Valerie Simpson

|length3 = 4:03

|title4 = I Am Love

|writer4 = David Foster, Maurice White, Allee Willis

|length4 = 4:36

|title5 = Shine a Light

|writer5 = Wayne Vaughn, Wanda Vaughn, Maurice White

|length5 = 4:46

|title6 = Just for a While

|writer6 = Gino Vannelli, Ross Vannelli

|length6 = 5:04

|title7 = My Sweet Delight

|writer7 = David Foster, Tony Haynes, Maurice White

|length7 = 4:28

|title8 = A Change is Gonna Come

|writer8 = Maurice White

|length8 = 4:44

|title9 = This Day

|writer9 = Edwin Hawkins

|length9 = 3:23

}}

Personnel

Jennifer Holliday - lead vocals, backing vocals
Crystal Wilson, Jeanette Hawes, Maurice White, Wanda Vaughn (aka "The Cornbread Choir") - backing vocals
Caleb Quaye, Carlos Rios - guitar
Roland Bautista - guitar Solo on track 3
Nathan East - bass
Bill Meyers, David Foster, Edwin Hawkins, Wayne Vaughn - keyboards
Robbie Buchanan - synthesizers, synth solo on track 1
Greg Phillinganes - synthesizers and synth solo on track 7
Fred White, Ricky Lawson - drums
Paulinho Da Costa - percussion
Maurice White and Wanda Vaughn - backing vocal arrangements
Bill Meyers - string and horn arrangements on tracks 1-3, 7
Jerry Hey - horn arrangements on tracks 4, 5, 8
Jeremy Lubbock - string arrangements on tracks 4 and 9

Charts

=Weekly charts=

scope="col"\| Chart (1983) ! scope="col"\| Peak position
class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
{{album chart\|Sweden\|24\|artist=Jennifer Holliday\|album=Feel My Soul\|rowheader=true\|access-date=March 31, 2021}}
{{album chart\|Billboard200\|31\|artist=Jennifer Holliday\|rowheader=true\|access-date=March 31, 2021}}
{{album chart\|BillboardRandBHipHop\|6\|artist=Jennifer Holliday\|rowheader=true\|access-date=March 31, 2021}}

=Year-end charts=

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
scope="col"\| Chart (1984) ! scope="col"\| Position
scope="row"\| US Top Soul Albums (Billboard){{cite magazine\|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/1984/top-r-and-b-hip-hop-albums\|title=Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1984\|magazine=Billboard\|access-date=June 9, 2021}} \| 48

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

scope="col"| Chart (1984)

! scope="col"| Position

scope="row"| US Top Soul Albums (Billboard){{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/1984/top-r-and-b-hip-hop-albums|title=Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1984|magazine=Billboard|access-date=June 9, 2021}}

| 48