This Is What I Mean

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This Is What I Mean
Studio album by
Stormzy
Released25 November 2022 (2022-11-25)
Length51:20
Label
Producer
  • Prgrshn
  • Daniel Buhlebuyeza Miles
  • Dion Wardle
  • George Moore
  • Grades
  • Joel Peters
  • Jojo Mukeza
  • Juls
  • Knox Brown
  • KZ
  • Owen Cutts
  • P2J
  • Scribz Riley
  • Tempoe
  • Tendai
Stormzy chronology
Heavy Is the Head
(2019) 		This Is What I Mean
(2022)
Singles from This Is What I Mean
  1. "Hide & Seek"
    Released: 14 October 2022
  2. "Firebabe"
    Released: 10 November 2022

This Is What I Mean is the third studio album by British rapper Stormzy, released through #Merky and 0207 Def Jam on 25 November 2022.[1] It follows Stormzy's 2019 album Heavy Is the Head,[2] and was preceded by the lead single "Hide & Seek"[3] and the follow-up single "Firebabe".[4] It was nominated for Album of the Year at the 2023 Brit Awards.[5]

Background[edit]

The album was recorded on Osea Island in England during a series of music camps with a team of "world class musicians and the best producers, writers and artists in the world" in a "free atmosphere",[6] where Stormzy "prayed every morning" during its creation. It was further described as an "intimate love letter to music" by Stormzy.[7]

The album's announcement follows the release of the single "Mel Made Me Do It" on 23 September 2022, which was not included on the album.[2]

Promotion[edit]

Following a break of almost three years from social media, Stormzy announced the album on his social media on 12 October 2022, sharing the cover art and track list.[8] The lead single "Hide & Seek" was released on 14 October 2022, and was preceded by clips of Stormzy recording the song.[3] The second single "Firebabe" followed on 10 November 2022.[4]

Critical reception[edit]

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic79/100[9]
Review scores
SourceRating
Clash8/10[10]
Evening Standard[11]
Financial Times[12]
The Guardian[13]
NME[14]
Pitchfork7.7/10[15]
The Telegraph[16]
The Times[17]

This Is What I Mean was met with "generally favorable" reviews from critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted average rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, this release received an average score of 79, based on 14 reviews.[9]

Will Hodgkinson of The Times described the album as a "major achievement" with atypical guest stars from "contemporary Afrobeat, soul and R&B",[17] while David Smyth of the Evening Standard called it Stormzy's "most downbeat, intimate collection" that "very much sounds like a team effort[, t]hough the feel is insular and understated". Smyth summarised the two main themes on the album as being Stormzy "hurting from a break-up" and "the need for the advancement of black culture as a whole".[11]

Track listing[edit]

This Is What I Mean track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Fire + Water"
  • PRGRSHN
  • Kz
8:17
2."This Is What I Mean" (featuring Amaarae, Black Sherif, Ms Banks and STORRY)
5:24
3."Firebabe" (featuring Debbie)
  • Omari
  • Debbie Ehirim
  • George Moore
  • Collier
  • Alexander
  • Simon Tendai Senyange
3:40
4."Please"
  • Omari
  • Owen Cutts
  • Reuben James
Cutts2:53
5."Need You" (featuring Tendai and Ayra Starr)
  • Omari
  • Alexander
  • Isong
  • Senyange
3:16
6."Hide & Seek"
  • P2J
  • PRGRSHN
  • Cutts[c]
  • Calum Landau[v]
3:28
7."My Presidents Are Black"
  • Omari
  • Alexander
  • Daniela Rathana
  • PRGRSHN
  • Peters[a]
4:22
8."Sampha's Plea" (featuring Sampha)
Cutts2:45
9."Holy Spirit"
  • Omari
  • Dion Wardle
  • Alexander
  • PRGRSHN
  • Wardle
4:42
10."Bad Blood" (featuring NAO)
4:03
11."I Got My Smile Back" (featuring India.Arie)
  • Omari
  • Ehirim
  • Collier
  • Isong
4:11
12."Give It to the Water" (featuring Debbie & Jacob Collier)
  • Omari
  • Ehirim
  • Wardle
  • Collier
Wardle4:12
Total length:51:13

Personnel[edit]

Musicians

  • Stormzy – vocals
  • Jack Shepherd – acoustic guitar (tracks 1, 6, 9), electric guitar (1, 3, 6, 7)
  • Marco Bernardis – alto saxophone (1), flute (1), tenor saxophone (7)
  • Debbie Ehirim – background vocals (1, 3), vocals (3, 12)
  • Jacob Collier – background vocals (1–4, 11), piano (4, 8), vocals (12)
  • Kz – background vocals, programming (1)
  • Sampha – background vocals (1, 3), vocals (8)
  • Tendai – background vocals (1), programming (1, 3), bass guitar (2), piano (3), vocals (5); additional vocals, keyboards (10)
  • Prgrshn – programming (1, 5, 7), bass guitar (1, 5), piano (1, 2), percussion (1), keyboards (5–7, 9, 10, 11)
  • Aaron Blake – piano (1)
  • Joel Peters – programming (1, 3–7, 10), piano (1, 3), bass guitar (3, 12), keyboards (7, 12)
  • Calum Landau – programming (1, 3, 5–7, 10), bass guitar (3, 10, 11)
  • Gabriele Pribetti – saxophone (1)
  • Knox Brown – background vocals (2)
  • Storry – background vocals (2)
  • P2J – programming (2, 5, 6, 10, 11), bass guitar (2, 5, 10), drums (2)
  • Dave Daniels – cello (2)
  • Llinos Richards – cello (2)
  • Magda Pietraszewska – cello (2)
  • Victoria Harrild – cello (2)
  • Laurence Ungless – double bass (2)
  • Steve Williams – double bass (2)
  • Julian Hinton – strings (2, 3, 11); orchestra contractor, orchestra leader (2); programming (11)
  • Laurie Anderson – viola (2)
  • Lydia Lowndes-Northcott – viola (2)
  • Nick Barr – viola (2)
  • Paul Livingston – viola (2)
  • Anna Croad – violin (2)
  • Cathy Thompson – violin (2)
  • Emma Fry – violin (2)
  • Henry Salmon – violin (2)
  • Jackie Roche – violin (2)
  • Jamie Hutchinson – violin (2)
  • Janice Graham – violin (2)
  • Jo Archard – violin (2)
  • Kirsty Mangan – violin (2)
  • Martin Lissola – violin (2)
  • Natalia Bonner – violin (2)
  • Stephanie Benedetti – violin (2)
  • Steve Morris – violin (2)
  • Tom Kemp – violin (2)
  • Amaarae – vocals (2)
  • Black Sherif – vocals (2)
  • Ms Banks – vocals (2)
  • Jojo Mukeza – electric guitar, programming (3)
  • George Moore – piano (3, 11), programming (3)
  • Ras Kassa Alexander – piano (3)
  • Stephanie Hatchman – background vocals (4)
  • Linden Jay – bass guitar (4, 8)
  • Dion Wardle – keyboards (4, 8), piano (5, 8, 9, 12)
  • Owen Cutts – keyboards (4, 8), background vocals (6)
  • Godwin Sonzi – guitar (5)
  • Juls – programming (5)
  • Sheila Maurice-Grey – trumpet (5)
  • Ayra Starr – vocals (5)
  • Oxlade – background vocals (6)
  • Teni – background vocals (6)
  • Äyanna – background vocals (6, 7)
  • Abdala Elamin – background vocals (7)
  • Maleik Loveridge – choir (7), background vocals (9)
  • Naomi Parchment – choir (7), background vocals (9)
  • Olivia Williams – choir (7), background vocals (9)
  • Serena Prince – choir (7), background vocals (9)
  • Akin Amusan – choir (7)
  • Cherice Voncelle – choir (7)
  • Daniel Arieleno – choir (7)
  • James Thompson – choir (7)
  • Kieran Briscoe – choir (7)
  • Nathaniel Warner – choir (7)
  • Nicholas Brown – choir (7)
  • Patrick Linton – choir (7)
  • Paul Lee – choir (7)
  • Renee Fuller – choir (7)
  • Taneka Duggan – choir (7)
  • India Arie – vocals (11)

Technical

  • Dale Becker – mastering
  • Naweed – mastering, CD Album / Singles
  • Leandro "Dro" Higaldo – mixing (1, 2, 5–7, 10, 11)
  • Alex Ghenea – mixing (3, 9)
  • Mark "Spike" Stent – mixing (4, 8, 12)
  • Joel Peters – engineering
  • Calum Landau – engineering (3, 6, 12), engineering assistance (1, 2, 4, 5, 7–11)
  • Mat Bartram – engineering (3)

Charts[edit]

Chart performance for This Is What I Mean
Chart (2022) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[18] 72
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[19] 58
Danish Albums (Hitlisten)[20] 25
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[21] 48
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[22] 96
Irish Albums (OCC)[23] 10
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[24] 40
Scottish Albums (OCC)[25] 5
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[26] 40
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[27] 35
UK Albums (OCC)[28] 1
UK Album Downloads (OCC)[29] 1
UK R&B Albums (OCC)[30] 1

Certifications[edit]

Certifications for This Is What I Mean
Region Certification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[31] Silver 60,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References[edit]

  1. ^ Arcand, Rob (12 October 2022). "Stormzy Announces New Album This Is What I Mean". Pitchfork. Retrieved 14 October 2022.
  2. ^ a b Darville, Jordan (12 October 2022). "Stormzy announces new album This Is What I Mean". The Fader. Retrieved 14 October 2022.
  3. ^ a b Kenneally, Cerys (13 October 2022). "Stormzy announces first This Is What I Mean single 'Hide & Seek'". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 14 October 2022.
  4. ^ a b Holden, Finlay (10 November 2022). "Stormzy has released a second single, 'Firebabe', from his upcoming third album, 'This Is What I Mean'". Dork. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
  5. ^ Smith, Carl (12 January 2023). "BRIT Awards 2023 nominations REVEALED". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
  6. ^ Blistein, Jon (12 October 2022). "Grime Star Stormzy Returning With Third Album 'This Is What I Mean'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 14 October 2022.
  7. ^ Neale, Matthew (12 October 2022). "Stormzy announces new album 'This Is What I Mean'". NME. Retrieved 14 October 2022.
  8. ^ Murray, Tom (12 October 2022). "Stormzy announces 'intimate' new album This Is What I Mean". The Independent. Retrieved 14 October 2022.
  9. ^ a b "Metacritic Review". Metacritic. Retrieved 1 April 2023.
  10. ^ Mellen, James (25 November 2022). "Stormzy – This Is What I Mean". Clash. Retrieved 27 November 2022.
  11. ^ a b Smyth, David (25 November 2022). "Stormzy This is What I Mean album review – he's already the GOAT, now he's a grown-up". Evening Standard. Retrieved 25 November 2022.
  12. ^ Hunter-Tilney, Ludovic (25 November 2022). "Stormzy: This Is What I Mean review — grace and vulnerability from the UK's most significant rapper". Financial Times. Retrieved 27 November 2022.
  13. ^ Petridis, Alexis (25 November 2022). "Stormzy: This Is What I Mean review – haunted by heartbreak on his most personal album yet". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 November 2022.
  14. ^ Moore, Sam (25 November 2022). "Stormzy – 'This Is What I Mean' review: levelling up on his own terms". NME. Retrieved 27 November 2022.
  15. ^ Pritchard, Will (1 December 2022). "Stormzy: This Is What I Mean Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved 1 December 2022.
  16. ^ McCormick, Neil (25 November 2022). "With this powerful torch album, Stormzy abandons the macho to reveal rap's soft side". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 27 November 2022.
  17. ^ a b Hodgkinson, Will (25 November 2022). "Stormzy: This Is What I Mean review—The megastar's third album is a major achievement". The Times. Retrieved 25 November 2022.
  18. ^ "The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 5 December 2022". The ARIA Report. No. 1709. Australian Recording Industry Association. 5 December 2022. p. 6.
  19. ^ "Ultratop.be – Stormzy – This Is What I Mean" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 December 2022.
  20. ^ "Hitlisten.NU – Album Top-40 Uge 48, 2022". Hitlisten. Retrieved 7 December 2022.
  21. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Stormzy – This Is What I Mean" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 3 December 2022.
  22. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Stormzy – This Is What I Mean" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
  23. ^ "Official Irish Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
  24. ^ "NZ Top 40 Albums Chart". Recorded Music NZ. 5 December 2022. Retrieved 3 December 2022.
  25. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 3 December 2022.
  26. ^ "Veckolista Album, vecka 48". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 3 December 2022.
  27. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Stormzy – This Is What I Mean". Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 December 2022.
  28. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
  29. ^ "Official Album Downloads Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 7 December 2022.
  30. ^ "Official R&B Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 3 December 2022.
  31. ^ "British album certifications – Stormzy – This Is What I Mean". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
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