Multiple Grammy winning recording artist Faith Evans has scored her highest-selling chart debut and highest-charting album ever with The First Lady, her first for Capitol Records. Evans' first album since the 2001 platinum-selling Faithfully, The First Lady debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 with sales of over 157,000 copies. It is the week's highest-charting new release and is also number one on the R&B Core Chart, which ranks sales at the country's top urban music retailers.
"One of contemporary R&B's vital voices makes a triumphant return," said Billboard in a review of the first single, Again, and early album reviews have also been glowing. "Evans is one woman who doesn't have to roar to be heard," said USA Today.
Evans performed on The Tonight Show With Jay Leno on May 12.
Again is a Top Ten hit at Urban Adult radio and in the Top Twenty at Urban Mainstream. Chris Robinson directed the accompanying video.
Yahoo! Music gave the video its world premiere and reported that it was viewed over one million times in the first week. The video has just been added by VH1 and is already in rotation at BET, MTV, MTV Jams and VH1 Soul.
Featuring twelve songs co-written by Evans, The First Lady showcases the powerhouse vocalist's versatility and depicts a woman looking back unflinchingly on the chaos of her life, yet emerging stronger on the other side.