Bittersweet is the second studio album by American singer Blu Cantrell, released on June 24, 2003, by Arista Records. The album debuted at number 37 on the US Billboard 200 chart, selling 29,000 units in its opening week, and spawned the commercially successful single "Breathe". Despite not matching the domestic success of previous album So Blu (2001), Bittersweet charted in international markets, unlike Cantrell's debut album, performing modestly in certain European nations. It was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best R&B Album at the 46th Grammy Awards, but lost to Luther Vandross' Dance with My Father.[1][2]
AllMusic editor Tim Sendra called Bittersweet "another fine slice of contemporary R&B propelled above the ordinary by her arresting voice and the sympathetic and interesting production." He found that "the record has a melancholy tinge and Cantrell sings with a depth of emotion that many of her contemporaries can't reach [...] Cantrell is a real talent and Bittersweet is the kind of record fans of modern soul music should champion. Tough, smart, sexy, and impassioned with a sound that shows imagination, it would be a shame if it slipped through the cracks."[3]Billboard declared the project a "perfect showcase for Cantrell's honey-dipped vocals," and cited "Breathe", "Sleep in the Middle", "Make Me Wanna Scream" and Impatient" as highlights.[8]
Vibe critic Jason King complimented Cantrell for her "formidable voice" and wrote: "Though her voice lacks distinctive personality, she bowls you over with jazzy vocal licks and a pyrotechnical intensity that's pure Holiness church." King found that the uptempo track on Bittersweet seemed "generic compared to her stunning ballads."[6] Beccy Lindon from The Guardian found it problematic that the "laid-back jazz of Cantrell's debut has been replaced with myriad styles and a more calculated, dancefloor-friendly sound [...] You can't help but feel that this sugar-coated package is meant to attract a mainstream audience rather than develop Cantrell as an artist."[4]Rolling Stone's Barry Walters noted that Bittersweet "still flaunts a dexterity and worldliness that set her apart from her streetbound peers. But lackluster lyrics and mediocre melodies make the poorly sequenced album's overwhelming blandness neither bitter nor sweet."[5]
Bittersweet debuted and peaked at number 37 on the US Billboard 200 in the week ending July 12, 2003, with first week sales of 29,000 units.[9] A considerable drop from her previous effort So Blu (2001) which had opened at number eight on the chart,[10] it also reached number eight on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, becoming Cantrell's second top ten album.[11] In the United Kingdom, Bittersweet peaked at number 20 in the week of August 31, 2003.[12] It was certified silver by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) on October 3, 2003, followed by a gold certification on July 22, 2013.[13]
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