Will Smith‘s comeback album “Primarily based On A True Story” is reportedly struggling commercially, promoting simply 268 copies within the UK and lacking the Billboard 200 within the US.
Regardless of star-studded collaborations and private lyrics addressing the 2022 Oscars slap immediately in tracks like “Int. Barbershop — Day and You Lookin’ for Me?,” the album failed to realize traction.
Undeterred, Will Smith plans to launch two extra albums and embark on his first headline tour throughout Europe.
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Will Smith’s Return To Music Stumbles As New Album Struggles
Smith’s long-awaited return to music after almost 20 years has fallen flat. His new album, “Primarily based On A True Story,” which is his first since 2005’s “Misplaced and Discovered,” has failed to realize industrial traction.
The 14-track album consists of collaborations with some large names, reminiscent of “Lovely Scars” that includes Huge Sean, “Work of Artwork” together with his son Jaden Smith, and “Onerous Occasions” with Teyana Taylor; the latter of which he was actively selling on Instagram as not too long ago as Friday.
Nevertheless, regardless of the big-name collaborations, the album offered simply 268 bodily copies in its first week within the UK, with solely 36 digital downloads reported, in line with The Sun.
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Within the States, the reception wasn’t any higher, as Forbes reported that the album did not make it onto the Billboard 200, marking the primary time a solo Will Smith undertaking has missed the chart completely.
The album was seen by many as Smith’s try and reignite his music profession and reconnect with followers following the fallout from the controversial 2022 Oscars incident involving comic Chris Rock.
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Will Smith Gears Up For Headline Tour And A number of Album Releases Regardless of Combined Reception
Regardless of the lukewarm reception to his newest album, Smith is not slowing down. Reviews counsel the 56-year-old entertainer plans to drop two extra albums earlier than the 12 months is out.
He is additionally gearing up for his “first-ever” headline tour, which can take him throughout varied venues all through the UK and Europe.
The tour will function a mixture of new materials from “Primarily based On A True Story” and basic fan favorites like “Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It,” “Miami,” and “Summertime.”
Cities on the record embrace locations like Scarborough and Wolverhampton, whereas main stops like Birmingham, Glasgow, and Dublin are noticeably absent.
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Earlier than kicking off his solo tour, Will is about to carry out at a number of worldwide festivals, together with Mawazine in Morocco, POSITIV Competition in France, Dreambeach in Spain, and the BIG ART Competition in Italy.
Asserting the tour on Instagram final month, he wrote: “I’M GOING ON TOUR THIS SUMMER!! We’re hitting up the UK & Europe to deliver U all of the hits, some new joints, and some surprises 😉 All these years, I’ve NEVER accomplished a headline tour and I can not wait to see you guys!!”
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The Actor Opened His New Album With Unfiltered Reflection On Oscars Slap
On his new album, Smith did not draw back from controversy as he tackles the notorious Oscars slap incident with uncooked honesty. His opening monitor, “Int. Barbershop — Day,” kicks off with the road: “Will Smith is canceled.”
That includes DJ Jazzy Jeff and B. Simone, the monitor unfolds like a chaotic dialog, with totally different voices buying and selling opinions and speculations concerning the “Suicide Squad” actor.
One voice questions, “Who the f-ck Will Smith assume he’s?” whereas one other responds, “I ain’t by no means going to forgive him for that sh-t he did.”
The second they’re referring to occurred through the 2022 Academy Awards, when Smith shocked audiences by strolling onstage and slapping Rock, who had made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith.
After returning to his seat, Smith shouted, “Maintain my spouse’s identify out your f-cking mouth!” Later that night time, he took house the Oscar for Finest Actor for his function in “King Richard.”
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Will Smith Sings About Being ‘Again On High’ In New Album
Following the 2022 Oscars incident, Smith confronted important fallout. Regardless of profitable his first Academy Award that night time, the actor was handed a 10-year ban from attending any Academy-related occasions.
Along with being exiled from the Academy, he publicly apologized, expressing that he was “deeply remorseful” for his actions.
In the meantime, manufacturing on his Netflix movie “Quick and Unfastened” was additionally paused within the aftermath. Smith references the scandal all through his new album.
On the second monitor, “You Lookin’ for Me?,” he delivers a pointed verse: “Took quite a bit, I am again on high / Y’all gon’ must get acclimated / Will not cease, my sh-t nonetheless sizzling / Though I will not get nominated.”
Whereas the ban prevents him from attending future ceremonies, it would not disqualify him from being nominated for an Oscar, although, given the circumstances, many see that as unlikely.
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Jada Pinkett Smith Was Shocked By Will Smith’s Slap Incident
After the controversial slap incident, Jada Pinkett revealed that she was “shocked” by Smith’s actions as her relationship with the actor had been “fractured” for about six years earlier than then.
Jada additionally famous that she and Smith had not referred to one another as “husband” and “spouse” in a longtime earlier than that trustworthy day.
“Why it fractured, that is a number of issues,” she stated in an NBC interview with Hoda Kotb. “And I feel by the point we obtained to 2016 we have been simply exhausted with making an attempt. I feel we have been each type of simply nonetheless caught in our fantasy of what we thought the opposite individual ought to be.”
“I made a promise that there’ll by no means be a purpose for us to break up. We are going to work by means of no matter,” Jada continued, per the New York Post. “And I simply have not been in a position to break that promise.”
