Lara Fabian (1999 album)

Lara Fabian
Studio album by
Released29 November 1999
Recorded1998–1999
Studio
  • Capitol Studios (Los Angeles)
  • Larrabee West Studios (Los Angeles)
  • Studio Marko (Montreal)
  • The Hit Factory (New York)
  • The Record Plant (Los Angeles)
Genre
Length74:39
Label
Producer
Lara Fabian chronology
Live
(1999)
Lara Fabian
(1999)
Nue
(2001)
Alternative cover
International Version
Singles from Lara Fabian
  1. "Adagio"
    Released: December 1999
  2. "I Will Love Again"
    Released: 18 April 2000
  3. "I Am Who I Am"
    Released: 18 September 2000
  4. "Love by Grace"
    Released: December 2000
  5. "To Love Again (Meu Grande Amor)"
    Released: December 2001

Lara Fabian is the fourth studio album and the first English-language album by pop singer Lara Fabian. It was first released on 29 November 1999 in France and was released worldwide in 2000. The album features the hit singles “I Will Love Again”, “I Am Who I Am” and “Love by Grace”.

Background

In March 1999, Fabian released her first live album, named Live, which debuted at number one on the French Albums Chart. This helped seal an international recording contract with Sony Music.[1] Fabian went to New York City and San Francisco to record her first album in English. She wrote or co-wrote most of the songs, working with Rick Allison and producers Walter Afanasieff, Patrick Leonard, Sam Watters and Mark Taylor.[2] Both versions of "Adagio" and the song "To Love Again (Si Tu M'Aimes)" feature Steve Lukather guitar solos.[2] The song "Till I Get Over You" was produced by the duo Louis Biancaniello and Sam Watters.[2]

Promotion

Promotion for Lara Fabian initially targeted the United States, with the album released in May 2000 through Sony Music. Fabian launched the album with an appearance on NBC's Today and later appeared on several American television programs, including The Tonight Show, The View, Access Hollywood and The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn. From June 2000 to February 2001, the song "Love by Grace" was featured as the theme for the lead couple in the Brazilian telenovela Laços de Família, broadcast by Rede Globo in Brazil and Portugal. During its run, the song received extensive airplay and reached number one on multiple radio charts in both countries, contributing to increased recognition for Fabian in those markets. Following the broadcast of From Lara with Love, her first American television special on PBS, Fabian participated in WKTU New York’s annual radio special Miracle on 34th Street. An Asian edition of the album included "Light of My Life," a duet with Taiwanese singer-songwriter Leehom Wang. The song was later featured in the 2000 Hong Kong action film China Strike Force.

Singles

The album's second single, "I Will Love Again," was written by Mark Taylor and Paul Barry. Four versions of the song were produced: two in English and two in Spanish, each featuring both a dance-pop version and a ballad reprise. A dance-pop and Europop ballad that talks about overcoming a painful breakup with hopes of eventually loving somebody again. "I Will Love Again" reached number five in Belgium's Wallonia region and number eight in New Zealand. In the United States, the song topped the US Billboard Dance Club Songs chart and peaked at number 32 on the Billboard Hot 100.[3] Elsewhere, the single reached the top 20 in Austria, Canada, France, Hungary, Iceland, Spain, and Switzerland.

"I Am Who I Am," written by Fabian and Rick Allison with its producers Carl Sturken and Evan Rogers, was released as the third single from the album on September 18, 2000. It charted inside the top-twenty in Canada, as well as the lower-regions of France, Germany and Switzerland charts. "Love by Grace," originally recorded by the American country singer Wynonna Judd and included on her third studio album Revelations (1996), was released as the fourth single from Lara Fabian on October 2, 2000. A modest hit on the US Adult Contemporary radio, the song became a smash hit in Brazil, reaching the top of the charts for eight weeks. In Portugal, it was also successful, reaching the top-three on the Portuguese Singles Chart, whilst elsewhere, the song performed moderately in Germany and Sweden.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusicStarStarStar[4]

AllMusic editor William Ruhlmann wrote that the ten credited producers "have created widescreen power ballads with the occasional dance song thrown in. The lyrics are the usual generalized depictions of the joys and turmoil of romance, with the music almost invariably swelling portentously halfway through the track so the singer can take off on an overwrought tear. Fabian has the pipes to handle such material and is actually better at singing in English than Dion [...] Fabian has her work cut out for her, but she's taken a big step toward filling Dion's shoes with this album."[4] Writing for Amazon.com Courtney Kemp described Lara Fabian as "56 minutes of bland, predictable love songs, heavy on ballads, with plenty of vocal gymnastics. Already a French-language superstar, Fabian alternates between vulnerable softie and tough cookie—failing to prove she's either, but belting her heart out nonetheless."[5]

Cover versions

The album's opening track, "Adagio," has also been covered by Nightwish singer Floor Jansen, by Ancient Bards singer Sara Squadrani and by Il Divo. The songs "Adagio" and "Broken Vow" were covered by Filipino singers, Mark Bautista and Sarah Geronimo. Also Josh Groban covered "Broken Vow" for his 2003 album Closer, and Lebanese singer Majida El Roumi recorded an Arabic cover of "Adagio", titled "Habibi", for her 2006 album E'tazalt El Gharam. Kazakh singer Dimash Kudaibergen sang "Adagio" in his "wild card" entry performance in 2017 on the Chinese talent competition Singer,[6] which catapulted him to world-wide notice, also performing it on the US show The World's Best.[7] In 2019, he and Lara performed together in a concerts with Igor Krutoy and Dimash joined Lara to perform the song in London in 2025.[8]

Track listing

Lara Fabian track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Adagio"Allison4:28
2."Part of Me"Leonard4:32
3."Givin' Up On You"
  • Fabian
  • Leonard
Leonard4:36
4."You Are My Heart"Afanasieff4:10
5."I Am Who I Am"
  • Rogers
  • Sturken
3:47
6."To Love Again (Si Tu M'Aimes)"
  • Allison
  • Fabian
  • Bruce Roberts
  • Allison
  • Pickell
3:46
7."You're Not From Here"
  • Afanasieff
  • Allison
  • Fabian
  • Bettis
Afanasieff4:49
8."Till I Get Over You"
  • Biancaniello
  • Watters
3:45
9."Love by Grace"
Afanasieff4:09
10."Yeliel (My Angel)"
  • Fabian
  • Leonard
Leonard5:02
11."I Will Love Again"
  • Barry
  • Taylor
3:45
12."Broken Vow"
  • Afanasieff
  • Fabian
Afanasieff5:16
13."Adagio" (Italian version)
  • Tomaso Albinoni
  • Allison
  • Fabian
  • Pickell
  • Allison
  • Pickell
4:28
Total length:74:39
Bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
14."Before We Say Goodbye"
  • Joanne Houlden
  • Pickell
  • Allison
  • Pickell
4:28
15."Ivy"Ballard4:24
16."Light of My Life" (duet with Leehom Wang)
  • Allison
  • Pickell
4:14
17."I Will Love Again" (ballad reprise)
Porter4:55
18."Sola Otra Vez"
  • Fabian
  • Porter
  • Alonso
Porter4:55
19."Quédate"
Porter4:29
20."Otro Amor Vendrá (I Will Love Again)"
  • Barry
  • Taylor
  • Alonso
  • Barry
  • Taylor
3:42
21."Otro Amor Vendrá (I Will Love Again)" (ballad reprise)
  • Barry
  • Taylor
  • Alonso
  • Barry
  • Taylor
4:53
22."Sin Ti"
Allison4:09
23."Meu Grande Amor (Si Tu M'Aimes)"
  • Allison
  • Fabian
  • Dudu Falcão
  • Allison
  • Pickell
4:53

Production and Personnel (as adapted from liner notes)

  • Tracks 1, 6 and 13 produced by Rick Allison; co-produced by Dave Pickell. Recorded by Jay Healy, Mario Brillion, Jeff Caruthers and John Kurlander; assisted by Ethan Shofer, Ian Dalsemer, Steve Baughman, Peter Doell, Dann Thompson, Andy Magnanello (Manganello on track 1 only) and David Channing (Channing on track 13 only). Mixed by Jay Healy, with assistance on track 6 by Gordon Fordyce. Rick Allison and Dave Pickell: Keyboards and Programming; Steve Lukather: Electric Guitars; Bruce Gaitsch: Acoustic and Nylon-String Guitars; Remy Malo: Bass; Mickey Curry: Drums
  • Tracks 2, 3 and 10 produced by Patrick Leonard Technical assistant to Mr. Leonard: David Channing. Recorded by Ross Hogarth. Mixed by Mick Guzauski (track 2) and Mike Shipley (tracks 3 and 10). Patrick Leonard: Keyboards and Programming; James Harrah and David Channing (Channing on track 2 only): Electric Guitars; Dean Parks: Acoustic Guitars; Paul Bushnell: Bass; Vinnie Colaiuta: Drums; Luis Conte and Brian MacLeod (MacLeod also played drums on track 3): Percussion; Steven Tavaglione: Soprano Saxophone (track 2 only).
  • Tracks 4, 7, 9 and 12 produced by Walter Afanasieff. Recorded by Dave Reitzas, David Gleeson and Bobbie Fernandez. Mixed by Mick Guzauski, with assistance by Tom Bender. Walter Afanasieff and Dan Shea: Keyboards, Drum and Rhythm Programming (note that track 12 features piano only); Michael Landau: Electric Guitars; Dean Parks: Acoustic Guitars
  • Track 5 produced by Evan Rogers and Carl Sturken. Recorded by Al Hemberger; mixed by Mick Guzauski, with assistance by Tom Bender. Marc Antoine: Guitars; Carl Sturken: Guitars, Keyboards and Drum Programming
  • Track 8 produced by Louis Biancaniello and Sam Watters. Recorded and mixed by Mick Guzauski, with assistance by Tom Bender. Louis Biancaniello: Keyboards and Programming; Chris Camozzi and Vernon "Ice" Black: Guitars
  • Track 11 produced by Mark Taylor and Brian Rawling. Recorded by Mark Taylor and Glen Marchese. Mixed by Mark Taylor. Mark Taylor: Keyboards and programming.

Charts

Certifications

Certifications and sales for Lara Fabian
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Belgium (BRMA)[24] Platinum 50,000*
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[25] Platinum 250,000*
Canada (Music Canada)[26] Gold 50,000^
France (SNEP)[27] Platinum 300,000*
Norway (IFPI Norway)[28] Gold 25,000*
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[29] Gold 25,000^

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ^ "Le nouveau triomphe de Lauryn Hill" (in French). 6 May 1999. Retrieved 9 January 2026.
  2. ^ a b c Fabian, Lara (1999). Lara Fabian (Liner Notes) (Compact Disc). Lara. Columbia Records.
  3. ^ "Lara Fabian | Biography, Music & News". Billboard.
  4. ^ a b Lara Fabian at AllMusic
  5. ^ Kemp, Courtney. "Amazon review". Amazon.com. Retrieved 9 January 2026.
  6. ^ March 2017, Dmitry Lee in People on 30 (2017-03-30). "Dimash Kudaibergen wins Best Asian Singer in China's Top Music Awards". The Astana Times. Retrieved 2020-08-27.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  7. ^ cartermatt (2019-03-14). "Dimash Kudaibergen quits The World's Best before final round". CarterMatt. Retrieved 2020-08-27.
  8. ^ INFORM.KZ (2019-11-04). "Dimash Kudaibergen performs with Lara Fabian". KAZinform. Archived from the original on 2021-02-18. Retrieved 2020-08-27.
  9. ^ "Austriancharts.at – Lara Fabian – Lara Fabian" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 9 January 2026.
  10. ^ "Ultratop.be – Lara Fabian – Lara Fabian" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 9 January 2026.
  11. ^ "Ultratop.be – Lara Fabian – Lara Fabian" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 9 January 2026.
  12. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Lara Fabian – Lara Fabian" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 9 January 2026.
  13. ^ "European Top 100 Albums" (PDF). Music & Media. Retrieved 1 October 2025.
  14. ^ "Lara Fabian: Lara Fabian" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 9 January 2026.
  15. ^ "Lescharts.com – Lara Fabian – Lara Fabian". Hung Medien. Retrieved 9 January 2026.
  16. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Lara Fabian – Lara Fabian" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 9 January 2026.
  17. ^ "Charts.nz – Lara Fabian – Lara Fabian". Hung Medien. Retrieved 9 January 2026.
  18. ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – Lara Fabian – Lara Fabian". Hung Medien. Retrieved 9 January 2026.
  19. ^ "Music & Media" (PDF). 2001-02-24. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2020-08-17.
  20. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Lara Fabian – Lara Fabian". Hung Medien. Retrieved 9 January 2026.
  21. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Lara Fabian – Lara Fabian". Hung Medien. Retrieved 9 January 2026.
  22. ^ "Lara Fabian Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 9 January 2026.
  23. ^ "Classement Albums – année 1999" (in French). SNEP. Archived from the original on 25 September 2012. Retrieved 9 January 2026.
  24. ^ "Ultratop − Goud en Platina – albums 1999". Ultratop. Hung Medien.
  25. ^ "Brazilian album certifications – Lara Fabian – Lara Fabian" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil.
  26. ^ "Canadian album certifications – Lara Fabian – Lara Fabian". Music Canada.
  27. ^ "French album certifications – Lara Fabian – Lara Fabian" (in French). SNEP.
  28. ^ "IFPI Norsk platebransje Trofeer 1993–2011" (in Norwegian). IFPI Norway.
  29. ^ "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards ('Lara Fabian')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien.