Cinderella's Eyes by Nicola Roberts

Cinderella's Eyes is the debut studio album by English recording artist Nicola Roberts. It was released on 23 September 2011 by Polydor Records. As a member of the British girl group Girls Aloud, Roberts drew inspiration from her time with the group. Her experience with Girls Aloud's formation found her being labelled "ugly" by the media, and the constant negative attention and subsequent personal problems resulted in her struggling with her confidence. She started recording for the album in 2010 and co-wrote all of the original tracks on the album, working closely with producers Dimitri Tikovoi, Maya von Doll (from electro group Sohodolls) and Diplo on the album, as well as Canadian electropop band Dragonette. The concept of the album derived from fairy tales, focusing mostly upon Cinderella after titling the album Cinderella's Eyes. The album artwork features Roberts next to a collection of vintage artefacts wearing a modern interpretation of the Cinderella glass slipper, co-produced by shoe designer Atalanta Weller. The album was characterised by electropop themes and autobiographical lyrics. The album opens with "Beat of My Drum", an electropop dance track which features chants, something that is presented throughout the album. Her use of rap is included on tracks such as "I", "Yo-Yo" and "Sticks + Stones". The latter track was written about her lack of confidence during her times with Girls Aloud, and discusses the times she was labelled "ugly" by the media. Roberts wrote the track to highlight the subject of bullying and to make others in the same position feel less alone. The album was inspired by Robyn and Kate Bush, both of whom have received comparisons to songs within the album. Cinderella's Eyes received critical acclaim from music critics who praised the production on the album, Roberts' voice and her lyrics. The album was also praised for being the most original solo album from any of the members of Girls Aloud. Although the album did not reach commercial success, many critics commented that the album was under-rated and deserved more appreciation. "Beat of My Drum" was released as the album's first track. The track gathered acclaim from critics and performed well commercially, charting at number 27 in the United Kingdom. A music video directed by Wendy Morgan showed Roberts performing in 1970s-inspired outfits. The second single, "Lucky Day", was released a week before the album and featured production from the band Dragonette. It gained positive reviews for its use of pop themes, and the music video directed by Stephen Agnes featured Roberts in the East Village of New York City performing in a floral dress.