Nina Sky (album)

Nina Sky is the debut studio album by Puerto Rican-American girl group Nina Sky. The album was released on June 22, 2004, in the United States and a week later worldwide. It debuted at number 44 on the US Billboard 200 and sold 341,000 copies according to Nielsen Soundscan. The lead single "Move Ya Body" received a Gold Certification from Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The second single was "Turnin' Me On", but did not match the success of "Move Ya Body".^[3]

Nina Sky
Studio album by Nina Sky
Released	June 22, 2004
Recorded	2003–2004
Studio	The Hit Factory (New York City, New York, US)
Genre	Hip hop reggaetón R&B
Length	46:56
Label	Universal Next Plateau
Producer	Eddie O'Loughlin (exec.) Nicole Albino^[1] Natalie Albino Lionel Bermingham M. "Khan" Chin The Jettsonz Cipha Sounds Supa Dups Will Divide Disco D Jamal Landlord George Charles E.J. Wells Cordel Burrell Curtis Bedeau
Nina Sky chronology
Nina Sky (2004) La Conexión (2005)
Singles from Nina Sky
"Move Ya Body" Released: April 12, 2004 "Turnin' Me On" Released: November 30, 2004^[2]

The single "Move Ya Body" was released on April 12, 2004, and reached number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Urban music and rhythmic top 40 stations quickly added the song to their playlists, sending the song up the charts. By July 17, "Move Ya Body" had gone to the top five on both sides of the Atlantic and had also reached the top five of a world combined R&B chart based on the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, France and Australia. The song had also reached the top fifty of the Australian charts. "Turnin' Me On" was released in November 2004, but without the success of "Move Ya Body". It was a minor hit in France and United States, peaking at number five on US Billboard's Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart. The twins continued to work and promote their music. They have contributed to the reggaeton movement with songs such as "Oye Mi Canto", and "Más Maíz" with artist and producer N.O.R.E. They were also featured artists on Sean Paul's song "Connection" from his album The Trinity.

Background and recording

In March 2004, Nicole and Natalie held their first live performance as Nina Sky. Concert was held in Club Demara on 18 March, which they revealed eleven years later. Later that year, record producer The Jettsonz introduced the girls to Cipha Sounds, a hip hop DJ under the Star Trak label owned by The Neptunes (Pharrell and Chad Hugo). Cipha Sounds was impressed when he heard the girls sing and suggested that they use the "Coolie Dance" riddim. The twins then proceeded to write "Move Ya Body" (along with The Jettsonz, who also produced the record), mixing Caribbean rhythms. Eventually, a demo of the song was made. The demo fell into the hands of Eddie O'Loughlin, the president of Next Plateau Entertainment (which is a division of Universal Records). O'Loughlin signed the twins to a contract and they started working on their debut album.^[4][5][6] Twins recorded the album between 2003 and early 2004, mostly in The Hit Factory studio located in New York City. Many producers and musicians worked with them on the record, including The Jettsonz, Cipha Sounds, Supa Dups, Disco D, Betty Wright, E.J. Wells etc. Songs "Move Ya Body" and "In a Dream" were both released two months before the full album was released, and were included on Move Ya Body EP.

Release and promotion

Nina Sky was released on June 22, 2004, in the United States and on June 29, 2004, in other countries. It was promoted with two singles: "Move Ya Body" and "Turnin' Me On".

• The album's first single was Move Ya Body. It was released on April 12, 2004.^[7] Music video was released in April. The song charted at number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 22 on the 2004 Billboard Year-End Chart. It also reached number 6 on the UK Singles Chart. It was certified Gold by the RIAA in early 2005. Its B-side is a song "In a Dream". Nina Sky were often regarded as one-hit wonders, since "Move Ya Body" was the duo's only single to reach top 40 on Billboard Hot 100. The song ranked at number 250 on Blender's 500 Greatest Songs Since You Were Born.
• The album's second and final single was "Turnin' Me On". It was released on November 30, 2004, for digital download. The single did not make the same success like previous single "Move Ya Body", but it reached number 5 on Bubbling Under Hot 100. There were three remixes released for the song: One remix features Cham, the second remix features Pitbull and Shawnna and the third remix is Kassanova Remix, which was used for their second mixtape album La Conexion.

Album was also promoted with a mixtape, featuring remixes and collaborations. Mixtape was released later in 2004. It features a remix by Vybz Kartel for "Move Ya Body".

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[8]
Entertainment Weekly	B^[9]
People	^[10]
Rolling Stone	^[11]
Slant Magazine	^[12]
Stylus Magazine	C^[13]

Album received mixed reviews from music critics. Entertainment Weekly gave the album B while Stylus Magazine gave C. Rolling Stone and Slant Magazine both gave album three out of five stars. AllMusic gave 3.5 stars while People Magazine gave two out of five stars.

Commercial performance

Nina Sky was moderate success in United States. However, it wasn't successful outside the United States, peaking at number 135 on UK Albums Chart and not peaking on any other chart except for charts in the US. It peaked at number forty-four on US Billboard 200 and number four on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. It sold around 500,000 copies, being certified Gold by Recording Industry Association of America.

The album's first single "Move Ya Body" performed excellently worldwide, peaking at number four on the Billboard Hot 100, but album did not perform that well, only peaking in United States and United Kingdom. Second single "Turnin' Me On" was not as successful: it failed to enter the Billboard Hot 100 and peaked at number five on Bubbling Under Hot 100. It was also a minor hit in France.

A mixtape which promoted the album was also released later in 2004. There was song "Oye Mi Canto" and also remixes of "Move Ya Body", "Turnin' Me On" and "Holla Back". A collaboration with Angie Martinez titled "Time to Go" was also included. Mixtape failed to chart anywhere and is extremely rare.

Title

The album was self-titled. The sisters wanted to devise a name of their own. In using the first two syllables of their names ("Ni" and "Na"), they came up with Nina. They then added Sky, which for them represented "the sky's the limit".^[14][15]

Artwork

Album's artwork was made sometime in 2004. The picture was taken by John Ricard and features twins (Nicole left, Natalie right) in front of white wall painted in green and black. Nicole wore green blouse with records painted on it and dark blue round earrings. Natalie wore long green earrings and dark brown top. Hair stylist Q, make-up artist Mylah Morales and fashion stylist Malaika Elcock helped twins to get ready (according to Discogs).^[16] This was Nina Sky's second album cover to feature their first logotype (the first was the cover for single/EP "Move Ya Body").

Track listing

Nina Sky – Standard edition

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Nina Sky Is..." (Intro)	David Shayman Luis Diaz Nicole Albino Natalie Albino Jamal Landlord	Supa Dups Albino Albino Cipha Sounds Disco D	1:01
2.	"Move Ya Body" (featuring Jabba)	Albino Albino Cordel Burrell Luis Diaz Paul George Curtis Bedeau Gerald Charles Brian George Elijah Wells Lionel Bermingham	Burell Albino Albino Bedeau Charles Wells Diaz	3:52
3.	"You Deserve" (featuring Betty Wright)	Wright Albino Albino Bermingham Wells	Wright Wells Albino Albino Bermingham	3:46
4.	"Turnin' Me On"	Albino Albino Diaz Shayman Dwayne Chin-Quee	Cipha Sounds Disco D Supa Dups	3:32
5.	"Let It Go"	Albino Albino Wells Bermingham	Bermingham Wells	4:02
6.	"Goodbye" (Interlude)	Albino Albino	Albino Albino	1:43
7.	"Your Time"	Albino Albino Shayman J. McDougal Wrecia Holloway	Albino Albino Diaz	4:21
8.	"Runaway"	Shayman L. Beckles Diaz L. Francis Albino Albino R. Carter	Shayman Beckles Diaz Francis Albino Albino Carter	3:39
9.	"In a Dream"	Wells Albino Albino Bermingham	Bermingham Wells	3:30
10.	"Surely Missed"	Al Green Willie Mitchell Albino Albino Diaz Shayman	Green Mitchell Albino Albino Diaz	4:33
11.	"Temperature's Rising" (Prelude)	Albino Albino Bermingham Wells	Albino Albino Bermingham Wells	0:59
12.	"Temperature's Rising"	Albino Albino Bermingham Wells	Albino Albino Bermingham Wells	5:20
13.	"Holla Back"	Shayman Diaz Albino Albino	Shayman Diaz	3:19
14.	"Faded Memories"	Albino Albino Bermingham Wells Nelson Albino	Will Divide	3:32

Nina Sky – UK and Japanese edition (bonus track)^[17]

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
15.	"Get Up and Dance"	Albino Albino Wells Bermingham	Happy Perez	3:16

Sample credits

• "Move Ya Body" contains a portion of "Can You Feel the Beat" by Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam featuring Full Force.
• "Your Time" contains a sample from embodies portions of "Let Me Down Easy" performed by Inez Foxx.
• "Runaway" embodies portions of "Walking into Sunshine" by Central Line.
• "Surely Missed" embodies portions of "Something" performed by Al Green.

Charts

Chart (2004)	Peak position
UK Albums (OCC)^[1]	135
US Billboard 200^[1]	44
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)^[1]	4

Release history

Region	Date	Format	Label
United States	June 22, 2004	CD digital download	Universal Next Plateau
Worldwide	June 29, 2004
Japan^[18]	August 10, 2004

References

1. https://www.billboard.com/artist/nina-sky/chart-history/
2. "Nina Sky by Nina Sky". iTunes. January 2004.
3. "Nina Sky: Nina Sky: Japan/Uk Version". Archived from the original on 2014-06-22. Retrieved 2014-06-22.
4. Nina Sky on iTunes
5. Nina Sky on Shazam Archived 2014-06-22 at archive.today
6. Nina Sky on Discogs
7. "Going for Adds" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1550. April 9, 2004. p. 20. Retrieved June 15, 2021.
8. Kellman, Andy. "Nina Sky - Nina Sky". Allmusic. Retrieved on 2010-01-31.
9. Drumming, Neil (2004-07-16). . Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2012-07-30.
10. Arnold, Chuck (2004-08-09). . People. Retrieved 2013-04-18.
11. "Nina Sky CD Album". CDUniverse.com. Retrieved 2012-07-30.
12. Cinquemani, Sal (2004-07-05). "Nina Sky: Nina Sky". Slant Magazine. Retrieved 2013-04-18.
13. Chesnut, Matt (2004-08-02). "Nina Sky - Nina Sky". Stylus Magazine. Retrieved 2013-04-18.
14. Dominican Times 2007-09-24 at the Wayback Machine
15. Cited from Nina Sky
16. "Nina Sky – Nina Sky (2004, CD)". Discogs.
17. Nina Sky Japanese/UK edition
18. . www.israbox.com. Archived from the original on 2013-03-31.

External links

• Official website