Proud is the debut solo album by English singer Heather Small. It was released on 1 June 2000 by Arista Records. Her first solo project following the hiatus of her band M People, it reached number twelve on the UK Albums Chart and earned a Best UK Album nomination at the 2000 MOBO Awards. Prouds title track was released as the first single and became a hit, followed by second single "Holding On."
Critical reception
Colm O'Hare from Hot Press praised Proud, describing the album as a largely familiar extension of her previous work, with dancefloor tracks such as "Proud" and "Holding On" alongside big ballads like "Ease Your Troubled Mind," while praising Small’s vocals but suggesting the production and vocal intensity could become excessive. The album received a Best UK Album nomination at the 2000 MOBO Awards.
Commercial performance Proud achieved moderate commercial performance following its release in 2000. The album peaked at number 12 on the UK Albums Chart and also reached number 12 on the Scottish Albums Chart. Internationally, it charted at number 36 in New Zealand, number 62 in Germany, and number 81 in Switzerland. In the United Kingdom, Proud was certified Silver by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) in July 2013 for shipments figures of over 60,000 units.
Track listing
Charts + Weekly chart performance for Proud Chart (2000) Peakposition
Certifications
References