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| In just six years, Faith Hill has sold more than 11 million records, garnered eight No. 1 singles and ten No. 1 videos. This past year alone, she received countless nominations and statues from the Country Music Association, the Grammy Awards, the Academy of Country Music Awards, Blockbuster Awards and TNN Music City News Awards. She celebrated the enormous crossover success of her first platinum single, "This Kiss," which culminated with her appearance on the 1999 VH1 Divas Live, where she shared the same stage with Tina Turner, Cher and Whitney Houston. She was named the newest face for CoverGirl Cosmetics and graced the cover of numerous magazines as diverse as Country Weekly, People, TV Guide and Glamour. After completing a 50-city tour—her first headline series of performances—she found herself back in the studio with barely six weeks to finish Breathe, the follow-up to the now quadruple-platinum 1998 release, Faith. Breathe, a musically diverse and soulful recording produced by Hill and Faith producers Byron Gallimore and Dann Huff, is remarkably close to an autobiographical collection of 13 tracks. The album focuses on the things closest to her heart and her selection of tracks is sure to give listeners a personal look at what makes this remarkable talent tick. "The music that I make has to be right for me at the right time," says Hill. "It has to have meaning. When I sing a song, I am in that song…and hopefully people hear and feel that. I can’t draw that line of trust with my fans if I don’t sing from my heart every time I’m in front of a microphone." From the title track, which mirrors Hill’s professional juggernaut, to the energetic "I Got My Baby" and powerful "If My Heart Had Wings," Hill sings with attitude, vision and purpose on Breathe. Her fourth recording takes the listener on a journey that ranges from the passionate ballad "Let’s Make Love" (a duet with country superstar and husband Tim McGraw), to the uplifting spirit and sincere message of "There Will Come A Day." Hill even finds a place to pay tribute to her fans, with "Bringing Out The Elvis," and to Bruce Springsteen, with a stirring rendition of "If I Should Fall Behind." Hill’s desire to perform and record songs close to her heart set her on a path to explore new musical and emotional territories. This innate drive is what stands at the core of this chanteuse’s success. But Hill hasn’t forgotten the bottom line. "There’s got to be something for the fans to connect to in order for them to go out and spend their hard-earned money on a Faith Hill recording," says Hill. "I’m constantly thinking about them. I hope they realize that and like the direction that I am going." With her breakout success this past year, Hill has found herself in a unique position. Those country fans who have purchased her records for the past five years no longer find themselves alone. Hill has been introduced to the industry’s proverbial mainstream. With a new contingency of fans who might not otherwise have known about her if not for the huge success of "This Kiss," her appearance on VH1’s Divas and her new nationwide print and television campaign as CoverGirl Cosmetics’ newest face, Hill finds herself releasing a new recording for a new audience for the second time. And how has the 32-year-old Mississippi-born Hill learned to deal with motherhood, marriage and her newfound super-stardom? "The biggest issue for me now is how to take it all in," says Hill. "It’s a challenge. I’m just learning how to take time for myself. Frankly, the thing that I want most out of life is normality. It’s difficult, but I try to find time for myself. It’s a daily struggle, certainly not a daily accomplishment." But you can count on one thing. Whether or not Faith Hill finds time to "breathe," she will always stay true to those things that got her here: dedication, passion, focus and her commitment to keeping la vie en rose or life in the pink—Faith’s favorite Edith Piaf expression—for herself, her fans and those close to her. |
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