Ashley Tisdale, the singer and actress known to millions as the star of the blockbuster High School Musical series, will release her second album for Warner Bros. Records, entitled Guilty Pleasure, June 16, 2009.With an edgy, guitar-driven pop-rock sound, Guilty Pleasure is a creative and mature leap forward for this appealing young singer and songwriter, who launched a career as a solo artist with her gold-certified Top 5 rhythmic-pop debut Headstrong in 2007. “Headstrong was a big learning experience, as it was my first album,” Tisdale says. “This time I went in knowing exactly what I wanted to do and the message I wanted to put out there, which is that I’m 23 and I’m not just the cute, bubbly blonde girl you know from Disney. I have a tougher side and I love rock music, which are things people probably don’t know about me. On each album you get to share with the world who you are as a person, and I wanted my fans to see another side to me. This album really reflects who I am at this point in my life.”
Guilty Pleasure is indeed an authentic reflection of a girl growing up and speaking her mind on songs like the first single “It’s Alright, It’s OK” — a spunky break-up anthem about being single and in control of your life for the first time. “I love break-up songs,” Tisdale admits. “On this album, I put to rest a lot of baggage from a previous relationship by venting about the frustration. Everyone can relate to those moments. That song is about how you need to stand up for yourself and not let someone walk all over you; it’s a message I wanted to get across to other girls.”
Working with a host of top-flight producers and songwriters, such as Kara DioGuardi (Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood), Toby Gad (Beyoncé, Fergie), Billy Steinberg (Madonna), Emanuel Kiriakou (David Archuleta, Nick Lachey), and Swedish production team Twin (who co-wrote the Headstrong singles “Not Like That” and “Be Good To Me”), Tisdale co-wrote several tracks on Guilty Pleasure, including the feisty “Acting Out,” whose lyrics could serve as the album’s mission statement: “Let me out of this cage / I'm not gonna hold back / I'm gonna break these chains / I'm taking control now / Gonna give you something to talk about / It's another side of me I'm acting out.” She also co-wrote the propulsive “Overrated,” about not changing your personality for a guy, and two ballads “What If” and “Me Without You.” Another album highlight is the slinky, confident “Masquerade,” perhaps the most sophisticated song Tisdale has recorded to date.
“I’m growing up and this is music I would listen to,” Tisdale says. “On this record, I’m not catering to anyone other than to who I am as a person. I think all of these songs have a message and a story that anyone can relate to. I couldn’t sing them if I didn’t connect with them myself.”
Guilty Pleasure’s first single, “It’s Alright, It’s OK” ships to Top 40 radio on April 14th — the same day it will be available for purchase via digital retailers. For more on Ashley Tisdale, please visit her official website www.ashleytisdale.com.
