{{For|the company|Souldier (company)}} {{Infobox album | name = Souldier | type = studio | artist = Jain | cover = JainSouldier.png | alt = | released = {{start date|2018|8|24|df=yes}} | recorded = Spookland, Paris | venue = | studio = | genre = {{hlist|Pop<ref name="RS">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/new-albums-august-24-blood-orange-ozuna-ryan-culwell-715297/|title=12 New Albums to Stream Now: Blood Orange, Ozuna and more|magazine=Rolling Stone|last=Hermes|first=Will|date=24 August 2018|accessdate=3 September 2018}}</ref>|dance-pop|worldbeat}} | length = {{Duration|m=31|s=12}} | label = Spookland, Columbia, Sony Music | producer = Jain, Yodelice | prev_title = Zanaka | prev_year = 2015 | next_title =The Fool | next_year =2023 | misc = {{Singles | name = Souldier | type = studio | single1 = Alright | single1date = 25 May 2018 | single2 = Oh Man | single2date = 8 October 2018 }} }}
'''''Souldier''''' is the second studio album by French singer-songwriter Jain. It was released on 24 August 2018 through Spookland, Columbia and Sony Music. Its release was preceded by the lead single "Alright". The album's title is a play-on-words between 'soldier' and 'soul'.
The album debuted at number one in France and the French-speaking part of Switzerland (Romandie), number two in Switzerland and at number three in Wallonia.<ref name="SNEP"/><ref name="Switzerland"/><ref name="Wallonia"/> Jain toured North America in support of the album, beginning in October 2018,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://earmilk.com/2018/06/27/jain-releases-music-video-for-latest-single-alright/|title=JAIN releases music video for latest single "Alright"|work=Earmilk|last=Evans|first=Steph|date=27 June 2018|accessdate=3 September 2018}}</ref> followed by dates in western Europe in November and December 2018.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/Jainmusic/status/1015146562081775616|title=JAIN on Twitter|via=Twitter|accessdate=3 September 2018}}</ref> The tour will continue in France in spring 2019.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chartsinfrance.net/Jain/news-107904.html|title="Souldier Tour" : Jain annonce une tournée des Zéniths pour 2019|website=chartsinfrance.net|date=31 August 2018 |language=French|accessdate=3 September 2018}}</ref>
==Release and promotion== The album's title, cover and track listing were announced on 29 June 2018 and it was made available for pre-order.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://twitter.com/Jainmusic/status/1012599379302154240|title=JAIN on Twitter|via=Twitter|accessdate=3 September 2018}}</ref>
On 25 May 2018, "Alright" was released as the album's lead single. A music video for the song was released on 25 June 2018.<ref>{{Citation|last=JAINVEVO|title=Jain - Alright (Official Video)|date=2018-06-25|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MARsW26KXQg|access-date=2019-06-08}}</ref> The song achieved considerable success in France, reaching number one on the downloads chart and number six on the overall singles chart.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.snepmusique.com/tops-semaine/top-singles-telecharges/?ye=2018&we=34|title=Le Top de la semaine : Top Singles Téléchargés (Week 34)|publisher=SNEP|language=French|accessdate=3 September 2018}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{cite web|url=https://lescharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Jain&titel=Alright&cat=s|title=Jain – Alright|website=lescharts.com|language=French|accessdate=3 September 2018}}</ref> In December 2018, it was certified platinum in France for sales exceeding 200,000 copies.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=http://www.snepmusique.com/les-disques-dor/|title=Les Certifications|date=2013-11-01|website=SNEP - Syndicat Nation de l'Edition Phonographique|access-date=2019-06-08}}</ref> "Alright" was also highly successful in Walloon, where it peaked at number two on the singles chart.<ref name=":0" />
On 8 October 2018, "Oh Man" was released as the album's second single.<ref>{{Citation|title=Jain choisi "Oh Man" comme nouveau single|date=9 October 2018 |url=http://www.nrj.fr/artistes/jain/actus/jain-choisi-oh-man-comme-nouveau-single-71299250|language=fr|access-date=2019-02-10}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.chartsinfrance.net/Jain/news-108238.html|title="Oh Man" : Jain étincelle avec un nouveau single aux influences orientales|website=chartsinfrance.net|date=8 October 2018 |access-date=2019-02-10}}</ref> A music video for the song was released on 21 December 2018. It was filmed at the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya.<ref>{{Citation|title=Jain : découvrez son nouveau clip "Oh Man", tourné dans un musée|date=21 December 2018 |url=http://www.nrj.fr/artistes/jain/actus/jain-decouvrez-son-nouveau-clip-oh-man-tourne-dans-un-musee-71314690|language=fr|access-date=2019-02-10}}</ref> The song peaked at number 23 in France and was certified gold for sales exceeding 100,000 copies.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://lescharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Jain&titel=Oh+Man|title=lescharts.com - Jain - Oh Man|website=lescharts.com|access-date=2019-06-08}}</ref><ref name=":1" /> In Walloon, it peaked at number 9, becoming Jain's third single to reach the top 10 in the region.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ultratop.be/fr/search.asp?search=jain&cat=s|title=ultratop.be - ULTRATOP BELGIAN CHARTS|website=ultratop.be|access-date=2019-06-08}}</ref>
==Themes== The title track was inspired by the Orlando nightclub shooting,<ref name="NME"/> while the song "Star" is about the position of young women in the music industry.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.leparisien.fr/culture-loisirs/musique/musique-avec-alright-jain-revient-en-guerriere-26-05-2018-7736772.php|title=Musique : avec "Alright", Jain revient en guerrière|last=Bureau|first=Eric|work=Le Parisien|date=26 May 2018|accessdate=3 September 2018|language=French|trans-title=Music: With "Alright", Jain returns as a warrior}}</ref>
==Critical reception== {{Music ratings | rev1 = ''NME'' | rev1score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref name="NME">{{cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/reviews/album/jain-souldier-album-review|title=Jain – 'Souldier' album review|work=NME|last=Smith|first=Thomas|date=24 August 2018|accessdate=3 September 2018}}</ref> }} Reviewing the album for ''NME'', Thomas Smith awarded the album four out of five stars and complimented its "diverse palette of influences" and "endearing moments", including "Inspecta", with Smith naming it "one of the most exhilarating songs of 2018" that is "basically just the ''Inspector Gadget'' theme tune given a trendy trap makeover".<ref name="NME"/> Smith also acclaimed "Alright" for its "drum'n'bass with an Afrobeat flair". He also singled out "Dream", calling it "stripped-back Euro-tinged pop that's hinged on Jain's piercing vocals." In conclusion, he stated "Fortune favours the ones with love in their hearts, and Jain's ''Souldier'' shows bagfuls."<ref name="NME"/>
Will Hermes, writing for ''Rolling Stone'', noted Jain's "flow jump-cutting between pan-African dancehall chat and Europop chirp with matter-of-fact fluency — think M.I.A. as ingénue".<ref name="RS"/> He called the album "another sly charmer, sung in English but stylistically polyglot".<ref name="RS"/>
==Track listing== {{Track listing | all_writing = Jain | title1 = On My Way | length1 = 3:23 | title2 = Flash (Pointe-Noire) | length2 = 2:19 | title3 = Alright | length3 = 3:42 | title4 = Oh Man | length4 = 3:22 | title5 = Inspecta | length5 = 3:05 | title6 = Dream | length6 = 3:04 | title7 = Star | length7 = 3:01 | title8 = Feel It | length8 = 2:39 | title9 = Abu Dhabi | length9 = 2:51 | title10 = Souldier | length10 = 3:46 | total_length = 31:12 }}
{{Track listing | headline = Japan bonus tracks<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.sonymusic.co.jp/artist/JAIN/discography/SICP-6004|title=「ソウルジャー」- ジェイン|publisher=Sony Music Japan|accessdate=September 21, 2020}}</ref> | total_length = 38:26
| title11 = Come | length11 = 2:44 | title12 = Makeba | length12 = 4:11 }}
==Charts== {{col-begin}} {{col-2}}
===Weekly charts=== {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |- ! scope="col"| Chart (2018) ! scope="col"| Peak<br />position |- {{album chart|Flanders|152|artist=Jain|album=Souldier|rowheader=true|accessdate=3 September 2018}} |- {{album chart|Wallonia|3|artist=Jain|album=Souldier|rowheader=true|accessdate=3 September 2018|refname=Wallonia}} |- ! scope="row"| French Albums (SNEP)<ref name="SNEP">{{cite web|url=http://www.snepmusique.com/tops-semaine/top-album-megafusion/?ye=2018&we=35|title=Le Top de la semaine : Top Albums (Week 35)|work=SNEP - Syndicat Nation de l'Edition Phonographique |date=November 2013 |publisher=Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique|accessdate=3 September 2018}}</ref> | 1 |- {{album chart|Switzerland|2|artist=Jain|album=Souldier|rowheader=true|accessdate=5 September 2018|refname=Switzerland}} |- ! scope="row"| Swiss Albums (Romandie)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://lescharts.ch/weekchart.asp?cat=a&year=2018&date=20180902|title=Les charts de la Suisse romande|publisher=lescharts.ch|language=French|accessdate=12 September 2018}}</ref> | 1 |} {{col-2}}
===Year-end charts=== {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |- ! scope="col"| Chart (2018) ! scope="col"| Position |- ! scope="row"| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ultratop.be/fr/annual.asp?year=2018&cat=a|title=Rapports Annuels 2018|publisher=Ultratop|accessdate=28 July 2020}}</ref> | 83 |- ! scope="row"| French Albums (SNEP)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://snepmusique.com/les-tops/le-top-de-lannee/top-albums-annee/?annee=2018|title=Top de l'année Top Albums 2018|publisher=SNEP|language=fr|accessdate=8 January 2020}}</ref> | 45 |} {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |- ! scope="col"| Chart (2019) ! scope="col"| Position |- ! scope="row"| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ultratop.be/fr/annual.asp?year=2019&cat=a|title=Rapports Annuels 2019|publisher=Ultratop|accessdate=28 July 2020}}</ref> | 164 |- ! scope="row"| French Albums (SNEP)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://snepmusique.com/les-tops/le-top-de-lannee/top-albums-annee/?annee=2019|title=Top de l'année Top Albums 2019|publisher=SNEP|language=fr|accessdate=8 January 2020}}</ref> | 76 |} {{col-end}}
==Certifications== {{Certification Table Top}} {{Certification Table Entry|region=France|artist=Jain|title=Souldier|award=Platinum|number=2|type=album|relyear=2018|certyear=2023|access-date=4 October 2023}} {{Certification Table Bottom|noshipments=true | nosales=true | streaming=true}}
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:2018 albums Category:Jain (singer) albums Category:Sony Music albums Category:Columbia Records albums Category:Albums produced by Yodelice