Maps of Music

The Comfort Zone (1991)

Where the lyrics of The Comfort Zone take you, and where it was really made.

Its third single, 'Save the Best for Last', spent five consecutive weeks at number one on the Hot 100, yet the album itself peaked only at number 17 on the Billboard 200.

Key places

Bennett House, Nashville (1991)

Recording site Nashville — Credited as a recording site for The Comfort Zone. The pin sits at Nashville city center, not at the exact building. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Blondahl Studio, Copenhagen (1991)

Recording site Medley Studios (Copenhagen) — Credited as a recording site for The Comfort Zone. The pin sits at Copenhagen city center, not at the exact building. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Creative Source Studios, Studio City (1991)

Recording site TRS Studios — Credited as a recording site for The Comfort Zone. The pin sits at Studio City center, not at the exact building. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

D&D Recording Studios, New York (1991)

Recording site Record Plant Studios — Credited as a recording site for The Comfort Zone. The pin sits at New York city center, not at the exact building. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Ocean Way Recording, Hollywood (1991)

Recording site The Music Grinder (Hollywood) — Credited as a recording site for The Comfort Zone. The pin sits at Hollywood city center, not at the exact building. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Sunset Sound Studios, Los Angeles (1991)

Recording site Sunset Sound — Credited as a recording site for The Comfort Zone. The pin uses a building-level coordinate for the studio location. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• The Comfort Zone: second studio album by American singer and actress Vanessa Williams
• Released August 20, 1991, by Mercury's Wing Records label
• Fourteen songs, described by Entertainment Weekly as longish and beautifully sequenced
• Five singles released between July 1991 and July 1992
• First single 'Running Back to You' released July 16, 1991
• Second single, the title track 'The Comfort Zone', released October 29
• Third single 'Save the Best for Last' released January 14, 1992
• Fourth single 'Just for Tonight' released April 21
• Fifth and final single 'Work to Do' released July 21

Background

• Album issued by Wing Records, a label of Mercury Records
• Vanessa Williams is credited as lead vocalist
• 'Work to Do' and 'What Will I Tell My Heart?' appeared in the film Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man
• 'What Will I Tell My Heart?' also appeared on the film's soundtrack album

Recording

• Produced by Vanessa Williams (also executive) and Ed Eckstine (executive)
• Other producers include Keith Thomas, Brian McKnight, Kenni Hairston, Derek Bramble and Gerry Brown
• Recording credits list studios in Nashville, Copenhagen, Studio City, New York, Hollywood and Los Angeles
• Mixing credited to Gerry Brown, Bruce Carbone, Dave Darlington, Humberto Gatica, Bill Whittington and Vanessa L. Williams
• Mastering by Herb Powers

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · it.wikipedia.org · pt.wikipedia.org

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Formation

• Vanessa Lynn Williams, born March 18, 1963, in Tarrytown, New York, a suburb of New York City.
• Raised in Millwood and Westchester County, New York, in a household of music teachers.
• Studied at Syracuse University's Department of Drama as a musical theater major from 1981.
• Became the first African-American Miss America when crowned Miss America 1984 on September 17, 1983.
• Resigned the title in July 1984 after nude photographs published by Penthouse magazine caused a media controversy.
• Released debut album The Right Stuff in 1988 under her own name.

Career

• Debut single "Dreamin'" peaked at number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1989.
• Second album The Comfort Zone (1991) became her biggest commercial success.
• "Save the Best for Last" reached number 1 in the United States and was performed at the 1993 Grammy Awards.
• Sweetest Days (1994) was certified platinum in the U.S.
• Made Broadway debut in 1994 replacing Chita Rivera in Kiss of the Spider Woman.
• Nominated for a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for The Witch in the 2002 revival of Into the Woods.
• Played Wilhelmina Slater in Ugly Betty (2006–2010), earning Primetime Emmy nominations.
• Released Survivor in August 2024, her ninth studio album.
• In 2024 to 2026 starred as Miranda Priestly in The Devil Wears Prada at the Dominion Theatre, London.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• Arion Berger of Entertainment Weekly gave the album an A
• Berger wrote that the album is less a pop record than the soundtrack to an R&B stage musical about love
• Berger highlighted 'The Comfort Zone', 'Running Back to You', 'Save the Best for Last', 'What Will I Tell My Heart', 'Freedom Dance' and 'Goodbye'
• Berger praised the keyboard romps, busy drums and occasional flute

Records

• US Billboard 200: peaked at number 17
• Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums: reached number one
• United Kingdom: peaked at number 24 on release in April 1992, then quickly fell out of the top 50
• RIAA: certified triple platinum
• CRIA: certified gold
• Five Grammy Award nominations, for 1992 and 1993 songs including 'Save the Best for Last' and 'The Comfort Zone'
• 1993 American Music Awards: three nominations
• 1993 MTV Video Music Awards: two nominations, including Best Female Video for 'Save the Best for Last'

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · pt.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• 'Work to Do' features Dres of Black Sheep
• 'Work to Do' and 'What Will I Tell My Heart?' both appeared in the film Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man
• The album was certified gold in Japan for 100,000 copies
• Mastering credit went to Herb Powers

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · it.wikipedia.org · pt.wikipedia.org

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