Waking at Dawn

2016 studio album by Roy Woods

Waking at Dawn

Studio album by

Roy Woods

Released| July 1, 2016 (2016-07-01)
Recorded| 2016
Genre|

* Hip hop
* Alternative R&B

Length| 35:56
Label|

* OVO Sound
* Warner Bros.

Producer|

* Akeel Henry
* DZL
* FrancisGotHeat
* Krs.
* L.A. Chase
* Murda Beatz
* Omari Jabari
* Prezident Jeff
* Saintfall
* Sunny Diamonds

Roy Woods chronology
| Exis
(2015)  | Waking at Dawn
(2016)  | Nocturnal
(2016)

|
|

Singles from  Waking at Dawn

1. "Gwan Big Up Urself"
Released: June 4, 2016
2. "How I Feel"
Released: June 4, 2016

Waking at Dawn is the debut studio album by Canadian recording artist Roy Woods.[1][2][3][4][5] It was released on July 1, 2016, by OVO Sound and Warner Bros. Records.[6] The album serves as a follow-up to his debut EP Exis (2015). It was preceded by two singles; "Gwan Big Up Urself" and "How I Feel".

## Background[edit]

On March 11, 2016, Roy Woods announced the album's title via Twitter.[7] The release date and cover art was revealed on June 29, 2016.[8]

## Singles[edit]

The album's lead single and second single, "Gwan Big Up Urself" and "How I Feel" was released on June 4, 2016.[9][10]

## Critical reception[edit]

Professional ratingsReview scores

Source| Rating
HotNewHipHop| (74/100) [11]
Now| [12]
Exclaim!| 6/10[13]

Waking at Dawn was met with generally positive reviews. The album received a 74 out of 100 by HotNewHipHop. Writing for Exclaim!, Themistoklis Alexis praised the album's "flashes of maturity" but criticized Woods' "failure to emote fully on phonics."[13]

## Track listing[edit]

Credits were adapted from Tidal.[14]

No.| Title| Writer(s)| Producer(s)| Length

|
|
|
|

1.| "Sonic Boom"|

* Denzel Spencer
* Francis Nguyen-Tran
* Jeffrey Offe
* Sunny Khokar

* FrancisGotHeat
* Prezident Jeff
* Sunny Diamonds

| 3:04
2.| "You Love It"|

* Spencer
* Antonio Mendes
* Khokar

* L.A. Chase
* Sunny Diamonds

| 3:06
3.| "Gwan Big Up Urself"|

* Spencer
* Christopher Allen
* Nguyen-Tran
* Khokar

* Krs.
* FrancisGotHeat
* Sunny Diamonds

| 3:20
4.| "How I Feel"|

* Spencer
* Lobban
* Holmes
* Khokhar

* DZL
* ALO

| 3:43
5.| "Down Girl"|

* Spencer
* Offe
* Khokar

* Prezident Jeff
* Sunny Diamonds

| 2:49
6.| "Switch"|

* Spencer
* Nguyen-Tran
* Shane Lindstrom
* Khokar

* FrancisGotHeat
* Murda Beatz
* Sunny Diamonds

| 3:21
7.| "Got Me"|

* Spencer
* Holmes
* Akeel Henry
* Khokar

* DZL
* Akeel

| 3:38
8.| "Why"|

* Spencer
* Lindstrom

| Murda Beatz| 4:22
9.| "Menace"|

* Spencer
* Omari Jabari
* Rashad Hussein
* Khokar

* Jabari
* akaRashad
* Sunny Diamonds

| 4:53
10.| "She Knows About Me"|

* Spencer
* Nguyen-Tran
* Khokar

* FrancisGotHeat
* Sunny Diamonds

| 3:40
Total length:| 35:56

## Personnel[edit]

Credits adapted from Tidal.[14]

Performers

* Roy Woods – primary artist

Technical

* Sunny Diamonds – recording engineer (all tracks), mixing engineer (all tracks)
* Chris Athens – mastering engineer (all tracks)

Production

* FrancisGotHeat – producer (tracks 1, 3, 6, 10)
* Prezident Jeff – producer (tracks 1, 5)
* Sunny Diamonds – producer (tracks 1–3, 5, 6, 9, 10)
* L.A. Chase – producer (track 2)
* Krs. – producer (track 3)
* DZL – producer (tracks 4, 7)
* ALO – producer (track 4)
* Murda Beatz – producer (tracks 6, 8)
* Akeel Henry – producer (track 7)
* Omari Jabari – producer (track 9)
* Saintfall – producer (track 9)

|

## Charts[edit]

Chart (2016)  | Peak
position

|

Canadian Albums (Billboard)[15] | 30
US Billboard 200[16] | 127
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[17] | 11

## Release history[edit]

Region  | Date  | Format  | Label  | Ref.

|
|
|
|

Worldwide  | July 1, 2016  | Digital download |

* OVO Sound
* Warner Bros.

| [18]

## References[edit]

1. ^ Balfour, Jay. "Roy Wood$: Waking at Dawn Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
2. ^ Kellman, Andy. "Roy Woods - Waking at Dawn Album Reviews, Songs & More". AllMusic. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
3. ^ Hernandez, Victoria (2 July 2016). "OVO's Roy Woods Drops Debut Album, "Waking At Dawn"". HipHopDX. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
4. ^ Simmons, Ted (July 2016). "Roy Woods Releases 'Waking At Dawn' Album". XXL. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
5. ^ Glaysher, Scott (5 January 2017). "Roy Woods delivers more mood music with Nocturnal". NowToronto. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
6. ^ "Here's Roy Wood$' New Album 'Waking At Dawn'". Complex. Retrieved July 1, 2016.
7. ^ Gavin, Sean (March 11, 2016). "Roy Woods Announces New Project "Waking At Dawn" Coming Soon". The Daily Dose. Retrieved November 23, 2017.
8. ^ Dandridge-Lemco, Ben (June 29, 2016). "Roy Wood$ Shares Waking At Dawn Release Date And Cover Art". The Fader. Retrieved November 23, 2017.
9. ^ "New Music: Roy Woods – 'Gwan Big Up Urself'". Rap-Up. Retrieved June 4, 2016.
10. ^ "Roy Woods – How I Feel". WhatTheHYPE. June 7, 2016. Retrieved November 23, 2017.
11. ^ Jenkins, Craig (July 7, 2016). "Roy Woods Waking at Dawn Review News". HNHH. Retrieved July 7, 2016.
12. ^ "Roy Woods". 6 July 2016.
13. ^ a b Alexis, Themistoklis (July 1, 2016). "Roy Woods - Waking at Dawn". Exclaim!. Retrieved August 5, 2016.
14. ^ a b "Waking At Dawn / Roy Woods". Tidal. Retrieved June 2, 2017.
15. ^ "Roy Woods Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved July 12, 2016.
16. ^ "Roy Woods Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved July 12, 2016.
17. ^ "Roy Woods Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved July 12, 2016.
18. ^ All citations concerning the release history of Waking at Dawn:
* "Waking at Dawn by Roy Woods on iTunes". iTunes Store. Australia: Apple Inc. July 2016. Retrieved July 1, 2016.
* "Waking at Dawn by Roy Woods on iTunes". iTunes Store. Canada: Apple Inc. July 2016. Retrieved July 1, 2016.
* "Waking at Dawn by Roy Woods on iTunes". iTunes Store. New Zealand: Apple Inc. July 2016. Retrieved July 1, 2016.
* "Waking at Dawn by Roy Woods on iTunes". iTunes Store. United Kingdom: Apple Inc. July 2016. Retrieved July 1, 2016.
* "Waking at Dawn by Roy Woods on iTunes". iTunes Store. United States: Apple Inc. July 2016. Retrieved July 1, 2016.

## External links[edit]

* Waking at Dawn at Discogs

* v
* t
* e

Roy Woods

Studio albums|

* Say Less (2017)

Mixtapes|

* Waking at Dawn (2016)

EPs|

* Exis (2015)
* Nocturnal (2016)

Singles|

* "Juliet & Romeo"

Authority control databases |

* MusicBrainz release group

|

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*[Ref.]: References
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