Released: October 10, 2000

Genre: R&B & pop.

Label: Elektra

Producer: Tamia Hill, Merlin Bobb, Sylvia Rhone, Dallas Austin, Bink, Shep Crawford, Missy Elliott, Errol “Poppi” McCalla, Jazz Nixon

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By 2000, Tamia was R&B’s most pleasant treasures. The Canadian born singer signed to Quincy Jones’ Qwest Label in 1995, and had an amazing run with hit singles like “You Put a Move On My Heart,” “Missing You,” “Slow Jams” & “Spend My Life With You.”

Tamia’s self-titled debut album showcases her wonderful talent, and was proof that she IS one of R&B’s leading artists in regards of vocal capabilities, and ballads.

Tamia’s second album “A Nu Day” was released on October 10, 2000. The album was a fresher sound for Tamia, and allowed her to step out of the formula of ballads and into a more adult contemporary sound.

A Nu Day is the perfect album for R&B lovers. You get the perfect blend of ballads and uptempo records from Tamia, and it is an enchanting experience to sit back and enjoy the power of Tamia’s vocals. The album is Tamia’s best selling album in the United States to date, being certified Gold by the RIAA.

Ladies & Gentlemen, I present to you: Tamia’s “A Nu Day.”

Interlude

Written by Shep Crawford & Shae Jones.

The album begins with a interlude of Tamia singing the lyrics to “Stranger in my House.”

Dear John

Written by Jazz Nixon.

Have you ever had a “Dear John” letter? That’s basically a letter that contains the information that your relationship is canceled. Tamia let that man made SURE that he knew that they were over okay!

Can’t Go For That

Written by Missy Elliott, Roosevelt Harrell, Brycyn Evans, Sara Allen, Daryl Hall & John Oates.

I love songs with a meaningful message, because it discusses how the singer cannot endure more abuse at the man who was supposed to love her unconditionally and never hurt her.

The song contains a sample of Hall & Oates’ 1983 hit record “I Can’t Go For That (No Can Do).

Go

Written by Dallas Austin & Jasper Cameron.

Another classic from Dallas Austin, Go is an ultimatum song where the singer is wondering if she should stay or let him go.

Love Me in a Special Way

Written by Eldra DeBarge.

Tamia pays homage to DeBarge with a cover of their 1983 hit. Tamia makes it her own, and does it justice. It sort of becomes a tradition on her albums to do at least one cover, since she covered Careless Whisper on her debut album.

Long Distance Love

Written by Missy Elliott & Errol McCalla

Long Distance Love is a deep cut that Tamia fans adore! Written by the legend & icon Missy Elliott, the song is a tale of a long distance love (duh) where the singer is missing her man and those phones aren’t connecting her to him fast enough.

Stranger in My House

Written by Shep Crawford & Shae Jones

There’s no way you could be who you say you are, you gotta be someone else…

A fun fact about this song that I did not know that “Stranger In My House” was initially for Toni Braxton! That is very interesting, but yes here lies one of Tamia’s signature records and is one of her most commercially successful records.

The contemporary R&B ballad is about a woman who is confused about her lover’s recent behavior and goes into complete denial about it. She even goes as far to question herself as the stranger in their relationship. It became her first top ten hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and top 3 on the R&B charts.

Wanna Be

Written by Missy Elliott, Roosevelt Harrell & Bink!

This uptempo record has the singer wanting more from a romance, asking her lover to choose between her and someone else. This is basically her saying I won’t be your side piece. Either I’m the one or not.

Un’h…to You

Written by Kisa, Shep Crawford, Harry W. Casey & Richard Finch.

Here’s one of my favorite songs from the album! 🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾 lyrically, it is about her fantasizing of being with someone she’s interested in. The song samples “I Get Lifted” by George McCrae.

Can’t No Man

Written by Missy Elliott & Errol McCalla.

I just KNOW that Tamia was SINGING this for her man! Written by Missy & Errol McCalla, Can’t No Man is self explanatory. No one can fulfill the shoes that her man has and that’s period!

Tell Me Who

Written by Shep Crawford & Tamia Hill,

One thing you have to love about Tamia and her collaborations with Shep Crawford is that you’re going to get stunning production and flawless vocals. And don’t let the song be about a heartbreaking experience..cause Tell Me Who is EVERYTHING. It’s one of my highlights from the album.

If I Were You

Written by Shep Crawford, Shae Jones & Stacy Dove Daniels.

If I Were You is another gem from this album, telling a tale of the singer telling her male lover that she’s trying to protect him from herself, and if she were him, he should go away and fast.

Can’t Go for That Remix featuring 213

Written by Missy Elliott, Roosevelt Harrell, Brycyn Evans, Sara Allen, Daryl Hall, John Oates, Calvin Broadus, Warren Griffin & Nathaniel Hale.

The remixed version of Can’t Go For That closes out the album with a feature fro. The 213 (Warren G, Snoop Dogg, Nate Dogg & Missy. 🙌🏾

A Nu Day was one of R&B’s best albums in 2000, and showed the world that Tamia is the one. Tamia is still going strong to this day with going on tour and releasing music..and in my eyes, she’s one of the best vocalists of all time. Get into her and start with this album. 🙏🏾🙌🏾 -MJ