Heaux Tales

Sullivan cited artists Cardi B and Lizzo as women that inspired Heaux Tales.

Since establishing her recording career in 2008, Sullivan has been known to take long hiatuses between releases.^{[11][12][13][14]}

Complex magazine reports that Dev Hynes, Key Wane, DZL, and others contributed to the production on the project.^[15] The promotional rollout for Heaux Tales included the premiere of her installment of NPR's Tiny Desk Concerts series on January 8, 2021.^[13] Sullivan stated in an interview with NPR Music, "particularly on this project, I was influenced by a few women today that I felt like were busting through those barriers and helping me to feel more confident in who I am," citing artists Cardi B and Lizzo.^[16]

The first single, an acoustic ballad titled "Lost One", was released August 28, 2020 and peaked at number 9 on Billboard's US Hot R&B Songs.^[17][18] The second single was "Pick Up Your Feelings", released November 20, 2020.^[19] In place of a traditional music video, RCA Records released a live acoustic performance.^[11] The song has since reached number 1 on Billboard's Adult R&B Airplay Chart and number 9 on the R&B/Hip-Hop airplay chart.^[20] The song also peaked at number 75 on the Billboard Hot 100.^[20] Both singles were performed on BET during the Soul Train Music Awards on November 29, 2020.^[21] Sullivan released her third single, "Girl like Me", featuring H.E.R., on January 6, 2021, marking the first time she has ever duetted with a woman on one of her own recordings.^[14] The song debuted and peaked at number 96 on the Billboard Hot 100 and at number 29 on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.^[20] "On It," duet with Ari Lennox, also peaked at number 40 on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop and R&B/Hip-Hop airplay charts despite not being released as a single.^[20]

More information Aggregate scores, Source ...

Professional ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
AnyDecentMusic?	7.6/10[22]
Metacritic	81/100[23]
Review scores
Source	Rating
Beats Per Minute	80%[24]
Clash	8/10[25]
Exclaim!	8/10[26]
Pitchfork	8.6/10[27]
Rolling Stone	[28]
Tom Hull – on the Web	B+ ()[29]

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Heaux Tales received a score of 81 out of 100 from review aggregate site Metacritic based on nine reviews, indicating "universal acclaim".^[23] Vulture lauded its displays of women's strength as seen in its "interludes [with] women like fellow singer Ari Lennox talking about femininity and sexual empowerment."^[14] Alex Suskind of Entertainment Weekly called the project "a punchy concept album that tackles blissful romance, sexual freedom — and the complex moments that arise between."^[30] Bobby Carter of NPR hailed it "a bold and timely conversation piece addressing truths regarding relationships, sex, social norms, self-worth and a myriad of other topics that women grapple with."^[13] Wongo Okon of Uproxx praised it for casting "a light on the goalpost-shifting standards of this patriarchal society" while holding "the characteristics to be labeled a classic in the future."^[31] Mankaprr Conteh of Pitchfork gave the EP the site's Best New Music distinction.^[27]

Heaux Tales debuted at number four on the US Billboard 200 chart, earning 43,000 album-equivalent units (including 7,000 copies as pure album sales) in its first week, according to MRC Data.^[44] This became Sullivan's second US top-ten album (following 2008's Fearless) and her highest-charting album in the US.^[44] The album also debuted at number one on the US Top R&B Albums and number two on the US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts.^[45] It also accumulated a total of 46 million on-demand streams of the project's songs that week.^[45] On September 6, 2022, the EP was certified Gold by the RIAA.^[46]

Musicians

Technical