"Commander" (2010) produced by and featuring David Guetta topped the US Hot Dance Club Songs chart and became a top-ten hit in the United Kingdom and some other European territories.

Three other singles: "Forever and a Day", "Rose Colored Glasses" and "Grown Woman", all had limited commercial success and are subsequently included on selected editions of the album or excluded altogether.

Here I Am was received well by critics, many of whom praised the strong productions and vocal performances but questioned some of the guests and a lack of the up-tempo dance sound Rowland had spoken of.

It was here that she met French disc jockey (DJ) David Guetta and heard the foundations of "When Love Takes Over", a song that would leave a lasting impression on the singer.

[4] After falling in love with the song, Rowland would take it back to London to write and record the vocals with Australian songwriters, The Nervo Twins.

Speaking of her decision to leave, Rowland said, "as a solo artist, I felt the need to explore new directions, new challenges, and new freedoms outside my comfort zone and my friends and family at Columbia have been incredibly understanding about my evolution.

Jason Lipshutz of Billboard said "the success comes at an intriguing time in Rowland's career", having noted that she had landed a hosting job on Bravo's The Fashion Show and was in between labels.

[10] It was whilst recording within the studios with Guetta that Rowland caught the attention of the head of Universal Motown, Sylvia Rhone, which led to the new deal.

"[3] In July 2010, Rowland said during an interview with Alex Catarinella of Paper magazine that "I spent about a year of my life in Europe really listening to a whole bunch of European DJs and hearing dance music a lot on the radio and really loving it.

In her interview with The Independent, she said "For me, it was being kind of at a flat line with urban music and wanting something different ... when I did 'When Love Takes Over', it was easy to do it – it was almost like it happened before me in spirit and I walked right into it.

"[3] Alex Cantaranella of Paper magazine described her position on the album as "an unassuming, poised woman who isn't fazed by the 'bullshit that comes with the territory'.

It's about being alive and being happy and living life and being a woman, just feeling amazing..."[18]Sessions took place in Los Angeles, New York City and Miami[19] with Rowland specifically wanting a wide range of songs to choose from.

[25] During the album's New York listening party in June 2010, "Forever and Day" was described by Honey Mag as a display of Rowland's "vocals" with "long-winded riffs and sky-high notes.

[27] According to Janine Simon from Honey Mag, on "Grown [Ass] Woman" Rowland digs "through old pictures from the Destiny's Child days reflecting on how far she has come yet how 'Grown and silly' she still is.

[28] The pair collaborated on a third song, "Heaven n Earth", described by Simon as a ballad using imagery to demonstrate a "sonic portrait, painted with flecks of sentiment; a picture of what the singer believes is what 'we deserve as a people'.

"[31] Dean also worked alongside Rowland during last minute studio sessions with producer Tricky Stewart, which spawned a female empowerment song called "I'm Dat Chick".

[22] Written as a "confidence-boosting" anthem, "I'm Dat Chick" is built around an urban-electro club beat designed to get "even shy women to come out of their shells" according to Rap-Up magazine.

[33] In an interview with JLB Mornings on WJLB Radio, Rowland would go to explain that part of the reasons for the constant pushbacks were her desires to perfect the album.

[59][60] Then on September 11, 2010, during New York Fashion Week, Rowland broke the news that the album was incomplete and would now be released in 2011[needs update] so that she could work with R&B songwriting and production duo Jermaine Dupri and Bryan-Michael Cox.

[citation needed] The promotional trail for the project began in March 2010 when Rowland performed at Cathy Guetta's Fuck Me I'm Famous party at the Winter Music Conference in Miami.

[64] It features and was produced by French disc jockey (DJ) David Guetta, and was released from May 17, 2010, to iTunes Stores around the world for digital download.

[88][89] It received praise for showcasing a "trademark classy, controlled delivery" from Rowland, and "real strength is in its story and theme, that carries an emotional weight that Commander's talk of 'dance floor loving' could never reach.

"[118] AllMusic editor Andy Kellman gave Here I Am four out of five stars and complimented its appeal to "hip-hop and R&B" radio, adding that "Although very eclectic taste is required to appreciate in full, this is clearly Rowland's brightest, most confident album yet.

"[120] Simon Gage from the Daily Express called Here I Am a "jumping" collection of up-tempo songs comparable to Donna Summer, but "broadly much tougher and maybe just a tad over-processed."

Gage added that Rowland could include Here I Am amongst her other career highlights such as her singles "Work" (2008) and "When Love Takes Over," as well as her judging role on series 8 of The X Factor (UK).

Rytlewski attributed the album's appeal to the producers, who he felt "drove forward the sound" and prevented Rowland from taking "songs too seriously" as done on Simply Deep.

[119] Elyssa Garnder from USA Today gave the album a mixed review, stating that "Rowland traverses the gamut of predictable romantic scenarios prettily enough... alas, Here I Am proves a lot more cautious than that dare suggests.

"[129] Despite finding some of its material unoriginal, Ken Capobianco of The Boston Globe commented that "Rowland makes up for her limited range with expressiveness throughout," while noting that the songs are centered around "self-affirmation and confidence.

Described as a "perfectly likeable club-centric R&B" offering, Stewart said Rowland makes the most of the "killer beats and a flat affect" trends in the industry.

[131] Comments echoed by Michaelangelo Matos from the Los Angeles Times' whose scathing review criticised the "bland material," particularly noting "secondhand beats" and awkward lyrics.