Jordin Sparks

Liking Jordin Sparks, American Idol's season six winner, comes instinctively. How many 17-year-olds are as self-possessed, as big-smiling, as committed to having a good time and keeping it real? Probably none. Liking Sparks' music has been a different story for fans anticipating her debut CD, though. Her gut-busting Idol performance of "I (Who Have Nothing)" was possibly her only prime-time goosebump generator, yet she's seen an instant progression to diva-dom, as chronicled in reports that found her heading into the studio alongside pop/R&B heavy-hitters Bloodshy, Avant, the Underdogs, and others. Was it a little soon for the relatively green Sparks to be throwing off such big-league, beat-heavy sparks? Well, not hardly, it turns out. The ballads here--songs like "Next To You" and "Just For the Record"--reach out at times with overeager sincerity (forgivable!), but the funkier numbers-- ...

2007-11-20 - Jive