Sparrow Records' latest signee Britt Nicole may just now be on the heels of her debut release but she's already had an eventful year including her high profile stint on the Winter Jam tour, major exposure at GMA Week, and a hit single on radio ("You"). No doubt her pop oriented debut record, Say It, will be well received by the masses. Produced by Tedd T (Stacie Orrico, Rebecca St. James) and DoubleDutch (ZoeGirl), Say It is slick, smooth, and polished.

With artists such as ZoeGirl, Stacie Orrico, and Jump5 currently absent from the music scene, Britt is the answer to fill the void. Her icy cool pop flare is sure to be popular with young girls everywhere. In fact, her upbeat style and positive lyrics could present with potential mainstream success. And while a good deal of her music deals with relationships, divorce, friends, and self esteem, Say It also focuses on spiritual matters such as living for God and trusting Him.

Even while addressing tough issues, Britt constantly maintains an optimistic outlook in addition to a great deal of self respect and confidence. For example, on "Good Day" Britt confronts an ex-boyfriend bluntly about his disrespectful ways ("You never let me free like a ball and chain/ You take a piece of me and never hesitate/ Like gravity you bring me down/ And I'm not gonna take it… It's a good day to bid you good day"). This track is followed by "When She Cries," which is possibly the best song on the whole album. The beautiful rock ballad tells the story of a young girl who is struggling with depression and confusion as a result from a painful past. Britt's voice sounds its best here, singing gently at some moments and soaring loudly at others, flawlessly building the emotion of the song.

Britt's production team of Tedd T and DoubleDutch clearly played a major role in musically developing Say It. Though this record lands comfortably in the pop category, this eleven song collection doesn't stay one dimensional. Opening tune "Holiday," as well as "Ready," are both led by funky programmed sounds and a slight urban flavor. Other similar tunes such as "Believe" and "Good Day" maintain the energetic vibe of Say It. To round out the overall feel of this project, "Don't Worry Now" and "Set The World On Fire" are softer ballads that do a fabulous job of capturing Britt's vocal talents. The only downfall of this album is that, at times, it lacks a distinctly original sound but rather resonates heavily of many of Britt's pop predecessors.

Britt Nicole's debut is a solid one. Say It holds a few potential hit singles and lots of excellent material for an energetic live show. Britt is still young and will have plenty of opportunities to grow as an artist, but for now, listening to her Say It will be enough.

- Review date: 5/20/07, written by Lauren Summerford