Natalie

The urban pop singer Natalie from Houston is part of Latium Entertainment, which is headed by hitmaking producer Happy Perez and is home to balladeer Frankie J and ladies' man Baby Bash, both of whom were riding high on the pop charts alongside Natalie when she made her self-titled debut in May 2005. Her lead single, Goin' Crazy, was giving J's Obsession (No Es Amor) Featuring Baby Bash and Bash's Baby I'm Back a run for their money on the Billboard Hot 100 at the time, all three songs within the Top 50 the week Natalie hit stores. Happy Perez made a name for himself producing hardcore Latino rappers in the late '90s, but in the few years running up to the release of Natalie, he began branching out and producing all sorts of hits. So it's not really a surprise to see him produce the bulk of this balladic urban pop effort – every song except Goin' Crazy on this reasonably brief 12-song album. He brings a bit of a hip-hop vibe to the proceedings, but he mainly sticks in contemporary pop territory. For instance, think Beyonce or Ciara or Ashanti with a Latina twist. Better yet, simply think Frankie J with a feminine twist. For sure, Natalie fits right into the contemporary pop star template circa summer 2005, and there's a wealth of pop star-worthy music here.

The first two songs – Goin' Crazy and Energy, the former a lovestruck ballad, the latter a boy-girl slow jam graced with a dope beat and a Baby Bash feature – are well-crafted pop songs so sticky sweet they alone should make this album successful. But there's more, including another beat-driven boy-girl slow jam (Better Get It Right featuring Max Minelli), a seductive late-night come-on (Ooh), and a fun '80s-throwback cover (I Can't Wait, a club favorite from in 1986). Plus, there's a curious pair of covers that make the album all the more inviting: an American Idol-style number featuring Justin Roman of Making the Band celebrity (Where Are You) and a Spanish-language version of Goin' Crazy that just might top the original.

Few singers can say that basketball is responsible for their quick rise to pop stardom, but if it weren't for the NBA, the sultry Natalie would probably have a desk job. She dreamed of becoming a singer, but without knowing anyone connected to the music industry, she chose to study criminal justice. One of Natalie's rare whims told her she should answer an ad for Houston Rockets cheerleader auditions. She got the job and was soon getting calls to dance for various Houston rap and R&B artists. She was also working on her lyrical skills during this time and decided to add a couple raps to her performances. Second time out, she drew the attention of Charles Chavez, the man behind Latium Entertainment. Chavez hooked Natalie up with producers Happy Perez and Play N Skillz. The sessions yielded many possible hits, but it was the ballad Goin' Crazy that Chavez and Natalie chose to put on a single. The heartfelt number was lighting up request lines on R&B and pop radio in March of 2005. Her debut album was released in May. If you're down with the other Latium artists, or if you like fellow urban pop sweethearts like Ciara, Natalie is tailor-made to suit your taste. The album is pure R&B mixed with Latin beats. Natalie is bound to succeed; being a singer/songwriter/producer/choreographer/dancer, and showing those skills on her debut and beginning of her music career, who knows what other tricks and talents she may showcase to us in the future.