Michelle Branch, real pop diva

Does Madonna really have the knack for discovering very talented female singers? This question came to mind with the emergence of Michelle Branch, who records for the Material Girl’s own Maverick label. Take note that a few years ago, Maverick also gave the music world one of the most exciting female talents of recent times in the person of Alanis Morissette. The Canadian pop star not only writes and performs her own materials, she is also intelligent, attractive, oozing with sex appeal and possessed of the knack of knowing what sells.

We still do not know if 18-year-old Michelle will also prove to be an astute figure in the music business but she is certainly showing some very good qualities. At a time when most singing teenagers are coiffed, made-up, siliconed and costumed like an art director’s showcase, Michelle’s straight dark hair, denim and T-shirt look and conventional make-up looks simply refreshing. She writes her own songs and these are mostly about topics listeners her own age can relate to. Not as intellectually challenging as Morissette’s but then they are also not as bland as Jewel’s early efforts. Her singing is soulful and easy on the ears, as sincere as Dido’s but stronger. And if we are to go by what the credits say, she is also a mean guitar player.

Not any of these assets would have mattered though if Michelle had failed to come up with a well-produced saleable album. As it is, The Spirit Room is concise, spritely and packed with potential singles. Youthful bravado characterizes her work. It is also sincere, romantic, inspiring and at times nonchalant in the manner of a confident artist.

The simple love song Everywhere is her first hit single. Just tell me how I got this far/just tell me why you’re here and who you are/ cause every time I look you’re never there/and every time I sleep you’re always there.

So I’m a little left of center/I’m a little out of tune/some say I’m paranormal/so I just bend their spoon/who wants to be ordinary/in a crazy mixed-up world/I don’t care what they’re sayin’/as long as I’m your girl/hey you are on my side/and they, they just roll their eyes, she sings in the infectious You Get Me.

And I expect an even bigger seller in the soaring You Set Me Free. No need to wonder why/sometimes a gift like this you can’t deny/‘cause I wanted to fly/ so you gave me your wings/and time held its breath so I could see/and you set me free.

The Spirit Room is only Michelle’s first album. There are more hurdles to come. For one we still do not know how she will fare with the next one, which is really the more difficult test for a music artist. I really hope though that she will do better. In this age of pre-fab, head to toe packaged pop divas, there is a need to remind people that music is spontaneous, involving and very personal. Michelle Branch does that.

The other cuts in the album of all new originals are All You Wanted, Something to Sleep to, Here with Me, Sweet Misery, If Only She Knew, I’d Rather be in Love, Goodbye to You and Drop in the Ocean.

Hit songs in the US

Here now are the songs dominating the US of A airlanes as tabulated by Billboard’s Hot 100 list: Ain’t It Funny by Jennifer Lopez featuring Ja Rule; What’s Luv? by Fat Joe featuring Ashanti; In the End by Linkin Park; Foolish by Ashanti; Girlfriend by ‘N Sync featuring Nelly; How You Remind Me by Nickelback; Blurry by Puddle of Mudd; U Don’t Have to Call by Usher; Always on Time by Ja Rule featuring Ashanti; and Oops (Oh My) by Tweet.

Here are the top 10 albums: Now 9, the latest in the Various Artists hits compilation series; The Best of Both Worlds by R. Kelly & Jay-Z; O Brother Where Art Thou? the Grammy winning soundtrack from the motion picture of the same title; World Outside My Window by Glenn Lewis; Far Side of the World by Jimmy Buffett; Drive by Alan Jackson; [Hybrid Theory] by Linkin Park; Under Rug Swept by Alanis Morissette; Word of Mouf by Ludacris and M!ssundaztood by Pink.