It's no secret that Charice Pempengco is talented. The Filipino singer first appeared on YouTube. Since then, she has gained international fame, appearing on Ellen DeGeneres' and Oprah Winfrey's talk shows. She later guest-starred on the television show Glee as Sunshine Corazon.
Infinity, her second international album, shows that the 19-year-old deserves the critical acclaim, but there's still some way to go.
The album's long list of writers and producers include Bruno Mars, Kara DioGuardi, Jason Derulo, Nick Jonas and Natasha Bedingfield, and the collaborations largely pay off. Highlights include Before It Explodes, written by Mars, and Lighthouse, by Bedingfield. These artists give Charice a much-needed mature edge.
Although she proves she is capable of negotiating from pop to R&B and power ballads, she leaves us wanting a more distinct flavour.
Louder is an energetic dance tune in the style of Charice's first self-titled international album. But its upbeat story of self-empowerment, one of many on the album, is such an overdone theme by younger artists that Charice could set herself apart by exploring a different subject.
Charice has the potential to go beyond teen pop - she just needs to take that step.