Robyn Is Here

06/17/1997 3:00 AM, Yahoo! Music
Craig Rosen

She's hot, she's sexy, she's Swedish, and she's funky. Her name is Robyn and on her debut, Robyn Is Here, she proves to be a record executive's wet dream. This 18-year-old sings nearly as soulful as Mary J. Blige, but she's got the white-bread good looks that have given her a leg-up in the competitive pop diva market.

Visions of young the blonde beauty may evoke memories of a time when another similarly single-name chanteuse burst out of obscurity and rocketed to stardom. On undeniably catchy "Show Me Love," Robyn sounds like Madonna circa 1982, except her voice is far stronger than the Divine Ms. M's. While Robyn may not seem as fresh as Miss Thing did in '82, she and her producers show she is a force to be reckon with on a variety of tracks that cover nearly all of the bases in the diva derby. In "Just Another Girlfriend" she borrows a laidback beat and fluctuating vocal delivery of Erykah Badu. "Don't Want You Back" echoes Janet Jackson, with its sassy call for independence. "Do You Really Want Me" features a kid-like chorus and some Mariah-like vocals gymnastics. Even if this brand of pop isn't your bag, you have to admire how well it's crafted here. And if you think Robyn is merely a producer's creation, on "I Wish (A Cappella)" she shows off the kind of pipes that'll give Whitney and Mariah a run for their money. Robyn is here, indeed.