Joyful (Interscope, 2007)

My wife happened to be in France for most of the year 2007 and couldn't help but notice ads plastered everywhere for what seemed to be the "next big thing" over there, an up-and-coming female singer named Ayo. Fast-forward several months, and lo and behold, she's ready to invade the US. Ayo is actually not French -- she's German -- but like Patrice (whom she happens to be married to), her popularity has spread throughout Europe, and like Patrice, she isn't a straightforward reggae artist. Actually, I don't know if I'd call her a reggae artist at all; I'd have to wait until she releases more music to make that determination, but based on her debut, Joyful, she's more like a folksy soul singer who dabbles in reggae. Only three of the 12 tracks can be construed as reggae, but since her breakout hit, "Down on My Knees," is one of them, she seems gets slapped with the reggae label. Listening to Joyful, it's evident why Ayo is tabbed for success. Stylistically, she's in the same class as Alicia Keys, except with an acoustic guitar instead of a piano (Alicia Strings?), plus a touch of Corinne Bailey Rae, two singers who've had great mainstream appeal in the US. Like Keys, Ayo conveys deep emotional pathos that connects with the listener on a personal level (with the added benefit of obscuring any vocal deficiencies). The reggae tracks -- particularly "Down on My Knees" and "Help Is Coming" -- are simple acoustic feasts in line with Makasound's great Inna de Yard series, featuring little more than guitar, percussion, and a sliver of organ. But even the non-reggae songs might prove intriguing to reggae fans: the passionate "Without You," "How Many Times?" and the tender ballad "Neva Been" are standouts. There's a lethargic pace and sameness of sound to Joyful that blurs the tracks at times, but just when you start to fall asleep, the music surges with a neo-soul intensity that shines all the brighter. Just don't call it reggae. See ayomusic.com.