Canter Bridge

This album is for Jaci Velasquez an extraordinary achievement. In it she emerges from the status of a managed star-in-the-making to that of a young woman who really sings. Mi Corazón uses the hit ‘Como se cura una herida’ as its title track, giving Jaci an opportunity to hint at things to come.

But it is the deeply felt, lush alto of ‘Bendito amor’ that truly resonates not only as a vocal performance but as the signature piece of a mature artist. The good news is that her music can be extaorrdinariliy playful without losing its increasing umph. Just dip into ‘Déjame quererte para siempre’ and ”Vaya con Dios’, the last two tracks before the artist closes out Mi Corazón with a Ranchero version of the opener.

This reviewer finds in this album a highly effective example in the difficult crossover genre. Jaci has kept the clarity of her Christian faith while achieving an artistic level that is recognizable to all.

The theme of many of the songs is hanging in and finding grace in the midst of disillusionment. Various meta-narratives are advanced to describe what Ms. Velasquez was experiencing at the moment. Those, however, are not the subject of this review and it is wise to remember that Jaci herself did not write these songs.

In its essence, Mi Corazón is a breakout product on purely musical grounds. Everything else is icing on the cake.