The Day Has Come

Depending on your age, the name Cheyenne Kimball could be familiar to you for one of a number of reasons. She took her first step on the ladder of fame when she won the 'America's Most Talented Kid' competition in 2003--singing her own song--at the age of 12. The Texas teenager then signed on with MTV to document her rise to fame on reality TV; instead of highlighting her flaws, the show served to affirm her sincerity and talent. Three years after inking a recording deal, The Day Has Come is Kimball's musical result; true to her abilities, she has co-written every song and played guitar on nearly every track.

Still, there are many heavy hitters contributing to this disc, from The Matrix to Chantal Kreviazuk (who co-wrote much of Avril Lavigne’s last CD) to former members of Blind Melon. The question remains: is she a compelling young celebrity who can somewhat carry a tune, or a good musician who happens to have benefited from prime TV time? Judging by this disc, Kimball can definitely write, play, and sing. While still having a young voice, her control, depth, and ability to create hooks are well-showcased in the lyrically-disenchanted "Good Go Bad" and the country-infused "Everything To Lose." "Hanging On" is a catchy first single, delivered with confidence and perfect pitch. The end result? With solid tracks and powerful--but still developing--chops, Kimball is a young pop-ster with much potential, a possible future Sheryl Crow in the making. --Denise Sheppard