Jaci Velasquez Albums (11)
What The Critics Say
It was a pleasing experiment that earned her some of the best reviews of her career, but Beauty Has Grace, Jaci Velasquez's adventuresome ninth album, was the one the masses least cared about: the album sold poorly and it garnered no significant radio hits -- a first for the Christian singer. The album marked the end of Velasquez's Word Records era and sparked a period of soul-searching for the songstress: she weathered a divorce and moved to London in hopes the change of scenery would do her good. Back in Nashville, remarried, and pregnant with her first child, Velasquez went back into the studio to record Love Out Loud, her tenth album and first as an indie. The disc is a return of sorts: she's back to working with former dc Talk producer Mark Heimermann, the guy who spearheaded her first three chart-topping albums. Most importantly, Velasquez is back from her excursion in the realm of Brit-pop, back to what she does best, namely, sprightly Christian pop with dashes of Latin pop thrown in. It's not revolutionary, but it's nonetheless the bubbly Jaci fans have come to know and love. While there's a shortage of her signature ballads, the singer makes up for that with increased input in the songwriting department. To wit, the fierce "It's Not You, It's Me" offers one of the most innermost glimpses into Velasquez, the person, as she waxes confessional about her once strained relationship with her father. From there, the sentiments are more general, more relatable, and the accompanying music is satisfactory, if not a bit demure. That's understandable: Velasquez underwrote the album herself, and it shows in the production, which rarely reaches the climactic peaks of past Jaci classics like "On My Knees" or "Llegar a Ti." For what it's worth, though, Love Out Loud is a pleasant return to how things used to be for Velasquez, as well the beginning of a new phase in her life as an artist. ~ Andree Farias, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Having been called the Christian Christina Aguilera in the past, CCM pop artist Jaci Velasquez moves on from such saccharine comparisons on the indie rock-inflected Beauty Has Grace. Sounding more like ex-Mazzy Star vocalist Hope Sandoval than any teen pop diva, Velasquez seems more influenced by such alternative rock acts as Ivy and the Cardigans on her sixth English-language release. As much of modern Christian rock has attempted to more closely mirror the aesthetics of the secular music world, one might cynically view Velasquez's move to a more rock-oriented sound as a play to score fans of such faux-punk-pop stars as Ashlee Simpson and Avril Lavigne. However, as Velasquez enters her twenties, it makes sense that her own taste in music would mature, and given the sheer quality of these songs -- the best of which were co-penned by Velasquez -- one can only assume that this was an organic and positive change. Similarly, the Christian themes running through the album prove Velasquez has stayed true to her CCM roots while making an album any fan of melodic alternative pop could enjoy regardless of his or her spiritual leanings. ~ Matt Collar, All Music Guide
'Mi Historia Musical'
Release Date 10/19/2004
Tracks 15
Label Sony International
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What The Critics Say
Her second album in two months (her Anglo CCM album, Unspoken, was issued in March 2003), Milagro is another chapter in Jaci Velasquez's secular saga for the Latin market. As such, utilizing various top-rate Latin pop producers including Rudy Perez, Emelio Estefan Jr., Oscar Llord, and Alejandro Jaén, Velasquez comes up with a thoroughly enjoyable mix of soft love songs and anthemic heart stirrers that are as reminiscent of Shania Twain's more transcendent pop moments than anything in the Latin pop market. The title track is an enormous midtempo ballad with a moving backing chorus that digs down into the heart of the melody and never gives up as Velasquez soars over the mix in a repetitive refrain. The shimmering sound effects and layered classical guitars in "Es Amor" showcase maturity in Velasquez's phrasing and delivery that hasn't appeared on record before. The album's opener, "En el Centro de Mi Corazon," is as good as anything any of the current batch of Americanski pop "divas" could wrap their voices around. Velasquez goes into the bottom of the well to bring out enough emotion to fill the mix by herself, but the muted power chords of a host of electric guitars don't hurt either. Rhythmically, this recording is not as inventive as her other recordings, but it's a small complaint; this is a song cycle chosen carefully to showcase all of the different sides of Velasquez's big, beautiful, breathy vocal style, and it does so in spades. Recommended as the best effort in her catalog -- in Spanish or English -- to date. ~ Thom Jurek, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
CCM and Latin artist Jaci Velasquez released her first holiday album, aptly titled Jaci Velasquez Christmas, in September of 2001. Beautifully orchestrated, with touches of traditional Christmas-style jazz and contemporary pop, the project resembles previous holiday releases from fellow Word artist Amy Grant. Produced by Christopher Harris, the project contains classic Christmas songs such as "O Come, O Come Emmanuel" and "White Christmas." In addition, three original tracks, including "The Angel Song," are offered. While most of the songs, even old favorites, distinctively bear the fingerprints of Velasquez, "It Wouldn't Be Christmas" is reminiscent of Mariah Carey's "Miss You Most (At Christmas Time)." Notable songs include "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" and "Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow," which both feature musical stylings from the 1940s era. Velasquez' strong yet tender and at times vulnerable vocals complement the musical arrangements, transforming well-loved classics such as "The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)" into newfound treasures. ~ Ashleigh Kittle, All Music Guide
'Mi Corazón'
Release Date 5/1/2001
Tracks 11
Label Sony International
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What The Critics Say
After singing at President George Bush's inaugural ceremony, Jaci Velásquez went into the studio to start working on Mi Corazón, including a romantic ballad called "Cuando Se Cura Una Herida," produced by Rudy Pérez, and the Latin up-tempo "Vaya Con Dios," leaving behind allegations of abandoning her Christian faith by signing up to a secular company. Billboard Music Award-winning Jaci Velásquez teamed up with writer/producer Desmond Child to get an album focused on her U.S. Christian and Latin fan base, ending with a ranchera version of the record's main title, "Cuando Se Cura Una Herida." ~ Drago Bonacich, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
It may be unfair to call Hispanic contemporary Christian music singer Jaci Velasquez CCM's answer to Christina Aguilera, since she got her start well before such secular competitors. But on her fourth album, Velasquez adopts many of the vocal and musical mannerisms of teen pop's Latin side. In the video interviews on the disc's CD-Rom portion, Velasquez notes that she encountered criticism in the Christian community, who charged she was abandoning CCM with her last album, the Spanish-language release Llegar a Ti. She says Crystal Clear's title track makes her religious commitment plain, but like several other songs on the album, the song can be interpreted as a woman's declaration of love to a lover rather than one of faith in God. Though she tosses in the word "Lord" on some songs, Velasquez usually employs the terminology of romantic love rather than religious faith. "There's a union of two becoming one/Deep inside my heart," she sings in "Adore"; such intimacies suggest a highly idealized boyfriend rather than a merciful savior, no matter how many pronouns are capitalized on the lyric sheet. While Velasquez convincingly imitates Britney Spears-style groans, as the album progresses, she and her producers don't maintain the teen pop sound. Eventually, she begins to sound a lot like the artist who is no doubt her real model, the young Amy Grant. It's no surprise after listening to "Come As You Are," a duet with Louis Fansi, to read the credit "vocals produced by Brown Bannister," Grant's early mentor. Four albums on, Jaci Velasquez still seems to be searching for a style of her own. ~ William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide
'Llegar a Ti'
Release Date 8/31/1999
Tracks 9
Label Sony International
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
With her second album, Jaci Valesquez firmly establishes herself as a very gifted CCM vocalist. Like her previous record, the album suffers a bit from uneven material, but her warm, appealing voice and the lush production makes Jaci Velaquez an easy album to enjoy. ~ Rodney Batdorf, All Music Guide
