I Owe You (CD - 2004)

This is an Enhanced CD, which contains both regular audio tracks and multimedia computer files.

Personnel: Kierra "KiKi" Sheard (vocals).

As a driving rhythm section lays down the beat, Kierra Kiki Sheard opens her debut record, I OWE YOU, with the line "I can remember my mama told me/don't let no one speak for me." This is clearly solid advice, even if said mama wasn't the talented Karen Clark-Sheard, a gospel singer originally of the Clark Sisters. Impressively, the younger Sheard is on par with her mother when it comes to pouring out overwhelming spiritual devotion.

Sheard's music is energetic, contemporary R&B (think Janet Jackson channeled through Brandy), her charming, adoring zeal propelling her through frenetic tracks like "You Don't Know" and "Closer." Sheard boasts an elastic, powerful voice to equal her passion, making for a richly rapturous feel throughout I OWE YOU. Traditional gospel themes do slide in at times, but when they do, they are subtle, drifting in seamlessly. minimize