Resound Radio | Album Reviews

Introducing Ayiesha Woods

Ayiesha Woods | June 6th, 2006

Ayiesha Woods has been hard at work longer than her debut, Introducing Ayiesha Woods, would imply. The Jamaica native has been working in the music industry for years, even winning three Caribbean Gospel Music Marlin Awards in 2004. However, it wasn't until tobyMac heard one of her songs on a Jamaican radio station that her introduction into the Christian market was sealed.

Ayiesha Woods brings one of the most diverse female offerings since Amy Grant started turning heads. Her debut, which was in production for years before release, is a very easy listen and perhaps one of the biggest surprises for a new artist in 2006. From the first single, “Happy,” and on, Ayiesha lays out an upbeat tempo for the rest of the disc. “Happy” has pop sense written all over it. Even though she safely stays in the pop/R&B genre, she finds plenty of opportunities to stretch her musical boundaries as seen on the second track “The Remedy.” The most successful single on the CD, “Big Enough,” follows, which features a duet with her label's co-owner, tobyMac.

Halfway through the disc, Ayiesha shows her Jamaican roots with the reggae flavored “Crazy.” For some listeners, the song may take some getting used to but turns out to be the most original aspect of the CD, especially in the world of Christian music. “Beauty” follows shortly after which focuses on the topic of what the world defines as beauty and what God sees as beautiful. The disk ends with a trio of R&B songs before heading into the album closer “What Matters Most.” Finishing out at 7 minutes, “What Matters Most” has a nice build and while her vocal range isn't perfect, the track has a very real and authentic feel to it.

Not only is the CD strong on the musical side of things, it also features great lyrics that Ayiesha either wrote or co-wrote. While there are many examples of this, perhaps the most apparent is on the song “The Greatest Artist.” Ayiesha sings, Take my life / Paint it right / On your canvas display / The beauty of your light / Cause I'm your tapestry / And your love covers me / You're the greatest artist there will ever be. While Ayiesha may not pen the most profound of statements, her message is always apparent and delivered with originality.

Introducing Ayiesha Woods is a great debut for a new artist and Ayiesha Woods proves she is likely to be a forerunning female artist for a new generation of listeners. This CD showcases Ayiesha's lyrical, musical, and vocal talents which all shine through brilliantly. While the disc isn't free of rough spots, they are few and far between. If you haven't given Ayiesha Woods a chance yet, put it on your to-do list. I'm sure it will be a pleasant introduction.

Reviewed by Jarrod Steinmetz on November 16th, 2007

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