"Shontelligence" is the debut release from West Indie R&B-pop diva Shontelle [ tickets ]. Over the course of 11 tracks, the 23-year-old singer/songwriter delivers a radiant, fun assortment of Top 40 tunes, rap attacks, reggae beats, sultry jams and girl-power pop.

Shontelle is already making a name for herself with the infectious, peppy single "T-Shirt" and the hand-clapping, inspirational "Battle Cry," which also appears on the Obama fundraiser record "Yes We Can: Voices of a Grassroots Movement." Although she is often compared to Beyonce and Rhianna, Shontelle posseses her own brand of sexy glam style and sassy spirit.

The most striking aspect of this aspiring-lawyer-turned-singer is her confident, optimistic musical approach. Her feisty vocals are delightfully punchy, feminine and fluid. Beyond girly thoughts about going shopping and wearing Jimmy Choos, there are several self-empowering concepts and deeper storylines. "Life Is Not An Easy Road" tackles poverty, while "Plastic People" contemplates truth and deception. "Superwoman" is a proud statement about accepting personal imperfections.

That's not to say that "Shontelligence" doesn't have its share of simple, lovelorn break-up anthems. Her hit single "T-Shirt" just might be one of the best combinations of everyday lingo and deep internal pain: "Gotta be strong/Gotta be strong/But I'm really hurting now that you're gone/I thought maybe I'd do some shopping/but I couldn't get past the door," she sings. It's these kinds of songs that will appeal to the masses. Sure, the more mindful tracks give "Shontelligence" a global, cognitive feel, but the album really hits the bull's eye with its fiery dance tracks and single-lady themes, of which there is certainly no shortage.