Thalia

Forget Destiny's Child; Mexican diva Thalia has a lock on independent-woman anthems. Her self-titled, eighth album (and fourth for EMI Latin) is ripe with girl-power ditties, from the ska-tinged "En la Fiesta Mando Y" to "A Quien le Importa," a devil-may-care ode to individuality. It's familiar ground for Thalia, who explored similar themes on 1997's Amor a la Mexicana and 1999's Arrasando. This new set is not as instantly addictive, but it showcases Thalia's continued evolution as an artist. "La Loca" is a smorgasbord of rock, cumbia, and rap rhythms, while the glittering "Vueltas en el Aire" is destined to fill dance floors. Mrs. Tommy Mottola also teams with the Kumbia Kings on "Tu y Yo" and enlists Marc Anthony as backup on "The Mexican." The inevitable crossover is also foreshadowed on the yearning ballad "Closer to You" and a cover of Dead or Alive's "You Spin Me 'Round," which finds Thalia purring like a sex kitten. If she keeps it up, we'll all soon be a slave for a new kind of diva. --Joey Guerra