Quality artist-driven commercial dance music is now the exception, not the rule; thus, Reina and Robbins Entertainment (who rescued the budding diva after Strictly Rhythm's implosion) deserve credit for assembling an album of well-conceived songs that match a gifted vocalist with confident, polished productions. The epic "No One's Gonna Change You" and the Hex Hector & Mac Quayle dramatics of "Find Another Woman" and "Anything For Love" anchor This is Reina, and the remainder includes many potential follow-ups. The content of songs like "Believe In Us" won't change the world, but the project is more about sing-along moments and accomplished performances, and Reina long ago proved she had the chops to break out from the pack. "Why" begins as a plaintive piano ballad before building into a rousing anthem, while "On My Own" demonstrates the singer's ability with mid-tempo, crossover radio fare. A pumped-up cover of the holiday chestnut "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" is also primed for significant radio exposure this season. This is Reina is as mainstream as dance music gets, and unlike most current commercial-oriented projects, that doesn't feel like a limitation.
