Stacie Orrico STACIE ORRICO (FOREFRONT/VIRGIN)

Stacie was just 14 when she scored a Christian-pop smash with Genuine. Three years later, she’s got a mainstream distribution deal and an MTV hit with the infectious R&B romp "Stuck," which finds her in a classic after-school romantic bind: "I hate you, but I love you, I can’t stop thinking of you." She’s also got more artistic cred than your average teen-pop star: the rock edge on "Stuck" comes from Matchbox Twenty producer Matt Serletic, and Stacie gets a writing credit on that and seven other tracks.

The second single, "(There’s Gotta Be) More to Life," is cut from the Avril mold, and the Diane Warren wedding song "I Promise" is here to woo teen-pop moms. But most of the disc is modeled after the slick dance pop of the first Britney album, except the songs are about praising God instead of crushing out. Stacie’s voice shines on the piano ballad "Strong Enough"; the beats are the stars of the jittery inspirational anthems "Bounce Back" and "Hesitation." Breezy melodies abound, and Stacie’s lyrics are both heartfelt and clever. All of which makes this a fun megapop album with uncommon depth.