What a fickle lot pop music fans really are. Three years ago, Sonique's Ibiza anthem 'It Feels So Good' was the quintessential sound of the summer, filling dancefloors all over Europe. Since then, however, a dozen rival female DJ's have been and gone - leaving this athletic young lady in the uncomfortable position of having to prove herself all over again. Sensibly, therefore, she's wheeled in the heavy artillery - veteran songwriters Rob Davis and Rick Nowels, who've produced a formidable collection of infectious dance tracks that incorporate elements of house, garage and R'n'B. Sonique's real trump card, however, is her improbably deep voice, a gravelly growl that lends some badly-needed emotional depth to this essentially lightweight material. Packed with potential hit singles, Born To Be Free may very well give Sonique a new lease of commercial life - and keep the sun and sangria generation happy for the rest of the school holidays.
