Salsa fans hungering for a woman's touch have limited options. Artists like
Brenda K. Starr and
India are the only voices holding down the fort, and for a younger audience who doesn't want to listen to artists who share more in common with their parents' generation than their own, the cause may seem hopeless. That was, at least, before the debut of la Princesa de la Salsa,
Kiuldret. The youthful puertorriqueña puts her best, Steve Madden-clad foot forward (the shoe designer is included in the credits) with her 2006 debut,
Corazón Enamorado. Also contributing their talents to the effort are pop-salsa teen sensation
N'Klabe (yes, they do find an opportunity to shout "I love salsa!") and reggaeton MC Nemesys. Produced and arranged by seasoned veterans Ramon B. Sanchez and Andy Guzman, the record has both interest above and beyond the average, and the sparkle and shine of an urban/salsa classic. Though
Kiuldret sounds a little green at times, especially in higher registers, her command of her voice is truly remarkable. At times silky and sensitive, at others blazing,
Kiuldret shows the necessary raw talent to outlast her teen appeal to blossom into a true force in the genre. ~ Evan C. Gutierrez