Speak Your Mind

Anne-Marie Nicholson’s adolescent karate success (three world championship golds, thank you very much) hopefully taught the importance of patience. The Essex singer/songwriter spent her early 20s as a voice for hire, patiently building to a celebratory debut album that deftly trades off its author’s key quality: personality. Anne-Marie decorates each track with easy charm and bracing openness (“You know I get depressed/Are you impressed with my honesty?” she retorts on “Perfect”) while the music keeps its end of the bargain. Buoyant dancehall bangers (“Ciao Adios,” “Can I Get Your Number”) grind up effortlessly against the softer moments (“Machine,” “Some People”) on an album that finally, firmly introduces a true star.