November 29, 2000

Chante Moore : Exposed

Trying to be something you are obviously not does have its downfalls...

4 / 10 Chante Moore has never really been hailed as an outstanding-contribution-to-music type of artist. Admittedly, as far as sultry-looking crooners go, she's aiight, but unfortunately, despite a career spanning eight years with four albums to her credit, she has failed to create that presence that separates the serious divas from the everyday artist.

For her fourth album, 'Exposed', she takes on a whole new persona which is noticeably more sexy, more risque. The change may have something to do with the recent collapse of Moore's marriage to comedic actor Kadeem Hardison with whom she has a young daughter. Production-wise, she has enlisted the help of Jermaine Dupri, and whereas last year she was delighting in the fact that 'Chante's Got A Man', this year she obviously feels she has a lot to prove post-Kadeem, and sets it off neatly. The infectious, Dupri-produced track, 'Straight Up', lets everybody know that she's no longer attached, and more importantly she's not averse to taking offers, citing: "I'm a show you everything you tryin' to see/I 'm a put you right where you need to be", with neither subtlety nor little shame.

But trying to be something you are obviously not does have its downfalls, the main one being - true colours are never easy to hide. Early on, songs such as 'Take Care Of Me', and 'I'm Keepin' You', have a guarded and helpless feel to them. She sounds even less confident and seems to provide a glimpse of inner pain. She ultimately betrays her new independent stance, instead relaying the message: Chante wants her man back.

Adenike Adenitire

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