Her voice echoes a familiar sound similar to Grammy Award winner India Arie. She is Colbie Caillat. The Southern California based artist recently released her first Acoustic-Folk album, and has ascended up the charts quickly.

Born in Newbury Park, California, the Malibu resident is the daughter of record producer Ken Caillat. He is best known for working with Fleetwood Mac. He helped produce Colbie’s first album which debuted at the fifth spot on the Billboard Top 200. Prior to her album’s release, she held the top spot on Myspace for unsigned artists in her category for four consecutive months.

Colbie’s album titled, “Coco” has enticed listeners to rummage through their pockets to find CD money. “Bubbly” is the first release introducing us to this vocalist. This song depicts a relationship kept new. The adorable side of relationships are conveyed as she explains the sentiment she experiences while in the presence of her partner. Ranging from the feelings starting in her toes to crinkling her nose, and expanding to her soul, Colbie does a magnificent job combining melodies and her serene voice that could make someone vehemently opposed to love reconsider the idea of the quintessential adoration. “Bubbly” held down the top spot for the most downloaded song on iTunes.

“Midnight Bottle” cleverly tells a familiar story most people experience at some point in their life. She finds herself relying on alcohol to act as an interim happiness, bringing a broken heart back to a time when her life was still jovial. Typically a topic exhausted in Rock & Roll and Heavy Metal, Colbie indubitably induces listeners to revisit a past relationship where emotions remain alive. Knowing the temporary reprieve is nothing more than a break from heartache, fans should receive it well, because the simple complexities endured here are common.

The force fed concept of deception and cheating is only mentioned in one song. In “Battle,” she does not spend time hating her mate, but expresses the reality of the struggle the relationship is enduring, and how she wants to work through the setback.

Overall, “Coco” acquaints listeners to relationships from all angles. From childlike love, to loving without reciprocation, to acknowledging the window has closed on a relationship gives fans an opportunity to listen to life situations they have encountered. The last song on the album breaks rhythm and the concept of relationships, and delves into the beauty of giving life through pregnancy. The song evokes pleasantries, but does not follow suit with the rest of the album. This may be the reason the song is reserved for the final track.

With the temptation to mimic mainstream radio, Colbie opposes the concept, and has produced an album emitting an ambience ignoring the reality of what is really going on. The mood set after a complete CD listen feels like a sunny day with the wind caressing exposed skin on a scenic spring afternoon in April.

Lyrically, Colbie has eloquently arranged verses which differ from other artists. She puts poetry and melodies together to create compositions that should allow her to continue to make respectable and admired music for years to come.

The recipe of accord and a calming voice has made Colbie Caillat a star. Appearing on VH1’s Artist You Outta Know list allows the SoCal girl to join a list already occupied with the likes of Amy Winehouse, James Blunt, Paolo Nutini, and Anthony Hamilton to name a few. On October 12, 2007, she will be performing on The Today Show.

By Trent Hensley