One Girl (Exclusive Bonus Track)

At age 16, Katelynne Cox can look back on her selection as 2009’s National Miss American Junior Teen with satisfaction. But judging by her confident performance on her debut album One Girl, she’s not dwelling on the past. Her first long-player suggests Krystal Meyers and Britt Nicole in its blend of feisty pop sounds and positive lyrics. With the help of an A-list team of songwriters (including Chris Sligh, Joy Williams and producer Aaron Rice), she delivers a message of self-respect and empowerment. Young love in all its thrills and complications is a reoccurring theme here, whether delivered with hope (“What Do I Know,” “Ordinary Day”) or some Avril Lavigne-esque sass (“Best Friends,” “Sticking With You”). Cox shines on “As We Go,” a ballad about the line between liking and loving. Rippling techno-pop grooves give “You Satisfy” and “You and Me” a propulsive flow, while the title tune lets Katelynne release her inner hip-hop diva. “Me” makes Cox’s reliance upon God’s guidance explicit.