These are various reviews of Kina's album that might help you get more of an idea of the album's vibe and sound.
"I hope your hell is filled with magazines/And on every page you see a big picture of me," Kina Cosper sings on "Girl From the Gutter," the first single from her promising solo debut. "And under every picture the caption should read/'Not bad for a girl from the gutter like me.'" Well, eat your heart out, buddy, 'cause Kina's wish looks to be coming true. The hype surrounding Kina has been building slowly but steadily on the strength of her powerhouse live performances and that beautiful round face atop a model-lithe body. But a question remains even as fists rise in empathetic cheer: Can this Detroit native and former member of the R&B group Brownstone live up to her good advance notices? All indications point to yes. Kina is a debut many will envy. Surrounding her voice with emotionally charged pop on the rock tip, Kina channels her feelings directly through her songs. She was lucky enough to land London Jones as a producer; his sensitive, unfussy production keeps Kina center stage. Like such fellow genre-bending artists as Lenny Kravitz, Dionne Harris and Cree Summer, Kina takes inspiration from a variety of sources, including Filter and Parliament, and her pop charges forward with captivating energy ("Girl From the Gutter," "U Don't Know"), sways with subtle funkiness ("Me," "Hurt So Bad") or purrs and growls alongside the best '80s power ballad ("Give and Take," "Loser"). Less Whitney Houston than Nona Hendryx or Skin of Skunk Anansie, Kina's powerful voice fills the album, and it's hard to listen past it and hear her lyrics. But take the time. The topics are universal -- broken hearts, ambition, empowerment, love -- but Kina steers clear of clichés and slickness, opting instead for a rawness that is rare in pop. Kina may not break down any boundaries, but it will certainly put this singer on the map. Now it's up to Kina to chart her own course. — Marie Elsie St. Léger (MTV)
For the past seven months, Kina has been on a major nonstop tour of the U.S. Playing small- and medium-size clubs, the former member of R&B act Brownstone apparently knows that, in these times of cookie-cutter artists, a girl's gotta prove herself. And prove herself she has! With a tight band, a powerful voice (gritty one moment, caressing the next), hook-laden melodies, and relatable, self-penned songs, Kina has amassed an ever-growing legion of fans who see nothing wrong with a fierce black woman embracing rock-etched rhythms. Just like her energetic live show, Kina's eponymous stellar debut doesn't disappoint. The set's first single, the autobiographical "Girl From The Gutter," is currently receiving spins on top 40, triple-A, and AC stations. Additionally, the track's video has been embraced by both MTV and VH1. Album highlights include "Have A Cry," "U Don't Know," "I Love You," and "Me," which should be an anthem for everyone. "Kina" -- the dawning of a new day, indeed. -Billboard Magazine
Singer-songwriter Kina seems well past waiting for stardom to come her way; three of the first four tracks on her self-titled debut album concern themselves with the subject either in full or in passing. One of them, "Girl from the Gutter," began to win her fans through video and radio even before this disc's release, so at some point she might be able to stop wishing. If Kina indeed ends up a hit, however, it won't be because of anything particularly special about its contents. Although blessed with a strong, soulful voice, Kina displays little knack for saying anything interesting; aside from her dreams of fame, she fills these songs with pedestrian declarations of love and (on "U Don't Know") claims of her unpredictability. Finally, Kina's straight-down-the-middle production sets the artist down in tracks that sound like an unholy meld of Sting's empty lushness and Melissa Etheridge's bland heartland rock. Come to think of it, the narcissism of tunes like "Stop" and "Me" makes that the perfect sonic blend for her. --Rickey Wright -Amazon.com
You wait all your life for a gritty, powerful R&B singer to arrive, and along comes a thousand at once. For those who have already been enchanted by Lauryn Hill, Macy Gray, Kelis, Angie Stone et al., Kina will prove a natural fit. She has the same spiky personality and soulful voice, but like recent works by most of her contemporaries, what her self-titled debut lacks most is an abundance of good tunes. Opening track "Girl from the Gutter" packs an unexpectedly potent punch, taking a swipe at her former bandmates in mid-'90s En Vogue knockoffs, Brownstone: "I hope your head is filled with all those magazines / And on every page you see a big picture of me / And under every picture a caption should read / Not bad for a girl from the gutter like me." But it's an intensity that fizzles all too soon, as Kina moves on to spineless material like "I Love You" and "Hurt So Bad." The disappointment outweighs the promise. Aidin Vaziri -CDNow.com
