Artist: Jill Scott

Title: The Light of the Sun

Label: Blues Babe/Warner Bros.

Unlike your average rom-com where the protagonist's love life is always neatly tied up in the proverbial bow by the time the credits roll, singer/songwriter Jill Scott isn't afraid to sing honestly about life's ups and downs.

And that willingness to pour out her heart, not to mention the way she seamlessly segues between soul, pop and hip-hop sounds are exactly what makes Light of the Sun such a pleasure to listen to. 

While she's certainly suffered no shortage of drama since her last album, namely a painful divorce, a new amour, a baby and then the failure of that relationship, too, it wouldn't have necessarily been surprising if every song on Light of the Sun was in a minor key.

But Scott isn't the sort of artist who wallows and goes around feeling sorry for herself. If anything, she's the portrait of resilience and still is thankful for everything she's got, something she sings about convincingly in standout tracks "Blessed," "So In Love," which features Anthony Hamilton and "Hear My Call."

Showcasing her diversity in sound and lyrical content, Scott is also not afraid to kick her heels up and have a little fun either. Whether she's teaming up with rapper Eve on "Shame" or serving up empowering little ditties like "Womanifesto," "Some Other Time" and the shimmering title track, Scott is one intriguing leading lady.

Unlike the characters that Kate Hudson and Anne Hathaway play again and again on the big screen, everything Scott sings on Light of the Sun reflects the complicated emotions that come with living in a complicated world. There are no easy answers or sugarcoated realities.

But the lack of the clichés is precisely what makes Light of the Sun so rewarding for the long haul. Simply put, it's real, and that's a quality that goes a long, long way…

*This article first published 6/28/2011