Well, yes, as far as primetime TV audiences who recognise a pretty face are concerned; but there's a long way to go before Ms Cole's solo albums carry the stamp of an artist who is immediately recognisable for the distinctive nature of her sound.
As on 3 Words and Messy Little Raindrops, a committee of big-budget industry professionals (Calvin Harris, Lana Del Rey, Alex da Kid) has been hired to compose and produce backing tracks for Cole's vocals. It's not even slightly surprising to find will.i.am present on Craziest Things: two reality talent show heads are surely better (or at least commercially safer) than one.
However, after the public embarrassment of that Diamond Jubilee concert performance, A Million Lights is a small (dub)step in the right direction in terms of carving Cole her own niche in the R'n'B pop world. But when "the nation's sweetheart" gets dirty, as on Sexy Den A Mutha, it's as convincing as a teenage girl dressing up in her older sister's clothes.
