Tis the season to be Sara Devine. The luscious newcomer has been garnering all the right attention her entire life (musically speaking of course) and now she heads into the spotlight with her debut self-titled Columbia release.

Sara's born and raised in Little Rock, Arkansas, the second youngest of ten siblings. Her father is a pastor and her mother sings in church. Her parents love for the church and gospel music ran deep with their children as all of them either sing and/or play some form of instrument. Admiring the likes of Prince, Sam Cooke, Corey Glover, Vanessa Bell Armstrong, Whitney Houston and Sarah Vaughn, she has been compared to the last two ladies of legend and I can honsestly say give merit where merit is due and to think that music was something she wasn't going to take seriously "I didn't think it was possible," she confesses. "Growing up in Arkansas, there weren't a lot of people around me who grew up to be singers."

And aren't we thankful that she did consider that choice. Sara's debut single Take me home has been out for a bit but I just recently gotten a copy of the remix and thought it so good that it warrents a review. Sara's seriously passioniate about her craft and it shows in this excellent chunk of soul music. It starts off healthy enough with a thumping bassline and softly led keys and a rap verse (the artist I'm not sure whom) then enters Sara's lovely voice as she caresses the words ever so effortlessly. Throughout you are treated to a helpful serving of Sara's vocal range as she goes top to bottom to get's your juices flowing and your head nodding to the beat.

This one hasn't made it to our side of the ocean (meaning the good ol' United States of America) but it's available in the UK where you can get a copy at www.2-funky.co.uk and Europe. Be on the lookout for Sara in 2004, she's going to blow up (no doubt). A TY-D pick indeed.

Listen to Sara Devine - 'Take me Home - (Cirosis rmx)'

Sir TY