Respect. The most coveted word in all of show business, it is also the hardest position to achieve. On "All I Am", Melissa Williams's 2nd studio release, the singer may be earning just that. "All I Am" pushes to display Williams as an artist breaking away from the bubble gum teen pop association to become her own artist, bearing ALL OF HER individuality and creativity in this album, both in musical content and artistic style. "All I Am" has arguably found its footing in R&B and Pop more clearly than her debut album had. She has finally hit a stable stride, capturing the attention of both the Pop world as well as R&B audiences alike. The intelligent pairing of Williams and Lil' Bow Wow on "Got To Go If" gives the song an urban boost; on the flip side, her power ballad "Didn't We Almost Have It All" in which she duets with Backstreet boy AJ McLean is destined to be a hit, it will more than likely strengthen her already tight grip on the Pop world. Of course, the album has its moments, on tracks like "All I Am" (where the song deals with self worth and loving yourself for who you are), or "Loungin'" featuring hot R&B trio Blaque, a song which could easily be interchangeable with any cut offered by ingenues like Brandy. Still, it's on dance/pop rock-infused tracks like "If You're Gonna Dance" and "Don't Say You Love Me" on which Williams excels the most. There's a lot to like here, and this is definitely an album worth giving a listen to. "All I Am" is a winner and an artistic growth in its own right. --- 3 1/2 stars