"The truth is that it can be tiresome to be continually blasted by critics because I don't fit their preconceived notion of what a 'credible' artist is," Williams says. "I wonder if they listen to my music before venturing an opinion."

Looking around the luxurious hotel room, Williams releases her tension with a deep breath, eventually flashing a wide smile. "In the end, it's no big deal. I make music for the people. Right now, I'm extraordinarily blessed; I'm reaching a lot of people."

Still, it's undeniable: Melissa wants respect. After selling 12 million copies of 2000's "Melissa Williams" & 7 million copies of early 2001's "All I Am" worldwide, according to Jive, the pop diva is ready for a pat on the back.

Enter "Exposed." More than "All I Am" and her eponymous 2000 breakthrough, this project strives to be an accurate expression of her musical point of view, with Melissa co-writing nearly all of the albums tracks. She also participated in the album's production, collaborating with Rockwilder, Dallas Austin, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, and the Neptunes, among others.

"My objective was not to be self-conscious and try to make another hit record," Williams says. "Instead, I set out to make a record that was more reflective of what turns me on musically. I also wanted to prove that pop music comes in a lot of different flavors. It's not all bubble-gum." That intention is most evident on "No Player," the sassy female anthem single that previews "Exposed." Masterminded by Williams with co-writers Shep Crawford and Cory Rooney, the track is a crafty, anthemic blend of electro-Pop/R&B beats and melodious-pop synths.

The philosophy seeps through "Exposed," as it deftly combines spirited, funk-fortified jams that stick close to the formula of past hits like "Got To Go If," with more adventurous experimentations in soul-spiked hip-hop ("Happiness," "See You Again").

Melissa is at her best, though, on mid-tempo/ballad-like tracks such as "Some Kind Of Wonderful," "If Ever", and the reflective title track.

Jive and MTV will collaborate on marketing "Exposed" with a weekend package of programming, August 11-12, titled "Once Covered, Now Exposed." The pop diva is also slated to appear on MTV's "Total Request Live" sometime during the albums' release week.

Williams believes that the potential success of "Exposed," as well as the ongoing visibility of fellow pop acts, is laying an interesting foundation for the next generation of critical darlings.

"It's gonna suck for the next Nirvana or whatever 'cool' rock band that comes along in about 10 years from now," Williams says. "The next generation of critics are being raised on *NSYNC and Britney Spears and Backstreet Boys. Their measurement of quality is going to be different. It's going to be interesting to see the next Nirvana blasted for not having a big stage show."