Rachael Lampa is Word Records' captivating answer to the abundance of young pop-star divas in mainstream music. At age 15, Lampa has vocal expertise so far beyond her years that the novelty of a child prodigy is made new again. The label has spared no expense for this talent, bringing in the top producers of the industry--Brown Bannister (Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith) and Brent Bourgeois (Cindy Morgan, Streams)--who have had their hands on this project from the very beginning. As well, songwriters Cindy Morgan, Ginny Owens, Chris Eaton, and others were called upon to bolster Lampa's embryonic song-crafting skills. Live for You is an energetic, intense, and heartfelt debut release. The majority of the album consists of contemporary pop grooves and ballads, with a couple of tracks mining Latin and Middle Eastern sounds. But without exception, each song draws out Lampa's unique gifting as a phenomenon to be marveled at. --Israel Button