Michelle Williams, 'Unexpected'

Backstory: After LeToya Luckett and LaTavia Roberson were dismissed from Destiny’s Child in 2000, Michelle Williams swiftly replaced the two, first popping up to cause confusion in the “Say My Name” video. By the time Destiny’s Child formally bowed out in 2005, Williams had already begun her solo career in earnest. Her first effort was a top-selling gospel album, 2002’s “Heart to Yours,” followed by 2004’s “Do You Know” and now “Unexpected.”

Why you should care: Williams proved a worthy replacement in Destiny’s Child and, while she doesn’t have the powerhouse tone of Beyoncé or even Kelly Rowland, she has a sweet rasp to her voice.

Verdict: Is this really the same girl that was in Destiny’s Child? From her vocals in that group, it was evident that she could sing, but that ability is masked here under several layers of studio filters and tweaks normally reserved for someone with far less talent. It’s both annoying and unnecessary, even when the album is angled to be more of a dance club offering. The producers had the good sense to apply the lightest hand on the title track, and it’s no surprise that this is where she sounds best, but they still couldn’t resist using their trickery in the ad-libs. Even on her solo album, the poor lady is still relegated to the background.

X-Factor: “We Break The Dawn,” one of the best songs here, was written by Solange Knowles, who is Beyoncé’s little sister and is about to release her own solo album.

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