Imagine RBD with a slight edge and you'll get a feel for the sound of Alejandra Alberti and her self-titled debut. Produced by Yasmil Marrufo (Ricardo Arjona, Ricky Martin), the sugary Quiero and its carbonated companion Dignidad de Mujer have built enough of a buzz to land the 22-year-old Alberti a Latin Grammy nomination for Best New Artist.

Born in Nashville, Tennessee (Music City USA) and raised in Miami, Florida, Alberti considers her Cuban dad and Mexican mother – a drummer and a singer, respectively – as the most important musical influences in her life. Although she speaks fluent English, she chose to record her pop-rock in Español – though that may not be an entirely romantic decision.

With the rising popularity of bands like Motel and Camila as well as the "Best New Artist" Latin Grammy nominations of fellow pop-rockers Jesse & Joy and Tulsa, the Latino mainstream may be warming to younger pop acts. If so, Alberti, a college student, could soon graduate to a bona fide teen idol.

see: myspace.com/alejandraalberti

José Nieves and Kenny Vázquez, the reggaeton duo known as Rakim y Ken-Y, return to the charts with a live CD and DVD that showcases live performances from their recent Masterpiece World Tour. Thanks to Rakim's catchy pop tunes and Ken-Y's good looks, the duo has become one of the most popular reggaeton artists in the game. The live album, which adds the screams of their adoring fans into the mix, remains faithful to the duo's chart-topping Masterpiece album. Their energetic set includes renditions of Me Matas and Down.

The Queen of Hip Hop soul, Mary J. Blige, is in top form with eight recent Grammy nominations. Blige celebrates her career with Reflections: A Retrospective, which includes four new tracks alongside some of her greatest hits. The Bronx native already has one of the five best selling albums of 2006, The Breakthrough. This distinction makes her one of the most important female R&B artists in recent decades. Her new single, We Ride (I See the Future), bumps with a freshness that can rattle the grill of any old skool boom-box.

Fantasia Barrino releases her second album, the self-titled Fantasia. The American Idol diva is still flying high on the success of her 2004 debut album, Free Yourself. This time around she has opted for a harder R&B sound produced by Missy Elliot, Swizz Beatz, Dre & Vidal and Babyface. Barrino's decision to break away from her American Idol management may have already paid off as the album's lead single, Hood Boy, is a welcome introduction to her new musical style. A best-selling memoir and biopic will likely propel this survivor to new heights.

Newcomer, Alejandra Alberti, debuts her self-titled album this week. Born in Nashville and raised in Miami, the 22-year-old makes music that has a likeness to the pop en Español of La 5ta Estación and RBD. Her album was produced by hitmaker and session player Yasmil Marrufo, who has worked with the likes of Ricky Martin, Ricardo Montaner, Ricardo Arjona and salsa legends, Oscar D'León and Willy Chirino. Alberti's debut single, Quiero, is a cheerful, ready for airplay, pop-rock song that showcases her R&B influenced vocals. The album's remaining nine tracks keep the rock from getting hard and the pop from getting cold. Whether or not she can win over Belinda fans remains to be seen. The lead single, as well as three other tracks from Alberti's album, can be streamed on her MySpace page.