Reviewed by Paddy Hudspith

The budget compilation 'Top Ten' series continues here with a disc dedicated to one of the brightest talents to emerge in the 1990s. Latin pop hitmaker Velasquez burst onto the scene in 1996 with a label debut for Word featuring top-drawer songwriters (Chris Eaton, Mark Heimermann, Brent Bourgeois, David and Nicole C Mullen) and producers (Heimermann, Phil Naish). 'Heavenly Place' (1996) spawned six huge singles and quickly established her in CCM's premier league at the time. Five of this compilation's 10 tracks come from that platinum-selling set, including "Flower In The Rain", "We Can Make A Difference" and "Un Lugar Celestial (A Heavenly Place)", the latter hinting at her later ventures into Spanish language pop. If Velasquez would rarely hit such commercial heights again, gold and platinum discs did continue for a time including 'Crystal Clear' (2000), represented here on three tracks. My personal favourite on the disc comes from Jaci's eponymous 1998 album, the Chris Eaton-penned gentle meditation on John 3:16 "God So Loved".

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