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WITH their music often overshadowed by the speculation surrounding their private lives, it is easy to forget that Jennifer Lopez, Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston were originally more famous for their voices than their vices.
For America's top divas, it is time to redress the balance.
In the case of Lopez, already torn between movie roles (her latest film, Enough, opens here this week) and a pop career, the arrival on the scene of a new fiance - Ben Affleck - could have become a further distraction.
Instead, it has provided her with inspiration, and her new album is full of references to the man set to become her third husband.
Actor Affleck, who met Lopez when the pair were filming in California, is hailed as `the true definition of a man' in the over- the-top credits.
He is also thanked for `every lyric', and is the obvious inspiration behind one song, Dear Ben, which lays bare the depth of J-Lo's feelings for her new beau.
But while romance has led to an increase in the number of syrupy ballads compared to previous albums, there is still enough funky Latin-dance fare to keep her fans happy.
Lopez's improving voice lacks the range of Mariah's or Whitney's, but her breezier approach works well...