Andree Farias of AllMusic said " After surviving two label shutdowns and constant trial-and-error , the powerhouse vocalist finally hit it big with 2005 's '' Awaken '' , her best-selling fifth studio album . Before that , it was false start after false start — the singer with the big voice and even bigger Christian pop dreams could n't seem to get her break . But '' Awaken '' was different . For the first time , Grant was finally taking the reins of her career , forging a vision of her own , handling a larger share of the songwriting duties , and opting for a more mature , pop/rock-inflected adult contemporary sound . With '' Relentless '' , Grant continues this maturation process , displaying even more artistic autonomy , aggression , and adventurousness than before . For a Christian pop diva , she 's certainly taking a lot of risks here , parlaying her potent vocals with fierce pop/rock elements , plus the occasional synth effects , urban-pop affectations , and even a horn section or two . At times Grant is a little too indiscreet in her attempts at novelty , like on the soulful , sassy ' So Long ' , which sounds too much like KT Tunstall 's ' Black Horse and the Cherry Tree ' to be credited entirely to Grant . Outside of that , she appears most comfortable at delivering substantive , highly polished pop/rock , plus enough doses of Grant 's own proven , signature pop balladry to satisfy those who fell in love with her beloved hit ' Held ' . As a reference point , you could think of '' Relentless '' as the follow-up to '' Breakaway '' that Kelly Clarkson failed to deliver after the smash success of that album , except in a Christian pop context . Yes , it 's that catchy — perhaps calculatedly so — but it 's never banal or contrived , like a lot the radio-geared material being produced in the CCM market . " '' CCM Magazine '' s Caroline Lusk claimed " Natalie Grant 's latest album , '' Relentless '' , is a reminder why she wears the crown of top female vocalist two years running . From the opening strains of the first track to the achingly simple refrain of the last , this 12-song power-packed emotional roller-coaster succeeds at making familiar ideas fresh , compelling and emotive . The pure emotion with which Grant delivers each song indicates she is coming more into her own , not only as an artist , but as a woman , a mother and a daughter of God . Grant should be commended for becoming a vessel of the power of Christ to look on human frailty and folly and shine through with the power of an all-sufficient King . With a solid package of truth , soul , incredible musicianship and production that is at times overbearing , but overall , well-balanced , Relentless earns a spot as an important contribution to the musical world and the body of Christ . " Russ Breimeier of '' Christianity Today '' stated " Taking inspiration from stories and testimonies shared through Women of Faith 's Revolve Tour for teen girls , Relentless is ever bit as excellent as '' Awaken '' , this time focused on finding hope amid life 's challenges . It also finds Grant successfully varying her sound from track to track . '' Relentless '' is a little routine at times , but it 's never badly done , and you 'll walk away from it remembering the skillful songwriting and poignant messages of the highlights . And how often do pop artists seem to skew too young or old with their pop sound ? Grant , in her mid-thirties , appropriately resides somewhere between as an artist that teens and their moms can get equally excited about . How easy it would be for Natalie Grant to return to predictable pop . How fortunate for us that she 's forging her own path instead , pursuing excellent pop songs worthy of her considerable vocal skills . " '' Cross Rhythms '' Esther Jones declared " Despite having been quiet for almost three years , the award-winning singer re-enters the CCM scene with gusto and prowess to deliver her finest ever album . Here she breaks out of the worship-orientated mould of '' Awaken '' and lands on pop/rock territory with a fine collection of songs in a style reminiscent of Kelly Clarkson 's '' Breakaway '' . Vocally , Grant runs the whole gamut from rock chick to blue eyed soul diva while the production , from husband Bernie Herms , is top rate . From the uptempo belter ' I Will Not Be Moved ' to the soft piano ballad ' Make a Way ' , her distinct vocals are flawless and cement her status as the Christian pop star of our time . Lyrically , the album addresses a number of issues ; struggling with cancer ( ' Our Hope Endures ' ) , finding hope in the midst of life 's difficulties ( ' Make It Matter ' ) — a power pop song with an R&B kick , and ' Let Go ' , about living in the moment . Let 's hope Grant takes this advice herself and can enjoy the success this album will surely bring . " Nathaniel Schexnayder of Jesus Freak Hideout remarked " Rather than stick with one or two simple genres , Grant tests her limits as she brings a variety of styles to the playing field , including pop , medium rock , adult contemporary , and even a hint of hip hop on one track . Surprisingly , there are no real worship songs this time around , save for the hymn ' In Christ Alone ' . One thing that sticks out ( and what made her popular in the first place ) about Grant 's music is her emotional and ( occasionally overly ) dramatic songs , and she certainly does n't mess with success . However , while Natalie Grant offers hopeful anthems throughout '' Relentless '' , the songwriting is n't flawless . Except for the over stocked ballads and over dramatized tunes , her album is both surprisingly musically sound and diverse , making '' Relentless '' a solid listen from beginning to end . However , the album as a whole is not its without faults because in the midst of the sweet sound of her songs there is lacking lyrical depth , and some of her songs could have used more substance . That aside , '' Relentless '' should please fans and also attract new ones . " '' Relentless '' was nominated for Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year at the 40th GMA Dove Awards . The album 's second single , " I Will Not Be Moved " , was also nominated for Song of the Year and Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year
40th GMA Dove Awards
40th GMA Dove Awards
Relentless (Natalie Grant album)