DeKalb | Vocal powerhouse Leona Lewis returned from a hiatus of nearly eight years with “I Am,” an album that exemplifies Lewis’s growth and vocal beauty.

Lewis’ sixth album, which was released on Friday reminds us why we always gravitate toward her music.

The 15-track album begins with “Thunder,” which is quite the toe-tapper. Accompanied with strong, powerful piano, booming drums and soothing tambourine accents, this empowering song is Lewis’ way of announcing her return to an industry whose music now mostly consists of electronic dance and twerk songs. This anthemic song also demonstrates Lewis’ hard work and effort as she confidently sings, “And I won’t wait any longer. When you left me down, I got stronger. If you want to wait for lightning, I’m on the horizon. Well, I’m coming back with the thunder.” Her angelic vocals overpower the rhythmic and almost angry-sounding beats of the song.

Admirably, the former X-Factor star keeps current with today’s music, as not all her songs are ballad. The album’s fifth track, “Ladders,” sounds very similar to Disclosure’s 2012 song, “Latch,” featuring Sam Smith. Like Disclosure’s catchy track, Lewis’ “Ladders” starts off with a playful synthesized and pop beat, making the listener anxious to hear what else there is to come. “Ladders” is another track where Lewis expresses her deep gratitude for being back in the music industry – something she has missed for many years. This song is especially enjoyable to listen to because Lewis talks about her struggles in life and love, singing “I know what I’m fighting for.” And, even though “I fell back down, I’m looking up. You’re there to lift me up higher.” Lewis makes it almost explicitly clear that throughout her long hiatus, she’s been enjoying life despite encountering some obstacles.

While the whole album demonstrates Lewis’s vocal maturity, “Power” stands out from all the rest. Starting off quietly with echos of repeated “oohs,” Lewis breaks into song almost immediately with confidence. “I got the power, I feel the power – power, I have the power,” repeats throughout the song, as she assertively tells the listener, “this is where you end and I begin.”

Lewis adds variety to her repertoire in “I Am” and experiments with different sounds – all while keeping the voice we fell in love with her very first single “Bleeding Love.”