With Ke$ha’s attitude, Carly Rae Jepsen’s knack for stick-in-your-head hooks and a flow more like “Monster”-era Nicki Minaj than something you’d expect from an 85-pound white girl, Cher Lloyd brings strong jams and wide range to her first album “Sticks & Stones.” Hit single “Want U Back” proves Lloyd can own bubblegum pop, while bonus track “Talkin’ That” shows a brash, electronic, hip hop edge. “Grow Up” marries both sounds seamlessly with an infectious chorus and a guest verse by Busta Rhymes. Lloyd boasts writing credits on half of the album, an impressive feat for a debut from an “X Factor” contestant, but her obvious anger is limited to references to “haters” by her tween target audience. Aside from a few missteps, “Sticks & Stones” is a promising pop debut from an artist whose music will mature with her fanbase.

Grade: B