While perhaps best known for her role as the conniving prima donna Sharpay Evans in High School Musical, it was only a matter of time before Ashley Tisdale ventured off on her own and capitalized off the success of the unexpected pop culture juggernaut. On her debut album, Headstrong, there is no doubt that Tisdale is trying to put forth a persona outside of the character she has since become associated with. This is thoroughly understandable given Sharpay's antagonistic personality. Headstrong is Tisdale's attempt to be seen as a relatable every-girl albeit one with a better than average voice and a studio's worth of producers.
While most definitely a stylistic departure from the movie that made her a tween icon, there is however, very little that differentiates Tisdale's work as a solo artist from her teen pop contemporaries. Headstrong might lack the kitschy theatrics of the High School Musical soundtrack, but it also lacks the hooks.
Unsurprisingly, the production is slick and glossy. The lyrics are trite and borderline insipid. However, upbeat dance numbers such as the title track, "Positivity" and "He Said, She Said," with their pulsating hip-hop beats are among the albums strengths, even if they are as familiar sounding as anything Gwen Stefani has released. Elsewhere the handful of ballads on the album including "Unlove You" and "Suddenly" fair quite worse as they plod along, lacking in any emotional heft. 
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