Akon ft. Colby O'Donis, Kardinal Offishall: 'Beautiful'

Aliaune Thiam - Akon to you and me - is nothing if not prolific. Since March last year he's appeared on no fewer than eight UK top 75 singles, collaborating with everyone from Michael Jackson to British grime star Sway along the way. And lest we forget, he also had a hand in launching the year's hottest new pop sensation, Lady GaGa.

'Beautiful', the third single from his Freedom album, finds the sociable rapper rubbing shoulders with Colby O'Donis, the featured guest on GaGa's 'Just Dance', and Canadian hip-hop star Kardinal Offishall. Sadly, no one comes out shining on this plodding R&B tune, whose lyrics ("I see you in the club, you gettin' down girl") are as predictable as the Europoppy production. To be honest, we're unlikely to hear a finer example of R&B mediocrity all year.