The album features production and writing from the likes of Babyface[3] and OneRepublic frontman Ryan Tedder[4] among others.

Originally, the song was to be released along with "Future Love", however, those plans were scrapped, and "Sabotage" became the stand-alone second single.

[citation needed] Exposed received generally positive reviews from music critics, based on an aggregate score of 69/100 from Metacritic.

[5] The album received positive reviews from major critical websites, such as Blues & Soul, People Magazine, and AllMusic.

Other notable credits go to songwriter and producer Ryan Tedder, who is best known for crafting Leona Lewis' worldwide number one "Bleeding Love", Beyoncé Knowles's top 5 hit "Halo" and Jordin Sparks' top 10 hit "Battlefield".

For this album he co-wrote and produced "Speak Up" as well as the single "Future Love", previously recorded and released in 2008 by American boyband Varsity Fanclub.

She was featured in the first group of ten semi-finalists and sang the song "Reflection" from the Disney movie Mulan.

She worked with him for five years and, two days before her nineteenth birthday, signed to a new division of Island Def Jam Records founded by Edmonds and Jeff Burroughs called Sodapop Records, and immediately began working on Exposed.

[citation needed] "Sabotage", the fifth song on the album, strays from the topic of love that was in all of the previous tracks.

[citation needed] The sixth song on the album, "Died In Your Eyes", features DeBarge singing about how she knows her boyfriend has lied to her.

[citation needed] "Powerless" is the seventh track Exposed, and lyrically speaks of DeBarge's ex who feels he is on top of the world.

[citation needed] The ninth song to be featured on Exposed is "Doesn't Everybody Wanna Fall In Love".

[5] AllMusic writes "Through and through, Exposed is an album directed at older tweens and teens, and it does tend to act its age, never presenting DeBarge as someone pretending to be any more wise or worldly than the average 19-year-old.

And though her voice has yet to fully develop and lacks the uniqueness running through her bloodline, it's clear she landed a major-label contract on the basis of her talent.

It likely helped the 19-year-old land a gig opening for Britney Spears' Circus tour beginning this August, though Exposed's airy, girlish pop – especially cotton-candy Casio grooves like "Future Love" and "Died in Your Eyes" – mostly recalls the female stars of her dad's era: Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam, Paula Abdul, and (coincidence?)

[9] Blues & Soul states, Exposed "showcases the teenage Ms. DeBarge's personal journey of self-discovery through a variety of musical moods -ranging from the robust urban pop of 'Somebody' and furiously-driving 'Sabotage' to more soulful cuts like the hauntingly yearning 'Future Love', sexily undulating 'It's Gotta Be Love', and the sadly surging break-up anthem 'Cried Me a River'".

[13] Newsday states, "Exposed is the result of all that work, featuring her light, effortless vocals tackling a lot of sweet, pretty pop – much of which was written and/or produced by Babyface.

DeBarge comes across as a streetwise Jordin Sparks with the stomping smash 'Goodbye' and the new, more dance-oriented Rihanna-esque single 'Sabotage'.

Exposed really does unveil DeBarge, who's set to open for Britney Spears this fall, as a complete package and a music marketer's dream – a teenager who can sing grown-up songs and make them feel young, and feel comfortable with everything from hip-hop to Celine Dion ballads.

[10] People praises DeBarge's album as "a winning debut, fresh and seemingly sun-kissed, makes her this summer's answer to Rihanna.

"Her girlish vocals are committed and surprisingly soulful, only slipping into stage schooly mannerisms occasionally, and she's equally comfortable doing vulnerable on 'Died in Your Eyes', empowered on 'Powerless', or a combination of the two on 'Cried Me a River'.

She shows real glimpses of potential here, and having spent five years together already, it's safe to presume that DeBarge and her mentor are in it for the long haul.

[16] Despite a moderately successful start, the album quickly began descending the charts, and only spent a total of six weeks on the Billboard 200.

[20] At several of these shows, the ballads from the album were performed acoustically, with DeBarge singing along with one man playing a guitar behind her.

[35] Initially, the second single from the album was set to be a double A-side release of "Sabotage" and "Future Love".

[2] A remix has been made featuring rapper Pitbull, and the song has charted at number 25 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 in the US.