Considered by some to be one of the greatest female vocalists of all time, Diana Ross is back with her 25th studio album, Thank You. As the best-known member of the Supremes in the 1960s, Ross got her start in the world of Motown. The Supremes are still the best-charting female group ever, with a whopping 12 No. 1 singles topping the Billboard 100. In the 1970s, Ross spread her wings and flew into a lucrative solo career with 11 studio albums and 31 singles that charted globally. She stayed active in the ’80s and ’90s, but her last album was 1999’s Every Day is a New Day, making Thank You particularly special.

On Thank You, which was produced by a strong team including Jack Antonoff, Ross reminds us all why she’s considered one of the most acclaimed musicians alive with her solid songwriting abilities. The structure and composition of every song here is both extraordinarily catchy and polished.

Additionally, the melodies are fun to listen and sing along to. For the most part, they seem to fit well with Diana Ross’ current vocal range. Instrumentally, the tunes are filled with Motown and disco callbacks, like glossy horns and smooth, groovy percussion on songs like “All is Well” or “I Still Believe.”

Ross also integrates some newer sleek elements that seem plucked straight from her Las Vegas residencies, like Latin guitar playing and keyboards on “Beautiful Love” or “Just in Case.” She also has a few songs that are up-tempo and electronic enough to be considered party music–in particular, the second single, “If The World Just Danced,” and “Let’s Do It.”

Ross wrote these songs over 2020’s quarantine, and it’s evident that she wants to spread a message of hope and connectivity after a tough year. While listeners could interpret the content as love songs, it seems that they’re predominantly love songs to her’ fans rather than to any one particular person. Every song is inspirational in some way, and rather than classic moody ballads, they’re great for moving and singing.

“Things will get better/ The sun will shine brighter each day/ It never rains forever,” Diana Ross sings on “In Your Heart.”

And on “The Answer’s Always Love,” she adds, “What if there were no boundaries to keep us apart?/ What if the only thing we made was music, love and art?” Even the two slower songs on Thank You, “A Time to Call” and “Beautiful Love,” maintain this caring message of warmth and compassion. Ross wrote the latter as a tribute to her children.

The only critique to be had about this generally well-assembled album is that the lyrics, however uplifting, start to become a bit repetitive after a while if you’re not accustomed to unbridled love and support in the way that Diana Ross provides it in this work. But even if quarantine has made you a bit curmudgeonly cynical, Ross’ passion for positivity shines through in a heartfelt way. The title track really is indicative of the message she’s trying to send. In a way, this lighthearted and joyful album is like one big thank you letter to the world, giving the same affectionate energy back to those who have supported her throughout the years.

Follow writer Sara London at Facebook.com/slondogbusiness and Twitter.com/sjessielondon.