There’s no denying R&B crooner Miguel has talent, showcased most notably on his J. Cole-assisted track “All I Want Is You.” The half-black, half-Mexican L.A. native—whose debut album, also titled All I Want Is You, is set for an early 2011 release—wants to use his unique vocal abilities to push R&B to the next level.

“I think the operative word as opposed to bringing R&B back, my intension is to take it forward,” Miguel told MTV.com. “So as we push boundaries, boundaries are there for a reason. They have their anchors, they have their foundations, and pushing those away or trying to move them is gonna take effort. That’s OK. That’s what we as artists are here for: to push those boundaries and explore outside and push things further.”

Before his first opus makes its debut on store shelves, Miguel plans to create tracks that give his listeners an audible surprise. He’s looking to entertain fans while keeping them on their toes.

“I think it’s exciting, and I think the world is ready for artists who endeavor to push boundaries,” he said. “It’s not something that can’t be done. It’s actually pretty cool for people to take a step back and go, ‘What is that? I don’t know what that is, but I like it.’ That’s really cool.”