Genre: Pop/Rock, Worship
For fans of: Avalon, CeCe Winans, Celine Dion, Linda Eder, Margaret Becker
Label: Sparrow Records

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Many people want to sing like Aretha Franklin or Patti LaBelle. Singer Janna Long, however, is one of the few women who actually can. Janna began listening to female diva vocalists at three years old and continued to be influenced by powerful vocals as she grew up. She would listen, wondering how they do "that" with their voices.

After one listen to her self-titled solo debut, Janna, it's clear she's figured "that" out.

Janna grew up a preacher's kid in Baltimore, birthplace of another diva, Billie Holiday. Like her hometown, Janna's family appreciated the power of music, including mainstream music, which is where she initially found her inspiration. She knew she always wanted to be a singer and began singing professionally right after college, spending her musical career to date as a member of a group. She has now taken her Godgiven vocal talent and coupled it with fulfilling a lifelong dream of making her own album. And she's done it with a skill and passion that proclaim Janna worthy to be in the same company of the great female divas that have inspired her.

Blessed with a voice and a look that could all but assure her of mainstream accolades, Janna has chosen something different for her self-titled debut. Superficial lyrics attached to a great beat do not appeal to her. Instead, she wants her music to encourage and inspire listeners. For Janna that means singing about her Creator. "A lot of artists sing about love and relationships," Janna says. "Those are great, but I miss hearing songs that are blatantly about the Gospel. Music has power to heal and bring joy, and I always said if I ever got the chance to make my own record, I'd want to sing that kind of music."

To help her, Janna called on some of the top producers in the business. Brown Bannister (Amy Grant, Steven Curtis Chapman, CeCe Winans), Mark Hammond (Anointed, Jump5) and Mookie (TobyMac, Lamar Campbell) all came together to lend their diverse talents to this project. Their collaboration contribute to a tightly produced but electrifying collection of music that will appeal to anyone who loves great songs sung by a truly great singer.

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