JOANN ROSARIO
Life is filled with different seasons, varied phases. Joann Rosario has experienced many of them. She's been through the valley – a period when she lost total use of her vocal chords –to today's mountaintop. In the last two years, a wonderful spiritual transformation has taken place in her life. It's this premise that's the basis of her new Verity Records/fHammond Music/Zomba Gospel release, Joyous Salvation. For gospel's Latin diva, this project represents a life-change, an awakening to newness and fresh excitement for what's to come. Throughout the new CD, listeners will not only witness a brand new spiritual side of Rosario, but a bold, contemporary new musical side of this amazingly versatile gospel artist.

Rosario has truly come full circle with the new CD. She says, "The last album was so difficult for me. I was coming off of a vocal injury where I couldn't talk, couldn't sing. While I was recording, every line, every chorus, every verse was a struggle. But now, with my voice restored, it's like my life has been flipped totally upside down. During the time when I wasn't able to sing or speak, God was really challenging me about very specific areas of my life. Since the last album, I have tried with all my heart to honestly do exactly what it is that He wants me to do." And because of it, she's experiencing a brand new day.

Like a butterfly from a cocoon, she pulls inspiration from the experience for "Restore To Me," the CD's opener and one of the album's freshest tracks. "The song came to me while I was sitting in church one Sunday morning," recalls Joann. "My dad, Apostle Nahum Rosario, was reading Psalm 51:12 which says, 'Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation'. And I literally heard the chorus, right then. I ran to my dad's office and called my cell phone and sung myself a message". With a bold orchestral opening flowing into a jovial anthem of revival, the song sports aromas of pop and urban contemporary sounds. It gives off positive, energetic vibes and begs God for a jolt of spiritual revitalization. The song was co-written by Aaron Lindsey, award-winning producer known for his work with Israel & New Breed.

Although the songstress finds it hard to choose a favorite from the new musical collection, a collection in which she wrote nine out of the album's 10 tracks, "Beautiful Son," is by far the song closest to her heart.

She wrote the song two years ago but let no one hear it until she started recording the new record. "I didn't sing it to anybody because I didn't have the confidence to let anyone hear it. I had to work up the nerve to give it to the producer," says Joann of "Beautiful Son." That producer happened to be Chris Rodriguez, a well-known hitmaker in both secular and sacred music circles. .