Local Songstress Releases CD

Pictured is the back cover of Lana R's new album, "Cherish".

What does it take to be a good songwriter? Besides the ability to write, a good songwriter needs an artistic prism that allows him or her to synthesize past experience into a new art creation. "As for me," says conservatory graduate, local resident, church musician and songwriter Lana R, "songs have to be catchy, have good lyrics that can reach peoples' hearts and minds on a universal level of understanding. I think music has a color and shape. In painting, it takes time to create a masterpiece by adding tiny brush strokes to the canvas of new artwork. So it is with songwriting. A good song needs to be polished for a while until all the details fall into the right place."

The polishing paid off for the Ukrainian-born Astoria resident. Her song, "I Celebrate" was awarded an Honorable Mention at the 12th Billboard World Song contest. "I Celebrate" is also featured in her recently completed, full length, solo album, "Cherish". With 10 other pop music songs, "Cherish" was produced at Lana R's recording studio with the assistance of Dana J. White, a sound engineer from Nimbit, Inc.

Besides the title song and "I Celebrate", the album includes "The Bridges", "Hello, New York!", "Keep Going", "Margarita", "Like a Pretty Clown", "Lake of Hope", "The Phantom", "Let it Go" and "Remember". Excerpts from the album can be heard at www.cdfreedom.com. The CD also will soon be available on iTunes, Rhapsody, eMusic and Groupie Tunes. Hard copies of the CD are available at St. Adalbert Parish, 52-29 83rd St., Elmhurst, Monday through Friday. 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; 718-639-0212, or at Broadway Records, on Broadway between 36th and 37th Streets in Astoria.

Lana R. presently serves St. Adalbert Roman Catholic Church, Elmhurst as a singer, organist and music director. She also performs as a vocalist and organist at the 5 p.m. Sunday Mass at Most Precious Blood Roman Catholic Church in Astoria.