That awareness is already expanding the consciousness of others who have turned to Samantha's music. "Even on MySpace I receive amazing messages and words from people who have benefited from my songs," she says. "The more that it's heard by other people, and the more I hear other people's stories of inspiration… I think that in itself is a healing process for me, as well."

But she's not done yet. "I foresee, but I never set expectations," she explains of her future music goals. "I really feel the reason I was put on this Earth was not just to create music, but to touch people with my music… to help them through my experiences and the words that I write and sing. I'm hoping that it develops into something even more than me just singing. I hope it becomes more of a self-help type of situation. That's what I foresee right now."

And if the vision behind Rise is any indication, Samantha's foresight is a perfect 20/20.

Samantha On…

… the influence of Brazilian Jazz on RISE

"My mom was diagnosed with breast cancer when I was 5, and her girlfriend Layla was living in Brazil. She had also been diagnosed with breast cancer, and she had been healed by this woman. She had been begging my mom for years to see this woman who could lay her hands on her and heal her. My mom wanted to go so badly, but because she had my sister and I she never made it. When I was 19 years old, Layla came to visit my grandmother, who I was living with at the time. She asked me if I wanted to go back to Brazil with her, and I immediately had this feeling that something magical was going to happen when I went. I don't know if this was a feeling created a long time ago because my mom wanted to go… but I knew I had to go for a reason. So I went to Brazil and I ended up falling in love with it. I stayed for about 3 and a half months with Layla, and I have a very deep, profound connection with Brazil. Not quite sure what it is, yet. Music is definitely a huge part of it, but I also think it was about me fulfilling a dram that my mom had always wanted."

… being a DIVA

"My producer and I had a little conversation… we were talking about Lisa Shaw, Jody Watley, and all these chicks that sing with DJs. They go up there and rock that shit! They are totally hands-in-the-air-flying-everywhere… all about being Diva-ish. And I totally do not consider myself a Diva type of singer!"

… working in other genres of music

"I'm actually in the process of putting an electronic band together, and one of the things I really wanted to emphasize when I signed with OM was that, because I have fans in the electronic music and house scene, of course I'm going to do shows that call for us to just do uptempo tracks… and I'm fine with that! But all in all I don't see that being where I end up. Overall, I don't want to be known as just that female vocalist that works with a DJ. We're in the process right now of putting the band together, and that's definitely more the type of situation I see myself in: the band, me, and me being able to feed off the percussionist or the guys on the keys. And then we'll have a DJ in the band… of course!"

… the press release describing her sound as the "West Coast Lifestyle Movement"

"The funniest part about that comment? My dad wrote it! [laughs] We had to write a bio for the label, and he's a great writer. I'm from the west coast, and we were talking about how this is definitely a different type of sound, a different type of music. I think in some of my songs you can hear who I'm influenced by and you can pick up different hints of different artists, but all in all I don't think there's another artist who has created this sound. So I think the ‘west coast lifestyle movement' just totally complemented what it sounds like. I'm still trying to figure out how to define that phrase! It's a certain sound, it's a unique sound… Maybe it's a new movement! The West Coast Lifestyle Movement of Samantha James!"

… her dedication to her fans

"A lot of people say, ‘I do it for my fans.' You hear these groups, bands and DJs that have been around for a long time say they do it for their fans. I've never really understood that until now. Through my experience and the amazing feedback from the album, I realized that what drives you is the positive feedback from people. That is what makes you want to maintain creating, and makes you want to get on that stage and give your best."