Following a spiritual awakening at a retreat 2 ½ years ago, singer/songwriter Marissa Guzman was inspired to quit her high profile marketing career to learn how to produce her first album. Already well known in the house music scene as an up and coming vocalist, now Guzman hopes to gain recognition as a producer for her work on the album Joy Road.

Guzman devoted the last two years of her life to learning how to create catchy baselines and head bopping drum beats. With her lyrical sills and vocal talents plus guidance from top artists and producers Rithma, and Josh Marquez from Uneaq, plus mixing and mastering whiz Detroit Grand Pubahs’ Andy Toth’s work on the album, Marissa hopes the fruits of her labor will shine. Since Joy Road’s first single, a Black Coffee remix of “Time To Go” went straight to number 1 on Traxsource earlier this year, fans from all over the world have been eagerly awaiting the full album.

As Guzman feels very strongly about the importance of using music as a platform to help those less fortunate, she is graciously donating 50% of her album sales to NextAid, a Los Angeles based nonprofit organization that harnesses the power of music to support sustainable development projects that serve vulnerable children, youth and women in Africa.

Guzman notes, “I am hoping to spread awareness through my music and make a positive impact in Africa. While we here in the US are trying to get a fair shake for our 99%, in Africa, the global income distribution is even more skewed with hundreds of millions of people living on less than $1 a day.”

Like most artists, love played a huge role in Guzman’s songwriting. “Time To Go” and “Fifth Moon” are clearly about a relationship gone wrong, while other songs including “Thank You” and “Outta My Head” are about how music has been a savior in her life. “Song For Eddie G” is a tribute to Marissa’s father, Eddie Guzman, the congas and percussion player for noted Motown Records’ rock band Rare Earth, who passed away when Marissa was seventeen, while “Magic Door” and “Free to Be” have an encouraging, inspirational message behind the lyrics designed to reach the soul.

Without a doubt, Marissa’s hard work has paid off in this liberating, heartfelt album. Joy Road will be available on Itunes, Traxsource, Beatport and Stompy, with a limited number of vinyl records coming out in January, and a remix album coming shortly after featuring artists Black Coffee, Demarkus Lewis, Jazzanova, Corderoy Mavericks and more.

More information: www.juicylucyrecords.com www.nextaid.org