Halfway through Breast Cancer Awareness Month, songwriter and platinum artist Donna Lewis released "The Messenger," a single written in defiance of the cancer inhabiting her own body. The song is a prelude to her upcoming album, “Rooms With A View,” which dives deeper into her recent personal journey of struggle and healing.
Lewis’ diagnosis came in 2021, the same year she was due to celebrate the 25th anniversary of her chart-topping love ballad "I Love You Always Forever" as well as her debut album, "Now in a Minute." A routine medical checkup was the catalyst of a year spent in treatment and surgery, instead of her anticipated year of tour dates and a live TV special. Despite the grueling process of medical care, Lewis kept writing and recording until she was prepared to release new music again.
“When I received my breast cancer diagnosis in 2021, it made me think about how I was living my life,“ said Lewis. "I’ve always been pretty fit and healthy, so the news came as a total shock. Was my body out of balance? Was my life reduced to a mere checklist? It was a tough moment that made me question whether I could rise above it. I saw cancer as an uninvited and unwelcome messenger – a dark dweller that I vowed to banish from my body with the support of my loving family, brilliant doctors and my art.”
The art she created during that time manifested into the recent single and forthcoming album, featuring renowned electronic artist and producer Holmes Ives. Lewis was introduced to Ives’ style when he reworked a track she released called "I Told You So" in 2021. This event led to a desire for further collaboration, so she suggested they write a few songs together when she restarted her creative journey. The process was entirely remote, with Ives working up trip-hop and atmospheric tracks for Lewis to write lyrics to.
“The instrumental tracks that Holmes Ives sent me coaxed the lyrics from the pages of my journals and inspired an album of stories, unlocking fears and the climb to a healthier me – mind, body and spirit,” said Lewis.
While working on her new music, Lewis’ emotions associated with her treatment poured onto the page without any intention to do so, each set of lyrics representing the new chapter of her life that she was processing. Some songs are more cryptic encapsulations of her trauma and fear, while others are blunt observations about the details of her experience—the view from her hospital room, stories about her favorite nurse, etc. “Rooms With A View” was originally conceived as a four-track EP, but it grew to a full-length album fit to contain her multifaceted history.
"The Messenger" is mystifying from the very beginning. Ives’ electric production shines through in anticipation of Lewis’ vocalizations. The entrance of her airy, yet powerful voice is oddly sultry from the beginning, standing in defiance of the cancer in her body. The three facets of the song – Lewis’ lilt, Ives’ soundscapes and the soft echo in the background – perfectly complement each other to create the imagery in Lewis’ head.
The solace Lewis found in her fresh creation is evident. Her vocals soar in simmering passion, painfully haunting and teasingly slow. Her lyrics are inspiring and masterfully enhanced by her talent for voice. The depth created by the rhythm completes the song's mission to convey gratitude, courage and strength.
"The Messenger" is a pivotal step toward Donna Lewis’ most transformative album yet. It is both a satisfying listen and an inspiring message of support for anyone who needs it, for any reason. Another show of support is Lewis’ involvement in Making Strides Against Breast Cancer, a national breast cancer awareness movement for which she is to become an ambassador. The movement’s website offers the ability to donate to the cause.
Discussing the intentions of the album, Lewis said, “It is an offering of hope for anyone going through a dark tunnel. I am forever grateful to share it with you.”
