Well done!

Sienna, a Long Island, New York native, showcases her wide-ranging soprano on this disc. Her material is Contemporary Christian, and her songs range from funk to jazz/blues influenced. Sienna herself admits she was a reluctant convert to a church youth group near her home. She has come a long way from the reluctant young woman she was, as evidenced on this disc. Her accomplishments are impressive; Sienna has performed off-Broadway, onstage and on television, and her confidence and ease with the material on this album shows. One can sense the urgency in her songs of the importance of surrendering to God and following His word. This message is most prevalent in the title track, "My Steps are Ordered," and a lovely ballad, "Falling in Love." The former track pulsates to an underlying funk beat, Sienna's voice lacing the track effortlessly with her versatile range, clear as a bell. She sings of how the Lord orders her every step through life, lending her existence purpose. "He paves the way for me," she sings. This song shows her fulfilling God's will and professing her faith in Him. "Falling in Love" shows off her soprano to great advantage. Sienna sings how His guidance makes her love him: "Every touch of grace/Every warm embrace/I keep falling in love with you," she sings. The chord and key changes in the song also frame her voice nicely. Another standout ballad is "It's Me Who Leaves," where her voice just soars. The song's message is that God is always with us despite us feeling alone at times. The other songs are effective in getting the message through of following/loving the Lord. They range from danceable, upbeat and fast-paced numbers to the slow and jazzy. The most striking of the slow songs is "Lost", a ballad whose instrumentation and vocals are very Joni Mitchell-esque. This song deals with being lost and found by God and thus becoming a better and changed person. She sings, "I was lost/Now I'm starting to learn/That you had direction for me/Forgave my sins for free/All you asked of me/Was to start to believe." The one song I found lacked the texture of the others was "Follow You," a moody and smoky piece whose message conveys the importance of following the Lord. The end of the song becomes repetitive, where the chorus is sung over and over. However, taken into the context of the beauty of the whole record, this to me is Sienna's only misstep. Sienna puts her message across with an urgency and fervor, but the loveliness of the lyrics and the versatile arrangements make her sound enthusiastic in her message and not sink into preachiness. May she put out more discs showcasing her formidable talent. For more information, visit siennamusic.com.

There are now so many Christian music albums released independently in the USA that if we were to review every one we’d probably have no room to run any articles. But we couldn’t let this gem from a hugely talented Long Island, NY singer go by without comment. Whether she’s emoting a pop R&B groove like the infectious opener “My Steps Are Ordered”, soaring on an emotive ballad, like “Falling In Love” or growling in a gospel chorus Sienna’s voice is continually arresting. Crisp production from Eric Copeland, this is every bit as good as Nashville’s best. Sienna, we salute you

Steps delivers its theme, the perfection of God in his sovereignty, in a well-crafted and meticulously produced CD. From the first track, the very danceable My Steps are Ordered, Sienna's soulful soprano lays it out with an irrefutable enthusiasm, singing of her "destiny fulfilled" in the Lord. All Things is my favorite, a strong tune that pulsates with a rhythmic urban feel and opens to the sound of traffic and a street preacher. Sienna and her gospel-flavored backing vocalists belt out the awesome truths of Romans 8 with power. There's a lot of funk in her upbeat songs, as well as some jazz-fused guitar licks on Come to Me, bringing to mind the mighty George Benson. Producer Eric Copeland assembled a good team and kept a tight rein on any excesses. Half of these offerings are ballads, showcasing Sienna's wide range, her voice soaring on the dramatic It's Me Who Leaves. "Follow You" loses you with its endless repetitions but "Lost" is most interesting as far as instrumentation and phrasing, with a fresh and lush sound. Over all, a pleasing debut from a talented newcomer.