Brenda Russell says taking seven years to release Paris Rain, the follow-up to her seventh album, 1993's Soul Talkin', helped her grow as an artist.

"You have an opportunity to really suss out a good song and a bad song over several years," she said from her home in Los Angeles. "I have this analogy, that a song is like a boyfriend; if it lasts six months, it could be OK."

The singer/songwriter, who scored her first hit with 1988's "Piano in the Dark" (RealAudio excerpt), stayed busy during her recording hiatus. She wrote songs for the likes of Diana Ross, Patti LaBelle and Tina Turner, and she spent time traveling around the world.

The influence of her travels can be heard on the samba-tinged "Walking in New York," on the melodic and atmospheric Paris Rain, which came out July 18. The collection includes the song "Catch On" (RealAudio excerpt), which has garnered play on adult-contemporary and smooth-jazz radio.

"We added the song immediately, because it's compelling, and Brenda is an artist of substance who has a recognizable style and identity," Ralph Stewart, music director of KTWV radio in Los Angeles, told Billboard.

"The label people picked that one [to be the first single]," Russell said. "It's very difficult for me to judge what radio's going to play. I can tell what people will like, but that's different."

It was that disconnect Russell felt between her role as an artist and her place in the music business that led to her break from recording. "I wanted to discover life without a record deal," she said. "I needed to regroup and rediscover why I do this in the first place."

Because her music has never fit easily into a single genre, Russell sometimes has found it hard to get her music heard. But she said she'll never limit herself to one style.

"I was raised on all kinds of music, so that's what's reflected in my music," the Brooklyn, N.Y.-born Russell said. "It's not natural to categorize yourself as an artist. Could you imagine if Picasso categorized himself?"

Paris Rain gave Russell the chance to collaborate with singer/songwriter Carole King, who, Russell said, inspired her to become a musician.

"I remember the moment I heard [King's 1971 hit] 'I Feel the Earth Move' in a restaurant in Toronto," Russell said. "I said, 'This is what I want to do.' I gave myself five years to be able to learn piano well enough to play a song I wrote myself. It didn't take five years, thankfully."

Russell and King wrote "Move the Moon" (RealAudio excerpt) together, an experience Russell treasures as one of the highlights of her career. "To have her all these years later come to my house and write a song together — I was over the moon, no pun intended."

Regarding her approach to songwriting, Russell said, "I love the language, and I love to stimulate people's imagination and paint pictures."

This year, Russell will reprise the holiday tour she did last year with smooth-jazz artists Dave Koz and Peter White.

"It's a blast to go out and get people in the holiday spirit," she said.