Singer and songwriter Ruthie Foster's new album suggests a great sense of ambition and complacency, a noticeable contrast to her humble, easy-going personality.

Foster, whose latest album title is The Phenomenal Ruthie Foster, hopes to display her "phenomenal" abilities during a live concert at tomorrow night at 8 at The State Theatre, 130 W. College Ave.

Foster said the "phenomenal" proclamation isn't necessarily a boast, it's a cumulative realization of her growth and maturity, both personally and professionally.

"It's a real indication of how far my music has come and how it has come full circle," Foster said.

"The album flashes back to the soul sounds I grew up listening to in the '70s."

The 42-year-old Texas native is a unique presence in the diverse music scene, balancing a multitude of genres -- seamlessly mixing blues and old-school gospel, in addition to roots and contemporary folk music.

Her soulful vocals have been compared to the likes of female music legends such as Ella Fitzgerald, Nina Simone and Aretha Franklin.

The Phenomenal Ruthie Foster, her fifth album, is a departure for her stylistically, containing fewer uplifting songs and grappling with more emotionally complex themes.

It shines a light on her more private, vulnerable side, exposing "all the dimensions of my growth in the past five years -- heartbreaks and breakthroughs," Foster said.

The album's audacious title was conceived by her producer, Austin-based guitarist Malcolm Welbourne. However, the title is specifically derived from Maya Angelou's poem, "Phenomenal Woman," which Foster transformed into a song and musically composed for the album.

"I try to be what the word entails, which is the best you can be," Foster said.

Angelou, the internationally respected poet, writer and educator, has always been a major inspiration for her, as they both grew up in predominantly black communities.

"She teaches how to rise above expectations and above your own," Foster said. "Using your words and using your words well."

Foster's interest in poetic lyricism dates back to her childhood in a small town in Texas. At age 11, she began playing and writing her own songs, eventually transcribing her poems as well as learning to play acoustic guitar and piano.

Her professional career kicked off with her self-released first album Full Circle in 1997.

She recorded her 2002 breakthrough album, Runaway Soul, with her current Houston-based record label, Blue Corn Music Records, helping to establish a loyal fan base of supporters while remaining widely unknown in the vast music spectrum.

Foster has continued to rise, as her "phenomenal" album reached No. 4 on the Billboard Magazine blues chart when it was released earlier this year.

Touring the globe from the Austin City Limits Music Festival to various concert halls and festivals in Europe, Foster has connected with audiences who identify with her life struggles and daily experiences that she expresses through her diverse and prolific music style.

Joe Apfelbaum, the State Theatre programming manager, said the downtown arts venue is intent on bringing lesser-known, noteworthy artists to State College with the hope of providing them with the wider recognition they deserve.

Apfelbaum said he anticipates acts like Foster will expand the market in State College for innovative, underground acts.

"We're trying to stretch the boundaries of what art and live entertainment is in town," Apfelbaum said. "We really believe that some not well-known artists enhance the platform for talent in the area."

Foster might not have a legendary status amid the competitive marketplace just yet, but Apfelbaum said he's optimistic for her future.

"In a few years, she's going to be on an entirely different level than she is now," he said.

Foster, on the other hand, is much more modest about what's on the horizon.

"The future's going to take care of itself," Foster said. "I'm just gonna keep going on this journey. Stay true to myself, travel with my band and continue to have something to say."