You try to get up from your chair but you just manage to stumble and barely catch your own fall. Yep, it snuck up on you pretty hard. You thought you could...
There is power in the words we speak. I’m a firm believer that we often speak certain circumstances into our lives, be it good or bad. This is not to...
I love finding new music…..especially good new music. Rae Ellis is another new artist that I have been introduced to through the song “More and More” This song has a jazzy, neo soul feel that’s irresistible I absolutely love Rae Ellis’s voice and it reminds me of India Arie (check out last week’s Smooth Like Cocoa Butter post). This is one of those songs that could be mistaken for a love song, instead of a gospel song at first listen. The song speaks of her love for God and how she loves Him more each day. This is the first song I’ve heard from Rae Ellis. This track is taken from her new CD entitled The Diary of Rae Ellis, which was just released in February of this year. This woman has an amazing story to tell as a survivor of domestic abuse and losing her father to cancer. I’ve heard a few other tracks from her CD and I’m definitely picking this one up.
Check out “More and More” and let me know what you think about it!
Real singers seem to be nearing extinction in today’s music. Auto-tune, pro tools and other studio tricks can mask the lack of vocal abilities in many current day artists (think Rihanna, Britney Spears, etc). But when it comes to Marica Chisolm, it doesn’t take long to figure out that her voice is pure and powerful. I was first introduced to her music through a video posting of her single “Used” on The Truth Bowl channel. On her debut CD, Simply Worship, the opening tracks “Oh Give Thanks” and “Hallelujah to the King” kick things off with a high energy and praise, not to mention an awesome live band. But it’s “Used” that really stops the show and grabs your attention. The song speaks of surrendering all to God and allowing yourself to be used by Him. It has a gentle melody, but Marica’s voice is the real highlight of this song. Her raspy tone has traces of Macy Gray (although she sounds light years better than her) , with the power and precision of Jill Scott. This is beautiful songs and a definite stand out on Simply Worship.
“Breath of Glory” features incredible vocal arrangements against an acoustically themed track. The message here is simple, yet peaceful and inspiring. It’s a request for God to breathe his presence on us. “Desperation” and its reprise are two of my favorite ballads on the CD and the message here is “I need you/Nothing else will do”. Sometimes we don’t need a lot of extra fluff to bring the point home and “Desperation” proves that wonderfully. If you didn’t know by the time this song ends, Marica proves just how amazing her voice is on the Reprise of “Desperation”. By the time Simply Worship comes to a close with “Corporate Worship”, you feel like you have entered into a new dimension of amazing vocals and beautiful music. I’m definitely already excited about Marica’s sophomore project. For news, ministry appearance updates and to purchase her new CD, Simply Worship, go to www.maricachisolm.com.
Marcia is a strong woman who is fully aware of her gifts as evident by her favorite scripture, “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” – Phil. 1:6. Let’s all remember to be aware of our own individual gifts and use them just as beautifully as Marica Chisolm has on her debut album.
Earlier today, I gave my thoughts on Kandi Burruss’ (of RHOA and Xscape fame) newly released gospel single, “Stay Prayed Up”. Isn’t it funny how we often trust ourselves over trusting God? Not to say that we don’t have good judgment, but God’s judgment is way better than ours. Perhaps prolific songwriter John Patrick Adams could have instructed her to stay in the direction she was going with her own way. His new single, “God’s Way” is a very well written song that inspires us to look to God when things aren’t going the way we think they should. It also cautions us that following God’s way may help us avoid pitfalls on our journey in life.
Some of his past hits include “Why Did He Do It?”, “He Never Stopped” and “In My Favor”. The great thing about the message in his music is that it’s extremely relatable. There’s that a-ha moment when you realize you’re not the only one going through trials or tribulations. There’s clear-cut inspiration here, not to mention beautiful singing as well. In a time where artists are rewarded for how they make people’s bodies move (even in gospel music) vs lyrical content, it’s great to see that lyrics still matter. Plus, the production on the song is soft and peaceful, which only compliments the strong vocals and powerful lyrics. There’s also something to be said for original melodies (that are actually enjoyable) too. With so many artists sampling highlights of the past, it’s refreshing to hear music that isn’t borrowed from someone else’s shining moment.
If you thought that John Patrick Adams is only well versed in music, then think again. He’s also preparing for his first book release, entitled Naked. It’s set for release this May, so be sure to look out for it. Plus see if you can really handle the truth on his website, www.TheTruthBowl.com. Here, you will find many intriguing panel episodes on life topics, blogs and inspirational quotes. You can also find more info on John Patrick Adams at www.johnpatrickadams.com.
Check out this controversial episode of The Truth Bowl below:
Many people know Kandi as a cast member on the popular reality show, Real Housewives of Atlanta. Other than watching the show a few times, I can’t say that I’m a huge fan of it. But I have been a fan of Kandi for quite some time through her original claim to fame, the R & B group Xscape. I believe that Xscape is underrated in terms of their style and contribution to music in the 90s and in general. Their 1995 CD, Off the Hook is still one of my favorite R & B CDs. At the height of the group’s career, songs like “Do You Want To?” and “Who Can I Run To?” ruled the radio airwaves. And then there’s her songwriting skills. Ironically, the biggest songs she’s ever written (TLC’s “No Scrubs” and Destiny’s Child’s “Bills, Bills, Bills”) went on to be massive hits for other girl groups. Now she has delved into her own line of sex toys and an online talk show called “Kandi Koated Nights”. And if that wasn’t enough, she’s also teamed up with Bravo for her own version of American Idol called “The Kandi Factory”. Needless to say, she’s got a great business sense about her and is able to maintain multiple streams of income.
But what happens when another one of her projects just comes off as….well, another business venture? Kandi recently released her first gospel single, featuring Marvin Sapp, called “Stay Prayed Up”. The song itself isn’t bad but Kandi’s voice isn’t well suited to gospel to me. Certain genres have certain voices that fit perfectly. Her unique, raspy is honestly a forced fit gospel music in my opinion, but it works perfectly for R & B, or even Rock music. And then there’s the obvious……I’m no saint by any means, but isn’t it just a little strange to fully receive a gospel song from the same woman who has her own line of sex toys and a racy online talk show? Just a thought. But then again, this could make her more relatable to fans. The lyrics here are very powerful (I have to give her credit for that), but is that part really so surprising? Something about Marvin Sapp and Kandi’s voice don’t seem to mesh well here though. But again, it was a smart business move to feature him on the song.
Do you think Kandi has gone too far by releasing “Stay Prayed Up”? Is she really sharing her testimony to inspire others are is this just another lucrative business venture for her? Will you be buying this song or better yet a full gospel album from Kandi (if she releases one)? What do you think of the song itself?
