The post IMG Artists Presents Multi-Talented Bandleader Damien Sneed in A Tribute to Aretha Franklin, The Queen of Soul featuring Valerie Simpson and Karen Clark Sheard first appeared on uGospel.com.

Singer, songwriter, and pastor San Franklin has shared her extraordinary talent, trials and triumphs in life, and her anointed ministry through her debut album THE FREE PROJECT.  The album is transparent, compelling, and is a genius musical work.  

Released by Enon Music Group, THE FREE PROJECT is a deluxe version boasting 15 churchy, jazzy, and vocally soaring tracks.  Her single “I Choose Free” embodies the ambition of the album – to inspire and lead people to freedom and liberty.  

“I Choose Free” has garnered impressive Gospel radio airplay.  San released the visual lyric video for “I Choose Free” earlier this year and now has a dynamic performance music video to share with her fans and followers.  

San’s performance music video allows viewers to fully engaged in her powerful music ministry.  Beyond her incredible vocal performance that is consistently solid, San ministers the heart of the song in her own truth of choosing to be free. 

 ELHE Creative is the producer of the video, and the single is written by San, John Matthew Clark, and Forest Walker. The single and album are available on all digital outlets.  CD’s can be ordered at EnonMusic.com or purchased at Christian book stores across the country via New Day Distribution.

With every opportunity, San Franklin impacts people and culture by shifting atmospheres and helping people find freedom through Christ.  You can experience her impact and heart through THE FREE PROJECT.  

The post Watch SAN FRANKLIN’S Performance Music Video Of “I Choose Free” Extended Version first appeared on uGospel.com.

Celebrated vocalist KARIMA soars high claiming the Number 1 spot on several Gospel radio charts. The beautiful worship ballad KARIMA’s first-ever Number 1 song, “Redeemer” is #1 on the Gospel Airplay Chart, is the greatest gainer on that chart, and is #1 on the Mediabase Gospel chart.

“Just when you think it’s over it’s literally just the beginning. After being in the music industry for 25 years, I hoped and may have even dreamed of being in this position,” said KARIMA. “While I was contemplating giving up on music, God was waiting on me to recognize His ultimate plan for this season of my life… the plan was just to believe in myself and KEEP GOING no matter what that looked like to others or felt like to myself.”

She went on to say “I’ve learned in this process that His ‘no’ is even good. His ‘no’ doesn’t always mean things are permanently not going to happen. His ‘no’ in my situation simply meant not right now. Patience and perseverance was key. He’s a promise keeper and a restorer of all things good. Wow God.”

This rare feat adds to DARE Records’ latest string of hits marking the label’s third consecutive Billboard Number 1 song. Juan and Lisa Winans; “It Belongs To Me,” and “Jesus Will Fix It (Trouble In My Way)” from Shontelle Norman-Beatty both peaked at Number 1 last year.

Michael-Anthony “Mooki” Taylor, DARE Records CEO & Chairman, said, “so many wonderful pieces to this exciting story!” “Tara Griggs-Magee (Dare Records label president) signed Karima and her sisters in Virtue to Verity Records over 20 years ago. While I did a remix on ‘He’s Been Good’ in 2002. I also was writing and recording with Nicole C. Mullen for Carman in 1994.”

Taylor went on to explain the full circle moment “I signed Karima to DARE Records in 2020 the same week Juan and Lisa Winans’ ‘It Belongs To Me’ (feat. Marvin L. Winans) went #1 and we released the ‘Redeemer’ remake in 2021. Shontelle Norman-Beatty went #1 in September 2021. And HERE-WE-ARE. THREEPEAT! Like the 90’s Bulls!”

Best known for her musical success as co-founder and member of the enormously successful Gospel/Christian trio Virtue, KARIMA signed with DARE Records in 2021. While achieving success on the music front, KARIMA elevates her brand and business enterprises. In addition to the launch of THE SOUP CHIC, an online delivery service of homemade soup, KARIMA plans to launch a women’s athleisure brand called The KARIMA Brand. The fashion line will feature pieces for the on-the-go woman to go from the Yoga studio to the recording studio.

The post KARIMA Dominates Gospel Radio Charts with REDEEMER first appeared on uGospel.com.

As they celebrate the 20^th anniversary of their first album release, the platinum selling Chicago-based gospel music ensemble, Shekinah Glory Ministry (SGM), is dropping fresh content (new music, a possible stage production, and a documentary film) throughout 2022. The first offering teams them with  Grammy® Award winning House Music pioneer, DJ Maurice Joshua (Beyoncé, Pink, Mariah Carey), for a resounding new remix of “Reign Jesus” from the group’s debut album.

Joshua dusts off the calypso-styled singalong, “Reign Jesus,” from SGM’s 2001 debut album, Praise is What I Do. He transforms it into  a brisk, feel-good dance track emphasizing congas, keys, and bass. The robust choir of SGM voices provide a sturdy cushion on which lay the sweet opening leads of veteran SGM member, Sherree Lee. Then, guest soloist and the song’s composer Cedric Ford’s  raspy vocals take over, exalting the Most-High while also inciting the listener to, “clap your hands everybody, everybody just clap your hands, lift up the name of Jesus.”

“Reign Jesus” is the first of other planned remixes of Shekinah Glory Ministry classics. Parent church Valley Kingdom’s new pastor, Ray Bady, a veteran session drummer for the likes of Yolanda Adams and Kirk Franklin, will supervise production on Shekinah Glory Ministry’s first new album since 2012’s Surrender.  They hope to release that musical project and a documentary film on Shekinah Glory Ministry’s journey and legacy in the fourth quarter of 2022.

The post Shekinah Glory Ministry Hooks Up with Grammy Winning DJ For House Remix first appeared on uGospel.com.

Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, a towering figure who helped bring an end to apartheid in South Africa, has passed away in Cape Town. He was 90.

“The passing of Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu is another chapter of bereavement in our nation’s farewell to a generation of outstanding South Africans who have bequeathed us a liberated South Africa,” President Cyril Ramaphosa said in a statement early Sunday.

“Desmond Tutu was a patriot without equal; a leader of principle and pragmatism who gave meaning to the biblical insight that faith without works is dead.”

The passionate advocate for freedom headed the country’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission in the 1990s, a grueling inquiry that investigated crimes during the apartheid era. It was widely seen as a crucial healing step during South Africa’s transition from apartheid to democracy. The TRC became a model for similar commissions in other parts of the continent.

Tutu was also the first Black bishop of Johannesburg and later became the Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town. He was known for working tirelessly for racial justice and LBGTQ rights.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres called Tutu “a towering global figure for peace & justice.”

Former President Obama described him as “a moral compass” and “universal spirit.”

Tutu, an Anglican clergyman, used the pulpit to preach and galvanize public opinion against the injustice faced by South Africa’s Black majority.

Tutu, the first Black bishop of Johannesburg and later the first Black archbishop of Cape Town, was a vocal activist for racial justice and LGBTQ rights not just in South Africa but around the world.

In 1990, after 27 years in prison, Nelson Mandela spent his first night of freedom at Tutu’s residence in Cape Town.

After the fall of the apartheid regime, with Mandela leading the country as its first Black president, Tutu headed the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which laid bare the terrible truths of white rule.

“His contributions to struggles against injustice, locally and globally, are matched only by the depth of his thinking about the making of liberatory futures for human societies,” the Nelson Mandela Foundation said in a statement.

Tutu’s legacy surpasses borders and “will echo throughout the ages,” U.S. President Joe Biden said in a statement Sunday.

“We were blessed to spend time with him on several occasions over the past many years,” Biden said on behalf of himself and his wife, Jill. “His courage and moral clarity helped inspire our commitment to change American policy toward the repressive Apartheid regime in South Africa.”

Biden was outspoken about apartheid when he traveled to the country as a senator in 1976, when he said he refused to be separated from his Black colleagues.

Tutu also campaigned internationally for human rights, especially LGBTQ rights and same-sex marriage.

“I would not worship a God who is homophobic,” he said in 2013, launching a campaign for LGBTQ rights in Cape Town. “I would refuse to go to a homophobic heaven. No, I would say, ‘Sorry, I would much rather go to the other place.’”

Tutu said he was “as passionate about this campaign as I ever was about apartheid. For me, it is at the same level.” He was one of the most prominent religious leaders to advocate LGBTQ rights — a stance that put him at odds with many in South Africa and across the continent as well as within the Anglican church.

A seven-day mourning period is planned in Cape Town before Tutu’s burial, including a two-day lying in state, an ecumenical service and an Anglican requiem mass at St. George’s Cathedral in Cape Town. The southern city’s landmark Table Mountain will be lit up in purple, the color of the robes Tutu wore as archbishop.

The post Archbishop Desmond Tutu Passes Away at 90 first appeared on uGospel.com.

Hailing from the one of the most musical cities on the planet, Detroit – Don, Courtney, Drea, Trent and Amber are professionally known as Shelby 5.

The family group first came to notoriety on the Oxygen network’s hit reality series, Preachers of Detroit, where their father Don Shelby, Jr., was one of the principal cast members.

At the top of 2021, Shelby 5 was apart of the Grammy® nominated song “Come Together,” written by multi-platinum songwriter and producer, Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins. Jerkins was so impressed with their vocal prowess, that he signed the group to his Lifestyle Music Group label.

Shelby 5 is a group of amazing young people who vow to deliver an inspirational, yet versatile sound to gospel music, which is evident on their upcoming single, BOOM, which features Hip Hop legend Lecrae. The song was written and produced solely by Shelby 5 and is most certainly a sound that is needed in today’s gospel music landscape.

“Boom was birthed in one of our lowest moments. Living life putting our career in the hands of people never worked. Now we understand that when GOD puts his hand on something it can’t be stopped. He made me a believer,” says Trent Shelby.

The track begins like a ballad with just an organ as the backdrop, and boasts the lyrics: Let me brag on Jesus, tell you just what he did. Came and died just so I could live. I heard you ask a question, the reason I sing he heard my cry and delivered me. He made a believer out of me. Nobody but Jesus, I’m a believer. And then BOOM, just like that the track heats up with the infusion of heavy beats and that 808!

BOOM will be available on all digital outlets on Friday, December 31, 2021.

ABOUT SHELBY 5

Hailing from the city of the “Motown” sound, Detroit, Michigan, Shelby 5 are a dynamic versatile group that provides a blend of pop and urban-infused worship through soul-stirring melodies. Signed & celebrated by GRAMMY award-winning producer, Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins to his Lifestyle Music Group, the close-knit siblings promote unity by delivering inspirational messages that crosses age, race, cultural, and religious barriers. They have moved audiences across the U.S., participated in the hit television show, “Preachers of Detroit,” and provided a moving performance at the 2015 Annual Stellar Awards. Shelby 5 brings a new and fresh perspective to Gospel Music.

Don is a key musician who is at the heart of the group as a writer and producer. His passion for piano launched at the tender age of two.

Courtney is the group’s spokesperson and a talented violinist whose vocals provide a smooth and brassy tone.

Drea is a very versatile and anointed soprano whose angelic voice penetrates the heart of anyone who listens.

Trent has an electric personality that will light up the stage and brings a contagious energy to Shelby 5’s performances.

Amber is the youngest member of the group and tops off the group’s tight harmony with a perfect blend of youthful virtuosity.

The post Allow Them To Reintroduce Themselves, Their Name Is Shelby 5 – New Single “Boom” Features Multiple Grammy® Winning Artist Lecrae first appeared on uGospel.com.

Stellar Awards 2021 “Artist of the Year”, Billboard chart topper, and the only gospel artist to score a slot on Billboards “Top 50 Adult R&B Year End Chart”, Pastor Mike Jr. Goes “Big” with ‘The McClure Family Christmas Special’ Airing Christmas Morning on Birmingham MY 68 and Online! first appeared on uGospel.com.

GRAMMY Award winner, songwriter, soul singer, and activist Damon Little current radio single “Stand Up” hits #1 on Billboard Gospel AirPlay chart this week. Powered by radio promotions firm By Any Means Necessary the emotionally charged song spends 44 weeks in the Top 30 making it the longest running radio single in 2021 on Billboards Gospel AirPlay chart. Additionally, “Stand Up” lands at #8 on the Year-End 2021 Gospel AirPlay chart and Little ranks #10 on the Year-End 2021 Gospel AirPlay Artists chart.

On October 19, 2021, the Baltimore native premiered his long-awaited seven-and-a-half-minute-long concept music video for “Stand Up.” The powerful imagery comprising the music video for “Stand Up” presses classical Civil Rights Movement concepts and themes including one of the most famous sites in Civil Rights history: the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, where, in March 1965, peaceful protesters were attacked by police engaged in the enforcement of segregation. Half a century later, Little takes to the Bridge with a group of marchers and throws a celebration of his own — and reminds us all of how far we still have to go. He’s also provided us with plenty of footage of Selma, including nighttime shots of the disused Washington Street Supermarket, the imposing Dallas County Courthouse, and the moving plaques in the Civil Rights Memorial Park. When Little stands up before a judge and defends a client beaten by the cops, his call for justice echoes across the entire storied city.

“Stand Up” is a call for unity, equality, and compassion — a firm and friendly handshake offered to humanity on behalf of God. Little has always put advocacy at the heart of his project: he’s consistently spoken out on behalf of civil rights and universal brotherhood, and he’s raised consciousness and promoted education about ostomies, a medical condition that affects half a million Americans. The new song follows the artist’s extraordinary run of gospel hits, which include the defiant “I Won’t Be Defeated,” the prayerful “Because Of You,” the heartfelt “Be Alright,” and many others. Released on February 5 via Little World Music/Partners Music company, “Stand Up” is produced by Bubby Fann and Damon Little who’s also credited as the song’s sole songwriter.

The post STAND UP” BY DAMON LITTLE IS #1 ON BILLBOARD GOSPEL AIRPLAY first appeared on uGospel.com.

Two-time Stellar Award nominated powerhouse vocalist Kim Person current project The Journey 2.0 [EP] lands at the No. 49 position on Billboard 2021 Year-End Top Gospel Album chart. Released on October 21, 2021, the 5-song EP also celebrates 7 straight weeks on the Top 30 on Billboard’s Top Gospel Album chart and peaking at No. 7.

A native of Raleigh, North Carolina, The Journey 2.0 EP embraces the process of growth and acknowledges the voyage toward fully living a faith-led life. Featuring her latest single, “Wonderful,” which is produced by Phillip Bryant (Tasha Cobbs Leonard, JJ Hairston), Person invites listeners into a space, reminiscent of a warm hug at a family gathering. She credits the source of inspiration, her late grandmother, who used to sing a rendition of “Wonderful.” Infused with a new twist, Person provides her unmatched richness of tone to groovy-celebratory beat, blending the perfect arrangement to evangelize the gospel while connecting with the heart of the listeners, those who are truly seeking something wonderful.

Journey 2.0 EP is the follow-up to her May 2019 full-length album The Journey, which peaked at No. 2 on the Top Gospel Albums chart, No. 8 on the Top Gospel Consumption Album chart and spent over 25 weeks in the Top 20 on the same chart. In 2020, the project earned her two Stellar Gospel Music Award nominations for New Artist of the Year and Contemporary Female Vocalist of the Year.

The post KIM PERSON’S ‘THE JOURNEY 2.0’ [EP] -TOP 50 ON 2021 YEAR-END TOP GOSPEL ALBUM CHART first appeared on uGospel.com.

The post Karima Enters Top 5 on the Billboard Gospel Airplay Chart with Hit Song “Redeemer” first appeared on uGospel.com.