Contemporary Gospel Music Artists to Check Out
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There are many Contemporary Gospel Music artists making great music. Here are just a few you should check out.
J.J. Hairston
J.J. Hairston is a contemporary gospel music artist from Greensboro, North Carolina. His music is a mix of R&B, pop, and hip-hop. He has been nominated for several awards, including a Grammy Award, and his music has been featured on television and in movies.
Biography
J.J. Hairston is a Gospel music singer, songwriter, and producer from Greensboro, NC. Hairston’s youth choir, Youthful Praise, released their first album in 1999. In 2008, Hairston embarked on a solo career with the album “I See Victory.” His subsequent solo albums have all charted on Billboard’s Top Gospel Albums chart, with “Miracle Worker” reaching No. 1 in 2018. Hairston has also been nominated for three Grammy Awards and five Dove Awards.
Music
As a kid growing up in Detroit, J.J. Hairston would go to local music stores with his father and browse the racks of CDs, looking for the next artist to add to his collection. He’d soak up the sounds of Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Donny Hathaway, Whitney Houston and Aretha Franklin, marveling at their ability to translate their lived experiences into song. It was this early exposure to music that would plant the seed for Hairston’s eventual career as a gospel musician.
Today, Hairston is one of the most successful artists in contemporary gospel music. His 2013 album, “The More” peaked at number one on Billboard’s Top Gospel Albums chart, and his latest album, “Miracle Worker” debuted at number two on the same chart. He’s won multiple awards, including a Dove Award and a NAACP Image Award, and he’s been nominated for a Grammy.
In addition to his work as a solo artist, Hairston is also the founder and leader of the gospel group Young James Fortune & FIYA. The group has released four albums, three of which have topped Billboard’s Top Gospel Albums chart.
Hairston’s success is due in part to his willingness to experiment with different sounds and styles. His music blends elements of R&B, pop, Hip Hop and jazz, creating a unique sound that appeals to a wide range of listeners. But at its core, Hairston’s music is all about bringing people together and lifting up those who are struggling. As he told Saying Grace magazine, “My hope is that people will be encouraged by my music and know that no matter what they are going through in life…there is hope.”
Tasha Cobbs
If you are a fan of Gospel music, then you definitely know who Tasha Cobbs is. She is a very popular and well-known Gospel singer who has been in the music industry for many years. Tasha Cobbs has won many awards and accolades, and she is definitely an artist to check out if you are a fan of Gospel music.
Biography
Tasha Cobbs is a Grammy award-winning Contemporary Gospel recording artist, singer, songwriter, and record producer. She started her music career by singing background vocals for Gospel legend Kim Burrell. In 2010, she released her debut album Smile, and in 2013, she released her breakout album Grace, which debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Gospel Albums chart. Her 2013 single “Break Every Chain” won a Grammy Award for Best Gospel/Contemporary Christian Music Performance. Tasha Cobbs has released three studio albums and has sold over one million records worldwide.
Music
As a young girl, Tasha Cobbs found her solace in music. It was her way of expressing the emotions and condition of her heart. From pain and struggles to triumphs and successes, Tasha Cobbs has always used music as a vehicle to share her testimony with the world.
A Tennessee native, Tasha Cobbs grew up singing in the church choir. She eventually started leading worship at her local church, which led to her touring with various gospel music artists. In 2010, she released her debut album, Smile, which featured the hit single “Break Every Chain”. The song earned Cobbs a Grammy Award for Best Gospel/Contemporary Christian Music Performance.
Since then, Tasha Cobbs has released two more albums – Grace (2013) and One Place Live (2015). She continues to use her platform to reach people all over the world with the Good News of Jesus Christ.
Kirk Franklin
Kirk Franklin is one of the most influential gospel music artists of our time. He has been nominated for 43 Grammy Awards, winning 13 of them. He has also won numerous BET, NAACP, Stellar, and Dove Awards. His music has brought hope and inspiration to millions of people around the world.
Biography
Kirk Franklin (born January 26, 1970) is an American gospel musician, songwriter, record producer, and actor. He is known for leading urban contemporary gospel choirs such as The Family, God’s Property, andOne Nation Crew (1NC), and has won multiple awards, including thirteen Grammy Awards.
Franklin was born in Riverside, Texas. He started singing in his church at the age of eight. He attended Jack Yates Senior High School in Houston. After graduating from high school he attended Prairie View A&M University.
He arranged gospel choirs at several churches before forming the group Kirk Franklin & The Family which released their debut album Kirk Franklin & The Family on October 25, 1993. It spent 150 weeks on the Billboard Top Gospel Albums chart, earning multi-platinum and diamond certifications.
In 1996 he was featured on the soundtrack for the film Fahrenhei 416 with the song “Looking for You”. In October 1998 he appeared as himself in an episode of Soul Food and in 1999 he played a character called Preacher Curtis Johnson in an episode of Moesha. On March 9, 1999 Kirk Franklin’s long-awaited Nu Nation Project was finally released featuring many famous guest artists including Crystal Lewis, Whitney Houston and Mary Mary.
Music
Kirk Franklin (born January 26, 1970) is an American gospel musician, singer, songwriter, and choir director. He is best known for leading urban contemporary gospel choirs such as The Family, Kirk Franklin & the Family, Kirk Franklin’s Nu Nation, and God’s Property. He has won multiple awards, including twelve Grammy Awards. Kirk Franklin is one of the best-selling gospel music artists of all time, having sold over 10 million records worldwide.
Franklin was born in Fort Worth, Texas and raised in a single-parent household by his aunt Gertrude in the local Pentecostal church. After graduating from high school, he attended Oral Roberts University (ORU) in Tulsa Oklahoma on a full scholarship. While studying at ORU he became friends with Michael W. Smith who would later become a successful Contemporary Christian music artist. After two years at ORU he switched to Arkansas State University where he studied philosophy and religion and earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1992.
Franklin’s professional music career began in 1992 with the release of his album Kirk Franklin & The Family which topped the Billboard gospel chart and went platinum becoming the best selling gospel album of all time by a solo artist. He followed this up with several more successful albums including 1997’s Gold certified Nu Nation Project which won a Grammy for Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album. In 2001 he founded the Fo Yo Soul Entertainment Record label which has gone on to release albums by artists such as Yolanda Adams and Mary Mary.
Kirk Franklin has been credited with helping to bring Contemporary Gospel music into the mainstream and often collaborates with secular artists such as Bono, P Diddy, Crystal Lewis, and Stevie Wonder. His willingness to cross musical boundaries has made him one of the most popular and successful gospel artists of all time selling over ten million records worldwide.
Tamela Mann
If you are a fan of Contemporary Gospel music, then you should definitely check out Tamela Mann. She is a successful artist who has released several hit albums and singles. She is also a three-time Grammy Award winner. Her music is sure to touch your soul and give you hope.
Biography
Tamela Jean Mann (née Norton; born June 9, 1966) is an American gospel singer and actress. Mann began her career as a singer with the gospel group Kirk Franklin and the Family, where she sang lead vocals on songs such as “Every Day with Jesus”, and “Something About the Name Jesus”. In 2007, she released her first album as a solo artist; the album, entitled Tribute to Tina Turner, was a tribute album to the singer Tina Turner. In 2009, Mann appeared in her first feature film role in Tyler Perry’s film I Can Do Bad All by Myself playing Tarralyn Ramsey. She also played Cora Simmons in the 2011 film Madea’s Big Happy Family. In September 2014, Mann recorded live her fourth solo album One Way which debuted at number 1 on Billboard’s Gospel music chart.
Mann has won four Grammy Awards: Best Gospel Performance/Song for “Take Me to the King” in 2013, Best Gospel Album for Best of Tamela Mann in 2014, and Best Gospel Performance/Song again for “God Provides” and Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song for “Ushered In” both in 2016.
Music
Tamela Mann is an American gospel singer and actress. She began her career as a singer with Kirk Franklin and the Family, a Christian music group. She has released several solo albums, including her most recent album, Best Days, which was released in August of 2013. Her husband, David Mann, is also a gospel singer and they often perform together. Tamela has starred in several movies, including Jumping the Broom and Madea’s Big Happy Family.
