Christian/Gospel

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This decade alone, Jekalyn Carr became the first gospel artist inducted into the Women Songwriters’ Hall of Fame, won her first Grammy (best gospel performance/song for “One Hallelujah”) and topped Gospel Airplay nine times — and she did it all before turning 30. 

Carr, 28, is one of contemporary gospel music’s leading talents, and with her forthcoming album, Jekalyn x The Legends, the Memphis-born singer-songwriter is fully realizing her unique status as a bridge between generations. Set for release on Nov. 7 via WayNorth Music, Jekalyn’s new collaborative project will feature gospel music pillars including Pastor Shirley Caesar, Karen Clark Sheard, Yolanda Adams, Kim Burrell, John P. Kee, Bebe Winans, Dorinda Clark-Cole, Dottie Peoples, Harvey Watkins Jr., Lisa Page Brooks, The Williams Brothers and Dr. Bobby Jones. 

“I think it’s our duty to continue to make sure that our generation, and the generations after, know about these artists,” Carr tells Billboard. “These aren’t just people whose songs we sang growing up in church — we still sing their songs, and they’re still putting out amazing music! I want to show the world the unity and the togetherness of the gospel industry.” 

Jekalyn x The Legends arrives amid a precarious period for gospel music, especially considering five-time Grammy winner Chandler Moore’s bombshell exit from Maverick City Music and the top-selling group’s co-founder’s recent controversial comments. Earlier this year (July 25), Norman Gyamfi, who previously managed Moore, joined an Isaac Carree Show episode, saying, “Choir music would’ve never died if people wanted to listen to it… The gospel norms wasn’t working no more. Y’all sing too hard. Y’all oversing. Stop doing that. Nobody wants to hear no runs.” 

With her new record, Carr, a powerhouse vocalist in her own right, reminds the world of the vitality of traditional gospel vocal stylings and its undeniable legacy across musical genres. Packed with inspirational anthems of gratitude, Jekalyn x Legends offers solace and wisdom as much as it edifies. Carr shared the record’s lead single, a Kee-assisted version of March’s “Don’t Faint,” in September, and with a second collaborative album in the works, she’s executing her role as gospel’s generational bridge with absolute precision. 

Below, Carr speaks with Billboard about her new album, her favorite recording sessions, and the tense dynamic between traditional gospel and white Christian contemporary music.

How did you come up with the concept of Jekalyn x The Legends? 

My dad pitched it to me! Anybody who knows me knows that I love the legends; I always mention them. This is the first time that I get to have a lot of the artists I’ve always wanted to work with on an actual album, from Pastor Shirley Caesar to Bebe Winans to Yolanda Adams. This album is about making sure the gap is being bridged. It’s about honoring these people who have made history not just in gospel, but in music in general. A lot of them have really crossed over mainstream and held onto their core values, which I think is very inspiring.  

Which studio session was your favorite? 

All of them are great, but one that was very different for me was with Pastor Shirley Caesar. We actually recorded her part a cappella. We had music ready to go, but I was like, “Pastor Shirley, I want you to just go for it and do your thing! I want to take the music out.” And when I tell you… it was just such an amazing [experience]. 

What did God put on your heart and mind during these recording sessions? 

Each song carries its own weight and message. One of my favorite songs is “I Break,” where I’m talking about breaking negative cycles, generational curses, and all these things from the root. Because at the end of the day, you cannot live freely or thrive if you’re weighted down. A lot of people feel like they can’t be free. A lot of people feel like they were held hostage for a long time. But this song reminds you that it doesn’t matter how long you’ve been in it; you can get up from it. 

Why did you introduce this album with “Don’t Faint?” Why did John P. Kee feel like the right voice to add to that song? 

I always sit back and receive what it is that [I’m] supposed to release for the year — and “Don’t Faint” was that. So many people have heard, “This is going to happen for you! You’re going to see this and that!” And they have not seen it yet. [“Don’t Faint” reminds] you that just because you haven’t seen it, doesn’t mean it’s not going to be your portion. Sometimes you have to push and fight a little harder, but you can’t give up. And John P. Kee, I mean… he’s John P. Kee! I heard his voice on it, and I just felt like he would be the perfect fit for this song. When I reached out to him, it was an automatic yes. It was a wonderful experience having his timeless, classic voice [on my record]. 

How did you approach arranging a song like “I Love You,” which features three vocal powerhouses between Kim Burrell, Lisa Page Brooks and yourself? 

The beauty of this song is that you have three different ladies with three different styles and textures of voices, but we all have the same message: God has been good to us, and we love Jesus! I wanted to mix it up a little bit, so each person has a verse that tells the history of different seasons in our lives that made us love God even more. And it just goes higher and higher. We recorded [our parts for] that song individually, but it felt like we were there together. For each album, I always have a song that just signifies thanksgiving, and “I Love You” is that song [Jekalyn x The Legends]. 

What did you think of Maverick City Music co-founder Norman Gyamfi’s recent comments about gospel music? 

I think we all understand [that] everybody is not the same. If we all were the same, the industry would be boring. What I had to realize is that [I] may not be for every audience, but I’m assigned to somebody. I had to learn how to love what I have to offer. You should never feel like you have to convert to something else because it’s “working.” Be yourself because maybe [those people] are graced for that and that’s what they’re supposed to do. It’s a lot of things I can do. I believe if I really put my mind to it, I could do a little jazz. However, I’m confident in who I am and what I have to offer. We have to learn how to embrace everybody’s style.  

There’s been lots of talk about different types of faith-based music, especially Christian contemporary music, thriving in the marketplace, seemingly at the expense of more traditional styles of gospel. Where do you fall on that? 

We have to stop looking at it as two different things. The message is the same; it’s just different styles. You have some Black artists who are strictly worship, does that make them not gospel? No. The message is what really matters. As long as the message hasn’t changed and people are still blessed and inspired, that’s all that matters. 

How do you hope to translate Jekalyn x The Legends to a live setting? 

We’re working on a documentary about the album! I want to show the before, the in-between, and make it a very well-rounded documentary. There may [also] be a tour. I want the legends on the stage — and this is just chapter one. I couldn’t get everybody on this one album, but we’ve already made phone calls, and I still have people to reach out to. It’s very important that this doesn’t stop at an album, and [people] actually see it live in person too.