Heather Headley- Audience Of One
Trinadad native Heather Headley has a whole lot to be thankful for. Daughter of a pastor, she was constantly surrounded by gospel music as well as performance art. After arriving in America, she began to absorb American music with great diligence and ultimately opening up the canals of Broadway with a heartfelt audition for the Elton John/Tim Rice musical Aida. Her performance as the Nubian princess Aida earned her a Tony Award in 1998. Impressed at her vocal prowess, RCA signed her; leading to her stellar debut This Is Who I Am and her amazing follow-up In My Mind. The latter, anchored by an amazing single and a strong conglomerate of successful producers including Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, Warryn Campbell and Shep Crawford, reached number one on the R&B charts and number five pop. After a great deal of success with RCA and both of her albums being certified gold, Headley felt it was time to record a gospel project. While she recognizes that many of her fellow R&B counterparts are also making attempts to record gospel, she doesn’t let that stand in her way from her heart’s desire. On her website, Heather states,”As a first time gospel artist I tried not to be concerned with what other artists were releasing. I just wanted to make God happy. This project was more special because as a Christian, I understand and relate to the lyrics.”
On Audience of One, her debut gospel project on the EMI Gospel label, Headley strays away from her brand of urban R&B sounds and the sexy personality of her AC/pop anthems and depends on Keith Thomas (BeBe & CeCe Winans, Whitney Houston) to provide a more relaxed adult-contemporary record that feels like a nice fit for songbird divas like Mariah Carey or Celine Dion. It ultimately sounds like a good trade-off since Headley couldn’t bring everything she’s already been accredited for doing into a gospel record. The risks would be too great and too weighty for a gospel debut. Still most of the songs – primarily covers of popular modern hymns and gospel ballads – are bogged down with never-ending strings and candlelight AC appeal that there’s not much gospel to discover, except when Headley sings. She still delivers powerful convictions using her soulful tones and purposeful diction; presenting a class of sophistication that remains so distant in gospel.
Read entire review by J. Matt at PrayzeHymnOnline: http://prayzehymnonline.com
I’m not sure if I understand this writers coverage of the Miss Headley. Is she praising her for her choice to make a gospel CD stating that her album stating that …”presenting a class of sophistication that remains so distant in gospel” or is she saying that her CD sounds too much like R&B. I’m confused a little. I also do not agree with that today’s gospel music appears to lack sophistication. There are many artist out there that are graceful such as Yolanda Adams or CeCe Winans.
The second thing I’m not comfortable with is that Miss Headley felt that it was time to make a gospel CD. As a former child of a pastor and as a child of God she must know that once we have giving our lives to Christ we must not do the things of the world. If, we say we are redeemed, than we must now understand that we are lead by the spirit and that spirit will not be comfortable with doing earthly things. Thing comment is not ment to judge but to inform.
Thank
kay
I am so pleased to hear Heather now really using her voice to the honour and glory of Lord.
I have known Heather from birth (I knew her parents also) and have watched her grow up and from a tender age she demonstrated the ability to sing – that her voice was a gift from God – and she sang gospel.
I became concerned after she migrated to the States that when I heard her again, she had moved away from gospel into R&B and she appeared to be settling there. Thank God she has seen the need to return to gospel.
Heather, you continue to sing for the Lord and you will excell.
God Richly Bless You.
Thanks.
Marva