Kierra Sheard: Relevant Gospel Royalty
Regardless of how you categorize her music, Kierra Sheard is a voice for this generation. Graceland, her latest release, solidifies this belief. Although she operates in the vein of gospel music, Sheard pushes the boundaries of the genre in her fifth LP even further than she has in the past. Proven by her most recent endeavor, the artist has truly become a trendsetter whose sound and message is relevant enough to reach a mainstream audience.
I was personally introduced to “Kiki’s” music soon after the release of her debut album, I Owe You (2004). As a teenager at the time, her music gave a “church boy” like me something to bounce and groove to in Jesus’s name. In my honest opinion, contemporary gospel music did not appeal much to a 25-and-under age demographic during this era. Although artists such as Kirk Franklin, Hezekiah Walker, and Tonéx meant well, some of their efforts were still very churchy and had to compete with the highly seductive sounds of the secular world. Moreover, subgenres such as Rhythm & Praise (R&P) and Christian Hip-Hop (CCH) did not have the quality and reach (take the word however you will) as they do today. Therefore, when Sheard hit the scene, she began to carve out a niche for her artistry: to offer a younger audience an alternative to both traditional and common contemporary gospel music. Moreover, her craftsmanship also had a mission: to reach non-believers who might not receive the message of the gospel through antiquated hymns or by sitting in a pew on Sunday morning. In her efforts, she became much like her predecessors in the Moss-Clark dynasty.
Kierra is the daughter of Karen Clark Sheard, one fraction of the dynamic Clark Sisters. The younger Sheard rightly inherited a tradition of musical greatness that can easily be traced back to her grandmother, Dr. Mattie Moss-Clark. For decades, family acts such as Dr. Moss-Clark, The Clark Sisters, Bill Moss and the Celestials, Bill Moss, Jr. and J. Moss have given the world music that not only stays true to faith-based convictions, but also has the appeal to reach the masses due to its excellence and signature ability to trailblaze new paths in music, even across the genres. Much like her mama and aunties did with songs like “You Brought the Sunshine,” Kierra appears to be advancing her family’s heritage by maintaining a timeless message and breaking a new path in gospel music by providing a game-changing sound.
Welcome to Graceland
More than any other album offered by Kierra Sheard, Graceland broadens her ability to reach beyond gospel circles. Following her highly-anointed live worship recording, Free (2011), she shifts her attention back to an album format that still maintains strong elements of godly adoration, yet has the allure to draw an unchurched listener. Even more, this task is not done alone. Her brother, J. Drew Sheard, II, makes for a wonderful producer who helps to define the gospel/pop/hip-hop-hybrid sound of the album and also contributes to the family influences that resonate throughout the album (e.g., “Intro: Spoken Word,” “2nd Win,” “Balm” and “You Don’t Like What You See” interludes). However, what has the most considerable impact with this project is the human connection that is evident in nearly every track.
Sheard’s music has always had a point of relativity. Being that she has matured into a young adult since the launch of her music career, younger listeners in particular have had the ability to easily identify with the joy, the struggles, or the faith that she has communicated in her songs over the years. Yet with Graceland, her transparency can be seen more clearly and can be grasped by a wider audience. Notably, the listener navigates through a soundtrack that wrestles with the realities of living with a sinful nature and deals with God’s acceptance in spite of whether or not we can accept ourselves. Two tracks that addresses these matters respectively are “Save Me” and “Flaws”. Songs such as these have the ability to reach the listener at the core because we all have inward battles. Furthermore, whether we recognize it or not, we all need a force that is greater than us to help us overcome or embrace that with which we come up against internally. This is where grace enters.
Whether it is overt and personal or inconspicuous and broad, the message of grace is the focal point for Sheard as she seeks to communicate to the listener on the human level. For example, “No Graceland” capitalizes on a Christian’s individual desire to not be condemned to a place where God’s grace cannot be extended. This particular track leans on the sensibilities of a person who is seeking to be in healthy, personal relationship with God and expresses it outrightly. On the other hand, the cleverly-composed “Kill The Dragon” has a fairy-tale vibe that would compel the listener of any background to be charmed by its epic, romantic narrative. However, it takes the subtle ear to recognize the underlying message of the redemption of the Church (the bride) from the clutches of Satan (the dragon) by Christ (the dragon slayer). Nonetheless, whether through an undertone in a metanarrative or a loud personal plea, Sheard’s album is masterfully crafted to make sure the message of grace penetrates the heart of those who hear it.
Graced to Lead
Being that Graceland cleverly blends a meaningful message of grace, a touch of human relativity, and a youthful sound that transcends its gospel borders, it is appropriate to say that Kierra Sheard is leading a charge of up-and-coming artists in her genre who seek to offer the church and the world excitable, yet substantial, music. It is undeniable that Sheard embodies an anointing to operate in the realm of gospel music; however, much like her family predecessors, her handiwork has the flair needed to make an impact in the lives of those who would not otherwise listen to music of faith. She is graced to do what she does–to flow in the traditions of a rich gospel heritage yet be real enough for anyone who comes across her music to connect with her. Whether they connect through the sound or the message, her relevance is undeniable. There is no denying that she is paving a way for faith-filled artists who are coming after her to creatively go beyond the status-quo and challenge the sacred-secular divide.
First Impression
Want to learn more about Kierra Sheard or become familiar with her latest album, Graceland? This guide will help you get a feel of the artist and/or her newest body of art:
Track(s) to Download Now: “Save Me,” “Repin My God (featuring Canton Jones)”
Notable Track: “Kill The Dragon”
Personal Favorite: “In You”
Throwback Track: “Love Like Crazy” (from Bold Right Life, 2008)
Already a fan of Kierra? Are you a critic? Express your thoughts on the artist or how you felt after hearing Graceland for the first time in a comment.
