Music
Yolanda Adams is still dealing with the blessing with ‘Sunny Days,’ her first studio album in almost 13 years
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NEW YORK (AP) — If happiness is a journey, not a destination, then Yolanda Adams has used her faith and smiles to sustain her spirits through life’s ups and downs.
“I think I was born with that happiness gene that people talk about,” the gospel star said. “I want people to leave here feeling like they’re better than they are… I’ve had days when I’ve been up, I’ve had days when I’ve been down. But at the end of the day, the one lesson I’ve learned in every single one of those scenarios is that this too shall pass.”
That theme continues throughout her latest album, “Sunny Days,” her first studio project in nearly 13 years.
“The way you look at anything has a lot to do with how you deal with it,” said the booming-voiced four-time Grammy Award winner.
The 15-track project was six years in the making, delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic and her role in the television series “Kingdom Business”.
“Sunny Days” is a piece written and produced by gospel music giant Donald Lawrence and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame members Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewiswhose work on Babyface also contributed to the delay. The album is promoted by the song “Church Doors”, which after only one week reached number 9 on Billboard magazine’s Hot Gospel Songs chart.
As he has throughout his profession, Adams uses his musical gift of encouragement on songs like the title track “Blessings” and “Powerful,” which has a spoken-word intro: (*13*)
“I try to be the best cheerleader I can be for everyone in my life,” the former elementary school teacher said. “You know how The Lion King says, ‘Simba, remember who you are.’ That’s what it’s all about: You are powerful.”
“When We Pray” – Produced by Jam and Lewis, who rose to fame after working with stars including Janet Jackson, Babyface, Usher and Mary J. Blige — it’s about putting faith into motion. Adams says she has a “lifelong bond” with the duo.
“We write together. We laugh, we cry,” said Adams, 63. “We talk about the problems of the world together and how we can create great music that can make people not only aware of the blessings of their lives but aware of the space they’re in right now.”
Named the #1 Gospel Artist of the 2000s by Billboard, Adams has produced iconic hits resembling “The Battle is the Lord’s,” “I’m Gonna Be Ready,” “In the Midst of It All” and “Be Blessed,” in addition to hits with Jam and Lewis: “Never Give Up” and “Open My Heart,” the latter from her Grammy Award-winning 1999 album Mountain High … Valley Low.
“Open My Heart,” which the late Luther Vandross privately championed when his record company desired to release a special single, reached unprecedented heights, crossing over to R&B radio and peaking at No. 57 on Billboard’s Hot 100.
“I was in the middle of making a business decision that didn’t just affect my family. It affected everyone on the road with me,” Adams said, reflecting on the inspiration for the song. “I’m sitting here today because I made the right decision.”
The Texas Southern graduate starred in the BET+ drama Kingdom Business, currently in its second season, as Denita, a gospel star and music executive determined to guard her family’s secrets. While Adams enjoys playing a personality who is very different from herself, she says it’s been a challenge for some fans.
“I lost a couple of fans who were like, ‘You didn’t have to swear,’” she explained that while she had no input into the script, her character is believable because churchgoers aren’t perfect. “When people are dealing with life, it can make you say things you wouldn’t normally say. And I really hope people take away from ‘Kingdom Business’ this: If you were the person you were trying to judge… how would you feel?”
Adams is currently on the 33-date Kirk Franklin Reunion Tour, which features fellow gospel titans Fred Hammond, Marvin Sapp and The Clark Sisters. While gospel has all the time been her passion, she is open to performing a secular R&B song and has spoken to Stevie Wonder a few duet and helping him with a possible gospel project.
For now, nonetheless, she is focused on getting the message of her book “Sunny Days” across, but she won’t measure its success by the variety of copies sold, but by the variety of hearts touched.
“When I hear your testimony and hear how music was a part of your life, it just makes me more accountable: ‘Yes, I have to keep making this music! I have to keep making good music! OK God, give me some good things so I can keep blessing people.’”
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Music
Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (TIPS)” is now the longest -working Hot Country Song No. 1 by one artist – Happy Black History Month
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Shabozey, The Virginia Country Sensation, whose song “A Bar Song (TIPS)” has turn into an inevitable pop breakdown, now has one other album so as to add to its list of achievements. His mentioned single is now The longest leading songs on hot country number 1 By one artist who is strong at the age of 35 weeks, the series that began in May 2024. The song replaces “Body Like a Back Road” by Hunta Sam to the currently lonely title of the artist.
This last achievement of Shaboosey (born Collins Obinna Chibueze) adds Star (and currently 2025) to the great singer. In addition to the passage towards a record 50 weeks on the list of Country’s principal singles (the album is currently led by the song Bebe Rexha and Florida Georgia Line “Mater To Be”), Shaboozey had a record record of 19 weeks first on the first place on the Billboard Hot 100 and solo with 27 weeks on the 27 weeks on the list of 27 weeks on Radio Songs Songs. I believe it may be safely said that Shaboozey had “one of them” by way of the hit single.
And because in 2024 no discussion about country music was accomplished without Beyoncé in the conversation, “A Bar Song (TIPS)” denied the queen “Texas Hold ’em” Queen Bey at the Hot Country Songs summit, mentioning for the first time in history that two black artists held this place in weeks.
Very few artists in history have been successful from one single managed by Shaboosey, but it surely is not a miracle. After appearing on many albums in “Cowboy Carter” Beyoncé, which won the award “Album of the Year” during this yr’s Grammy Awards, Shaboozey released his third album (but as an artist with successful single), “Where I where, not how I’m good”, which landed in the first five Billboard 200 albums Number 2 on the billboard us Chart.
After a yr he had, who knows what’s going to occur next to Shabozey, but one thing is certain, his future looks very clear. Oh my good sir!
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Music
Grief, Growth and Haitian Konda: Singer-Songwriter Fridayy reveals the layer of its identity in its latest album
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Today, the producer and artist Friday released their second album, “I am good on some days, some days are not.” This deeply personal album examines a series of topics, from like to faith and even regret of losing a loved one – especially his father. Emotions related to this regret resound through songs akin to “Proud of You”, “some days I’m good, I’m not” and “Without you.”
Although the vocalist of “God do” DJ Khaleda was born and raised in Philadelphia, Friday proudly bears the Haitian heritage of his family.
“My parents come from Haiti, but I was born in Philadelphia. So everything I got from my Haitian culture comes from my parents and my family who always listened to Haitian music, “he shared the fifth interview before releasing the album.
The Baryton singer remembers how the music was first presented in the church by his father, who insisted that he and his siblings play an instrument – a reality with which many Haitans could refer from childhood. Since the release of his first studio album, Fridayy has described his musical style as a combination of R&B, Gospel, Hip-Hop and Afrobeats. But because of this latest project, he introduces a brand new layer to his music music: Haitian Konpa.
Friday, which was previously Woven fragments of Haitian Creole (or Kréyol) in your workit concerns this heritage together with your own Herring “Need You” Which translates into “needs you” in English. With the participation of the popular Haitan artist Jaé DWET FILLE – whom Honpa hit “4 camp“Platinum in France and a viral on tiktok – two easily mix English, Kreol and French, giving the listeners the taste of modern konpa.
Compass (or Compa) This is the music of the world’s first free black republic. The rhythmically full species of the island attracts the influence of jazz, soul and merengue and comprises brass instruments, akin to trumpet, saxophone and trombone, layered above the rhythm of the iconic Haiti barrel drum, “Tanbou”. Although this species has been recorded many types with the integration of modern technology from the very starting almost 70 years ago, the Appa stays by nature Haitan.
“Haiti is a country that has about 60 different rhythms. It is a very rich musical culture, “said Fabrice Rouuzier, a Haitan pianist and producer WXPN. “Kloty drew from all this. This makes the park from the Golden Era – from the 1960s to the early 1980s – it really makes it a lasting species. And this is a composition that never loses its taste, and is inseparably haitan. You can’t say that he is borrowed from any nation. He has his own identity in a way that cannot be found in today’s music. “
Over the years, Haitian Konpa inspired many species, including “Zouk”, a well-liked species in French Western India, which incorporates islands akin to Marinique, Guadeloupe and many others. Similarly, the influence of Haitan Bads of the Konpa might be heard in contemporary French Afro-Pop songs from the most significant artists akin to Tayc, Dadju AND Aya Nakamura. While Haitian Musical Industry has achieved their very own success, many fans are still waiting for the Klota to achieve the global crossover seen by Afrobeats in recent years.
Only time will show whether the Friday record can be the one who inspires other artists to look at the contagious hits of the konpa. But one thing is definite – this edition appears to be the victory of the Haitian community. At a time when the Haitians around the world are battling great violence, corruption and system failure, harassing the place where their hearts call the home, the decision of the Friday to honor his heritage and present the wealthy musical culture of Haiti, never is a robust reminder of the popular Creolaian expression: “Ayiti PAP JANM PERI”, which implies Haiti.
Among the painful headlines and material from the current state of Haiti, artists akin to Friday prove that the spirit of Haiti lives for generations of her diaspora. Until Friday, from one other Haitian-American who works, in order that her ancestors are proud-I’m ,.
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Haniyah Philogene is a Haitian-American multimedia storyteller and lifestyle and entertainment author who includes all things of culture. He sets out with passion for digital media to search out latest ways of telling and sharing stories.
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Music
RHIANNON GIDDENS-MUSIC Singer cancels the Kennedy Center program, citing the takeover of Trump
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The award -winning singer Rhiannon Giddens became the latest artist who dismissed the performance at Kennedy Center, who was under the leadership, since President Donald Trump released the leadership of the center and was elected chairman of the Trust Council.
Trump’s takeover is a component of its wide campaign against the culture of “Woke”.
“I decided to cancel my program at Kennedy Center on May 11, 2025 and move it to the hymn,” she wrote in social media, referring to the separate place of Washington. “The Kennedy Center program was reserved long before the current administration decided to take over this two -sided institution.”
Giddens is an eclectic performer of Roots music known for his co -founder Karolina Chocolate Drops and such cooperation with Francesco Turrisi, like winning the Grammy Award “call me home”. In 2022, she helped write the Pulitzer Opera “Omar” award. He can also be the recipient of the Macarthur “Genius” grant.
Actor Issa Rae, writer Louise Penny and the Low Cut Connie rock band also canceled the planned events of Kennedy Center. The singer and writer of the lyrics Victoria Clark continued her program on February 15, but on the stage she wore the “Anti Trump Af” shirt.
Supported by government money and personal donations and attraction of hundreds of thousands of visitors annually, Kennedy Center is a fancy with a height of 100 feet with a concert hall, opera and theater, in addition to a lecture hall, meeting spaces and a “thousand -year stage”, which was a celebration to free shows.
Until Trump of their first term presidents routinely participated in the award ceremony, even in the presence of artists who didn’t agree with them politically.
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