Some folks in gospel were skeptical of Michelle Williams when she entered the industry solo– she was at the height of success with Destiny’s Child, and folks kinda gave her the side-eye when she said she was doing a solo album, and that it would be a gospel project. But whatever. I knew a Jewish girl in college who loved Michelle because of Destiny’s Child… she bought the GOSPEL album in week one, telling me how much she enjoyed the uplifting lyrics, asking me if all gospel was this good. Score one for the Kingdom!
In any case, THIS WOMAN has some GREAT albums with great songwriting and production… I started typing this post to talk about her sophomore gospel project, Do You Know, but as I worked on it, I thought “nah, they need to go back to the BEGINNING.”
(Still check out Do You Know, though… it features production and songwriting from Tommy Sims, PAJAM, Dawkins & Dawkins, Cedric & Victor Caldwell, and a BUNCH of other musical heavyweights. INCREDIBLY slept on.)
In 2002, Michelle Williams entered the gospel industry with her debut project, Heart To Yours. It peaked at #1 on Billboard’s gospel chart, #3 on the Christian chart, and featured the popular single “Heard A Word.”
But the album was FULL of hits, in my opinion. Let’s start with the guest spots: Mary Mary joined her on the infectious “So Glad,” Shirley Caesar on the downright churchy “Steal Away,” Men Of Standard on the ain’t-no-joke worship ballad “You Care For Me,” and Carl Thomas on her remake of the classic BeBe & CeCe hit “Heaven.”
Lest anyone think that she thrives only when other vocalists join her, though, lemme tell ya: she absolutely holds her own. From the BANGIN’ track “Rock With Me,” to the feel-good “Sun Will Shine Again” (pay special attention to the intricate background vocals on that one), to the head-bopping ”Everything” (check the bgv’s on that one, too). People, I mean it: this album plays well straight through, from beginning to end.
For your listening pleasure and musical conversion, TWO tracks– “So Glad” feat. Mary Mary and “Sun Will Shine Again”:
Aight, fess up, folks. Who slept on it and why? Who owns it and knows what I’m talkin’ about?! Anybody gonna check it out now?
Talk to me!
I never have been a Michelle fan, but I have liked "The Sun Will Shine" for years.
Vocal production on this album was CRAZY. I was working at a Christian bookstore when this album came out and made sure that this album got good shelf space.
Man, I thought I was the only one who absolutely loved both of her gospel albums. Some slamming production!
I loved BOTH of her Gospel albums. It's funny you should mention her because i just pulled Do You Know out of my cd player after it was in there for a whole two weeks!
Michelle has a few nice tracks. I want to cry everytime I hear "Rescue My Heart". Other favs are "The Incident" and "Purpose In Your Storm".
Yes, I used to own this album and would buy the tracks again. I never got into her other albums-I will have to check them out. Heard a Word, Steal Away, The Sun will Shine Again, Heaven, and (oh my) Because You Cared For Me - Yes, Yes!!! I remember telling a friend to check her out b/c I was so excited about her album, but they told me they don't like those different sounding voices like Michelle Williams (and she mentioned Kim Burrell also) - I was like wow - oh well - their loss! I love her delicate voice and the lyrics.
Umm I slept on both albums and I'll probably still sleep on both. I can't do the voice that long. I love her personality and I know she is spreading the gospel. Just pray for me......
I have always loved Michelle Williams and got both projects and had them on repeat when I first got them!!!! I don't know why these projects was slept on, but I probably would say the main reason would be that she was still involved with Destiny's Child and many see that as being hypocritical. But I am a music lover, I appreciate all genres, so it doesn't bother me. I'm about to listen to them both now, thanks I'm gonna be on a Michelle high now lol
HAAAAA! LOL @ Tyrone for "just pray for me.". Dude, the songs are killer. You CAN'T sleep anymore!!! I'll pray. :-)
Man, Tyrone, I wasn't gon say nothin cuz my mama always said.."If you ain't got nothin nice to say..." well, yall know the rest. Me and my pillow are slobberin on those albums. :s
LOL!!!!! Thanks EJ, please know I greatly appreciate the info you give but UMMMMM,I just can't do it. @Nia, I was trying to be good but I have to keep it real.
Loved her on Gospel Dream!
Let's stop praising vocal talent and simply get to the real point: She is double-minded. James 1:8 says that a double-minded man is unstable in all his ways. You just can't go from "bootylicious" to "Jesus" and back to "bootylicious" and expect the church to buy it. She wouldn't have ever been famous if she hadn't have sold out FIRST.
@ salih. God puts ppl in places for reasons. I was a huge dc fan and I didn't know ne thing about god let alone believe in him. But it was becuz of michelle that her album and lyrics help plant the seeds for me to seek, and eventually become a believer. I believe that god put her in dc so that she was able to expose millions of ppl to the word. And for ur info bootylicious was a song celebrating curves and making plus size women feel good about themselves. There was nothing vulgar about it. The church and ppl like u give christianity a bad name. Yall r always so quick to judge ppl when yall probably doin more wrong then the person u judging. Look at patti labelle, aretha franklin, whitney houston and so on, they all incorporate gospel with their r and b music. And by the way her latest lp effort" unexpected" was really slept on. That was a great album.