Many folks anticipated a solo project from Monique Walker while she was still killin’ leads with Hezekiah Walker & Love Fellowship Crusade Choir. Years later, she gives it and what did y’all do?  Slept On it.

Well, I didn’t!  The project was released last year and I still listen to it on the regular. Any Monique Walker fan would be super duper thrilled about her debut solo project, My Genesis.  She provides a variety of musical styles, from praise & worship to churchy ballads, and even some great urban stuff.  With production from heavy-hitters like Kevin Bond, Steven Ford, Fred Jerkins and Cedric Thompson, the album is masterfully crafted and well-done.

The single, “Crazy Praise,” didn’t get nearly enough play at radio, in my opinion.  Other fave tracks for me are “Psalm 61,” “Tried In The Fire,” “Starting Over,” “Right Now” (wowwww), “Greatest Gift,” and “I Can Make It.”

Here’s a video of her singing “Tried In The Fire,” on TBN. Watch… it’ll bless ya:

Do you have this album?  Did you sleep on it?  Talk to me!

[Editor's Note:  Most of you know her as Joann Rosario, but I'm using her new name, as she recently wed Atlanta-based gospel DJ (and host of BET's Lift Every Voice) Cory "Coco Brother" Condrey.]

I’d actually like to do a post on each one of Joann Condrey’s albums, because I think the industry and consumers have kinda Slept On all of her stuff to date.  But, for now, I’ll stick with the most recent.

Her latest album, Joyous Salvation, was a great collection of some incredible music, featuring background vocals from some of the greatest in the industry (i.e., Darwin Hobbs, Blanche McAllister, Jerard and Jovaun Woods, LeAnne Palmore) and masterful production from giants like Aaron Lindsey, Fred Jerkins and Donald Lawrence.  This year, the project garnered her a Stellar Award nod for Contemporary Female Vocalist of the Year.

For your listening pleasure, here’s a snippet of one of my favorite tracks from Joann Condrey’s Joyous Salvation– “You Are Holy,” written/produced by Aaron Lindsey, with some bgvocal production by Donald Lawrence (you can hear it!).  Following it is a YouTube video (but it’s just audio) of another hit from that album–”Restore To Me.”

Who else has it?  You love it?  Who Slept On it?  Why?  Talk to me!