MICA PARIS, one of the most respected British female soul singers has released her brand new album ‘Gospel’ today, her first in over ten years since 2009’s ‘Born Again’.
My grandparents taught me the meaning of life. They were the Windrush generation that encompassed what hard work was. My grandmother was really my first agent
Mica Paris
This album is a passion project for Mica who has always wanted to record a gospel album. Mica was brought up on gospel music and sang in her south London church in Lewisham every weekend with her grandparents.
Following the success of ‘Gospel According to Mica: The Story of Gospel Music in Six Songs’ on the BBC earlier this year Mica began recording the album with the Soul Sanctuary Gospel Choir for Warner Music.
The documentary saw Mica trace gospel’s journey through six songs from the American south all the way to 2019 when Stormzy performed Blinded By Your Grace Part II in his Glastonbury headline set.
The album ‘gospel’ seamlessly weaves together new material, traditional gospel classics to contemporary covers, whilst providing her own authentic gospel interpretation of timeless popular music, such as U2’s ‘I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For’ to Rag N Bone Man’s ‘Human’ and the first track to be released will be Mica’s stirring cover of Labi Siffre’s (Something Inside) So Strong.
Mica Paris says: “Recording this album has been a watershed moment in my life.
“My life over the last 32 years has been one of triumphs and challenges. Going back to my gospel roots has given me hope and faith at a time we all need it and I hope others will feel the same.
“Last year I was so inspired to see artists like Stormzy make Gospel music current again.
“My recent documentary the ‘Gospel According to Mica’ for the BBC was a game changer for me.
“I realised my voice had matured and the pain of my struggles added a new strength.
“Today we all face challenges like we’ve never had before and faith in the future will help us all through this and I hope my album will inspire people to have hope.
“As my grandmother always told me ‘don’t worry, prayer changes everything’ and she was right.
“The first single to be released, ‘Mamma Said’, is inspired by my grandmother.
“My grandparents taught me the meaning of life. They were the Windrush generation that encompassed what hard work was. My grandmother was really my first agent.
“She took me to sing in every church in the UK from the age of 9 and soon I was winning singing competitions.
“This led me to make soul music and achieve worldwide success.
“In these uncertain times it’s the power of music that will get us through this. Some of the best songs in life have brought me through the toughest periods of isolation.
“This album has been my favourite to record. It’s 12 tracks, two of which are originals, I have recorded with ‘Sanctuary Soul Gospel Choir’, who are amazing.
“I hope people will be uplifted as I am from this album. When I sing, I feel free and have hope”
Since scoring her first Top 10 Hit in 1988 with ‘My One Temptation’ Mica has since gone onto release six more albums, published a book and became a popular media personality, from hosting her own Radio 2 soul show, a panellist on ITV’s Loose Women, to more recently – an addition to the cast of Eastenders.
See here: https://lnk.to/MP-Gospel
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