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Like this? You’ll LOVE that!
It’s a brilliant May summer’s day, one of those perfect English afternoons with blue skies and a Goldilocks temperature. Face Mask My face mask – an optional social accessory these days – is firmly fixed over my nose and mouth. While I’m no longer legally required to wear it in public, it’s ideal for the job at hand: gardening. I’m round the back, and I … Continue reading Like this? You’ll LOVE that!
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UKGospel.com Existential (Part 2): You can only say what THEY want you to say…?
I had a completely different update to share this week about plans for this site However: something happened that gave me a disturbing glimpse into a possible future. Control your own narrative Now more than ever it’s critically important to have complete and direct control of your own narrative. Hopefully I’m preaching to the choir on this, but just in case you still doubt the … Continue reading UKGospel.com Existential (Part 2): You can only say what THEY want you to say…?
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Existential: the New UKGospel.com? It’s the old UKGospel.com, actually…. (Part 1)
Existential: the future of UKGospel.com (Part 1) When I started writing this forward-look several weeks ago I opted to do it in stream of consciousness. It felt right because it’s setting out the UKGospel.com roadmap for – God willing – the next 5-10 years. Additionally, sharing my thought process this way lends itself to the feel of a story that’s unfolding almost in real time… … Continue reading Existential: the New UKGospel.com? It’s the old UKGospel.com, actually…. (Part 1)
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Put your Black life in music – NOW.
Nobody liked *Colin. What made things particularly ironic was he was such a nice guy. Colin was sales manager in a company I worked for in the 90s, and back then (I don’t imagine it’s any different now) sales was hard. Horrid Put it this way: if sales were a girl she’d be the little one from the nursery rhyme: when she was good, she … Continue reading Put your Black life in music – NOW.
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4 Retro UK Gospel Vibes to Mellow You Out (Part 2)
Sometimes kicking back is absolutely the right thing to do… It might be just a tad too cold outside (don’t worry, summer’s on its way) or – in case you’re one of those really weird people that prefers the cold weather – I’ve got you covered (see what I did there..?) Whatever your story is, here are four classic UK Gospel tunes to mellow you … Continue reading 4 Retro UK Gospel Vibes to Mellow You Out (Part 2)
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Celebrating #UKGospel: Brits Abroad (Part 1)
I knew I was on to a good thing when I launched the ‘Celebrating UKGospel’ series… I get excited when I can come up with different and interesting ways to honour the great work so many people continue to put in across the UK Gospel scene. Most-shared feature It’s also especially rewarding when many other people share that same excitement: the ‘Celebrating the Ladies of … Continue reading Celebrating #UKGospel: Brits Abroad (Part 1)
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Legacy Series: Tryumf – Fast Facts
The ‘Legacy’ series is part of the content migration programme from earlier versions of UKGospel.com, ensuring the history and evolution of the UK Gospel music scene is publicly accessible Original publication date: 05 May 2005 Written and edited by: Yinka Awojobi The ‘Fast Fact’ series was a workstream I used to introduce artists I saw doing exciting things on the UK Gospel scene back in … Continue reading Legacy Series: Tryumf – Fast Facts
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5 UK Gospel AfroPop Songs to Soundtrack Your Day
‘Summertime and the livin’ is easy…’ Today is a perfect UK summer’s day: the maximum temperature is a cinderella-optimum, entirely agreeable 15 degrees: not too hot and not too cold. So here are a few AfroPop tunes to turn up the heat just a little more and soundtrack a hopefully already perfect day. Sarah Teibo – Blessed This G Kid-produced track almost certainly needs no … Continue reading 5 UK Gospel AfroPop Songs to Soundtrack Your Day
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Michelle John’s ‘Paper Doll’ – The Back Story that Never Got Told
Introduction I wrote this back in April 2016, with the original intention to have it coincide with the release of Michelle John’s EP, Paper Doll. If you’re wondering why you’ve never heard of Paper Doll, the answer is simple: it was never released. I asked her a few years later why she didn’t go through with it and she cited two reasons, which – on … Continue reading Michelle John’s ‘Paper Doll’ – The Back Story that Never Got Told
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Legacy Series: Lain – Brother Soul
The ‘Legacy’ series is part of the content migration programme from earlier versions of UKGospel.com, ensuring the history and evolution of the UK Gospel music scene remains recorded and publicly accessible Original publication date: 15 July 2005 Written and edited by: Yinka Awojobi About ‘Behind the Beat’ ‘Behind the Beat’ was an ongoing set of stories where UK Gospel artists presented a track-by-track exposition of … Continue reading Legacy Series: Lain – Brother Soul
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Legacy Series: Focus on Kingdom Choir
This series is part of the content migration programme from earlier versions of UKGospel.com, ensuring the history and evolution of the UK Gospel music scene is recorded and publicly accessible Original publication date: 26 June 2005 Written and edited by: Yinka Awojobi I realised recently that UKGospel.com hadn’t done a decent piece on any UK choir in an age. It wasn’t a deliberate thing, but … Continue reading Legacy Series: Focus on Kingdom Choir
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Legacy Series: Mr Damention – Blue Hearts and Golden Treasures
This series is part of the content migration programme from earlier versions of UKGospel.com, ensuring the history and evolution of the UK Gospel music scene is recorded and publicly accessible Original publication date: 2 March 2015 Written and edited by: Yinka Awojobi New Release from Singer/Songwriter/Drummer/Producer is an Excellent Departure from the Gospel Norm…. Back in one of the early UKGospel.com Podcast episodes the team … Continue reading Legacy Series: Mr Damention – Blue Hearts and Golden Treasures
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Celebrating #UKGospel: launching the Ladies Edition (Part 1)
I cannot tell you how SO, SO, SO PROUD I am of every single lady on this list!!!! Story time: like many of the exciting ideas I get, this one came completely out of the blue and hit me like a ton of bricks It went like this: last week as I was planning the relaunch UKGospel.com version 3, I thought I’d create a section … Continue reading Celebrating #UKGospel: launching the Ladies Edition (Part 1)
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Celebrating #UKGospel – Introduction
Part showcase, part profile, all celebration. Wide-ranging and slightly atypical, this series expands the type of recipient we’re used to celebrating in profile editorials of this kind. How about the producers and the song writers? What about the graphic designers that have given us distinctive visual branding over the years, on everything from websites to flyers to CD covers. What about the venues? And the … Continue reading Celebrating #UKGospel – Introduction
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UKGospel.com version 3: We’re Live!
After about 5 or 6 years of: Starting and stopping Copying and pasting Writing and editing Doubting and being confident HTMLing and Adobe Flashing Today, the BRAND NEW UKGospel.com version 3 website is LIVE!!!! YAAAAAAAY!!! So, what next..? Well, the UKGospel.com project has been going for almost 2 decades. As you can imagine so many things have changed in that space of time: We’ve gone … Continue reading UKGospel.com version 3: We’re Live!
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Legacy Series: Muyiwa on BET’s ‘Celebration of Gospel’
Legacy Series: Muyiwa on BET’s ‘Celebration of Gospel’: ‘There were no agents, record companies, or managers that made it happen…’ Continue reading Legacy Series: Muyiwa on BET’s ‘Celebration of Gospel’
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I live in the future. And it’s better than I thought it’d be…
Huge Dream Back in the day (as in: well over a decade ago), when I was publishing new music release information on the UK Gospel music scene, I had this huge dream to have a BIG problem. I realise that sounds counter-intuitive but stick with me. I longed for a time when I’d be pushing out updates about consistently high quality releases, so much so … Continue reading I live in the future. And it’s better than I thought it’d be…
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GreenJade – Celebrating the Scars of Our Heroes
A decade ago Hip-Hop and Gospel music were very strange bedfellows to many Christians. Continue reading GreenJade – Celebrating the Scars of Our Heroes
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#UKGospelLegacy – Victizzle: Jam Yourself
About 13 years ago Victizzle almost singlehandedly changed the sound of Gospel Music coming out of the streets of London… Limited choice It’s almost difficult to believe these days, but at one time – and it feels like it wasn’t that long ago – your UK Gospel music options were limited to the classic choir vibe, a little Soul and some RnB (and let’s not … Continue reading #UKGospelLegacy – Victizzle: Jam Yourself
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UKGospel 2020 – State of Play
‘State of Play’ specials return after 4 years, celebrating landmarks and anticipating trends… Introduction February is the month I cast an eye over the previous year’s trends, events and general happenings in the UK Gospel scene. The last time I did anything this extensive was in 2016, and back then there was an incredible amount to get truly excited about. 2016 Vibe for 2020 2020 … Continue reading UKGospel 2020 – State of Play
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#UKGospelLegacy – ZionNoiz – & What
Going back 13 years for this one… Zion Noiz – ‘& What’ (Org Mix) (Featuring Royal Priesthood, Asah Shabazz (video director), Jahaziel, Bold, GreenJade, Dwyane Tryumf, Wariyah and more…) (…See how many UK Gospel Hip-Hop veterans you can spot) Continue reading #UKGospelLegacy – ZionNoiz – & What
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#UKGospelLegacy – 2 January 2020
First #UKGospelLegacy entry for 2020. I MUST make it AWESOME 💪 Shout out to an unwavering #UKGospel champion, especially for your amazing work on radio Stand tall Dave P From Station FM, to Choice FM, to Premier Gospel, to owning your own station, Urban Gospelnetwork Thank you so much for your service❤️ (By the way: that incredible black & white picture 📸 of Dave is by … Continue reading #UKGospelLegacy – 2 January 2020
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#UKGospelLegacy – Siani & Grantly, circa 2003/2004
Christmas 2003/2004 Agery (in red) and Simone from Siani pre-record Lee ‘Grantly’ Grant’s Christmas show on Fusion FM, Deptford, South East London Continue reading #UKGospelLegacy – Siani & Grantly, circa 2003/2004
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#UKGospelLegacy – Celebrating Uprise Music TV
Celebrating Uprise Music TV With its 30-minute pilot launching 10 years ago, UPRISE showcased Urban Gospel with a zero-cringe, street-savvy representation of what Gospel Music was like in towns and cities across the UK Salute to visionary Shabazz Graham who raised the bar for what strong visuals should look like in Gospel arts and creativity…👍❤️ (Awesome photo by Will Twort Photo) Continue reading #UKGospelLegacy – Celebrating Uprise Music TV
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#UKGospelLegacy – Faith Child: Illumination 10th Year
Exactly 10 years ago (4th December 2009) Faith Child released ‘Illumination’, a UKGospel.com shop 🔥 bestseller (back when I was running a store) Congrats Michael!👏 Some more memories ‘First Place’ live at the IndigO2 #T3M (The Three Musketeers – Guvna B, Victizzle, Faith Child) Faith Child 10 year recap Today, the 4th December, marks 10 years since the release of Illumination! I used my student … Continue reading #UKGospelLegacy – Faith Child: Illumination 10th Year
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#UKGospelLegacy – Ryan Carty: Journey to Purpose
8 Sep 2008… Ryan Carty’s ‘Journey To Purpose’ restored our faith that Soulful RnB can be lush as it’s clear-cut about the Gospel. ‘Gratitude’ remains one of the best #UKGospel songs ever. Watch the ‘Gratitude’ video Listen on Spotify Continue reading #UKGospelLegacy – Ryan Carty: Journey to Purpose
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#UKGospelLegacy – Sons of Light
2006 This, without a single shadow of doubt, was one of the VERY BEST, most underrated #UKGospel #RnB albums and groups to come out of this country… Leeds-based brothers Lanre and Arinze Phillip, along with childhood friend Tom Gray were ‘Sons of Light’ They released 2 albums in their relatively short outing as a band, and were one of the first #UKGospel acts to sign to a … Continue reading #UKGospelLegacy – Sons of Light
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One of the most powerful songs to come out of the UK – ever…
On this day, the last day of #BlackHistoryMonth in the UK It’s only fair to draw your attention to one of the most powerful and profound songs to come out of the United Kingdom. A song that – to my mind – will remain relevant and moving for all time. Gavin Holligan: ‘More Than One’ Official Video Piano Acoustic featuring Riccy Mitchell Stream on Spotify Explore … Continue reading One of the most powerful songs to come out of the UK – ever…
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#UKGospelLegacy – Simply Andy: ‘Bibles Bibles’
2005… Simply Andy’s dream only took 2 months from concept to product, but it became part of a #UKGospel movement still potent today. The EP: ‘Simply Andy Presents The Good News’ The single: ‘Bibles Bibles’ (Produced by Victizzle) The ‘Bibles Bibles’ video Continue reading #UKGospelLegacy – Simply Andy: ‘Bibles Bibles’
Premier Gospel Awards 2022: Amazing List – and an Amazing Miss?
The Premier Gospel Awards return after 2 years away with a brilliant 2022 nominee list, celebrating the absolute cream of the UK Gospel music crop (I don’t envy the voting panel – the nominees are strong across all the categories!). Overlooked However: it’s only right to point out that the Street Music category, a segment of the scene that remained vital and vibrant through the … Continue reading Premier Gospel Awards 2022: Amazing List – and an Amazing Miss?
World Exclusive!!! V9 Collective is back!
Gospel RnB/Soul fans – assemble! A decade after one of my FAVOURITE family group put out their brilliant and fantastically well-received debut album, ‘World To Me‘, family group V9 Collective is back, folks!!! After time away from public appearances, Sam, Vernetta, Tula, Ruth and Semele return with a brand new album, ‘Message in the Music’, out 31st May 2021. Sam says: ‘After a few years … Continue reading World Exclusive!!! V9 Collective is back!
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