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The artists who achieved success on the BET show Sunday Best are starting to take the next step in the advancement of their careers. The winners of the first three seasons have released new projects. When a contestant reaches the final rounds of a competition like Sunday Best, it’s clear that he or she is a highly talented artist. And as with any successful franchise in this genre, the fact that a contestant didn’t claim the top prize did not dissuade participants such as Season 2 runner up Jessica Reedy from using the show as a stepping stone to a full CD. The difference between the winner and the runner up often comes down to the subjective judgment of a critic or a group of on-line voters.
The artists who achieved success on the BET show Sunday Best are starting to take the next step in the advancement of their careers. The winners of the first three seasons have released new projects. When a contestant reaches the final rounds of a competition like Sunday Best, it’s clear that he or she is a highly talented artist. And as with any successful franchise in this genre, the fact that a contestant didn’t claim the top prize did not dissuade participants such as Season 2 runner up Jessica Reedy from using the show as a stepping stone to a full CD. The difference between the winner and the runner up often comes down to the subjective judgment of a critic or a group of on-line voters.
Fate and the taste of the public will be the final arbiters of the quality of Reedy’s new album, From the Heart. However, those seeking a more personal and intimate style of gospel music will be impressed with Reedy’s debut effort. Reedy eschews the power praise and worship path in favor of music that is more lyrical and that makes more than a passing nod to production techniques often found in pop and R&B. However, Reedy does not gravitate toward the R&B/hip hop fusion that is much the rage among many of her gospel peers. Instead, she is intent on mixing her inspirational lyrics with pop, soul, blues and disco. That’s right, disco.
Reedy reminds me a lot of Mary Mary because of the way she displays her knowledge of music (both secular and gospel) history in her song selections and musical arrangements. In 2005, Mary Mary captured the mournful soul that Aretha Franklin displayed in her classic “Ain’t No Way,” but refashioned it as a declaration of unbreakable faith in the tune “Yesterday.” Reedy reaches into the disco archives and retrieved “Dr. Love,” a forgotten gem by a female trio called First Choice. There’s a long history of Christian artists adding gospel lyrics to secular compositions, and choosing a song like "Dr. Love" exposes Reedy to certain risks. First of all, Reedy has to deal with “remedy” that First Choice alluded to in their playfully risqué version of “Dr. Love.” Then, there is the fact that the song has been out of the public square for so long that many listeners might have forgotten about it. Reedy actually uses the latter reality to her advantage. She clearly understands imagery of Jesus as a healer of physical and spiritual maladies, and her lyrics brim with words that will elicit understanding nods from the faithful.
From the Heart is a descriptive title. Reedy is interested in using music to explore the way that individuals relate to God. A song like the thought provoking “Blue God” addresses the tendency for humanity to want God to work on their terms. Reedy actually hints at that theme on the first track, “Put It on the Altar,” and on the ballad “What About Me.” The latter track finds Reedy assuming the voice of the Almighty to remind listeners to remember God. Reedy also plows into the Memphis soul sound on “Marching O,” - homage to Al Green and Hi Music – and on “I’m Still Here.”
One recurring theme of programs like Sunday Best seems to be how the post-reality show careers of the contestants evolve in unexpected ways. Non-winners go on to become A-list stars (see Hudson, Jennifer) while winners struggle. We won’t know if Reedy will be more successful than any of the Sunday Best winners. However, From the Heart proves that Reedy has to stuff to be a force in gospel music for years to come. Recommended.
By Howard Dukes