By Cherisse Moe
Standing firm in your faith isn’t for the faint of heart. It takes determination and courage to go against the grain, especially in today’s world. T&T’s gospel artistes, though outnumbered by secular entertainers, never seem to shy away from proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ and encouraging anyone who would listen to walk the straight and narrow.
Such was the case at the April 8 ‘Awakening the Concert’ event hosted by Millennium Community Outreach at Queen’s Hall, St Ann’s, Port-of-Spain. The music affair attracted scores of gospel fans who came dressed in their Easter best to take in the show which turned out to be much more than just entertainment.
Easter is one of the most significant times on the calendar for the Christian community as it celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ from death—the key event upon which the Christian faith is based. And according to David Ibeleme, Pastor and founder of Victory Christian Outreach Church, “we hosted this event primarily to appreciate the local gospel artistes and also to raise funds for Millennium Community Outreach. We wanted to let our artistes know that they can be honoured in their own land without playing second fiddle to a foreign act”.
The audience was also treated to some soul food as artistes shared words of encouragement and their own personal testimonies.
“Since the success of my single ‘Never Let Go’ in 2008, I have been approached by industry professionals who advised me to no longer pursue music that glorifies God. Many claim that gospel music is not profitable. My response was; Mi Nah Dweet!” said Joel ‘Positive’ Murray during his stint on stage, as he explained the inspiration behind his song ‘Nah Dweet’. “Music is not my source, Yahweh is! For 15 years plus, He has provided for my family and I. Positive will continue to live a life that pleases the Father through music, character and lifestyle!” The artiste then went on to sing tracks like ‘Mighty Healer’ and ‘Light Them Up’.
Also performing was Udo Ibeleme, a singer and prolific songwriter in the Christian circle. He had the audience dancing in their seats – and a few at the front of the stage – as he performed new music ‘No Conscious Message’ and ‘We Coming Back’, as well as his older offerings like the 2018 tune, ‘Passover’. His younger brother, and house DJ for the evening, Kelechi ‘Master KC’, did a commendable job keeping the event’s momentum flowing and fans entertained. And shout out to Wendell Bompart, the event’s MC, whose satirical humour brought much cheer and laughter between sets.
Patrons loved every minute of Samuel ‘Farenite’ Selkridge’s energetic performance. He had them on their feet and singing along to ‘Watch Dem’, ‘Mannequin’, and ‘Still Standing’, while also bringing a word about the importance of discernment. Earlier, Michelle Sylvester, the lone woman on the cast, opened the show. A former secular soca performer and the first artiste to win the Groovy Soca Monarch competition back in 2005, she divulged a bit of her testimony and told patrons that her song, ‘Yuh Cyah Say’ was penned due to the criticism she received after she left her former life behind. “People had all kinda things to say but I tell dem yuh cyah say!” she stated. Slyvester also did a solo performance of ‘Safe on the Inside’ a track which features former calypso queen, Denyse Plummer.
Producer, singer/songwriter, Ryan ‘Nathanael’ Hamilton brought his melodious vocals to the stage singing his popular tunes ‘Testimony’, ‘Lit in the Kingdom’, and his signature ballad, ‘For Better or Worse’ which he said “is more than just a song, it’s a prayer”. He also sang an oldie but goldie, ‘Worthy is the Lamb’, which was well received by fans who sang along, hands raised.
Wait…there was more.
Gospel heavyweights Jaron Nurse, Sean Daniel and Tyronne Dominic Walters aka Blessed Messenger were there too and did not come to play – they came to praise! Best known for his crossover song ‘Fed Up’, Nurse, a self-proclaimed ‘Jesus Youth’, received thunderous applause for his rendition of ‘Jesus will Provide’, ‘Tell Somebody’ and ‘Dirty Laundry’, while Blessed Messenger gave fans just what they wanted, bringing the energy and the vibes with tunes like ‘Pressure Rise’, ‘Never Fail’, and ‘We Rocking Again’.
Daniel, a veteran gospel singer delivered a riveting performance which included his 2023 kaiso, ‘Bounce Back’. He was completely transparent and vulnerable telling fans that he was still dealing with the death of his wife who passed away last November. “I had to dig deep and bounce back”, he said.
