APRIL 2023 THE VOICE
Sadé Thomas
|
35
Join the debate online voice-online.co.uk/opinion
The Gospel Truth
Gospel sistas get their shine My top pick’s ‘a banger’
Podcaster Paula Melissa says female artists deserve more attention than they receive
H
AVING ASKED a group of people to name the first Gospel artist that comes to mind, it was no surprise that 74 per cent of responses listed prominent male figures within the Gospel industry, with the most mentioned Gospel artist being Kirk Franklin, followed by names such as Donnie McClurkin and Israel Houghton. While artists such as Cece Winans and Shirley Caesar were also identified, more work needs to be done to showcase the talented women behind faith-filled music. Paula Melissa is passionate about tackling this disparity within the Christian music scene and is the founder and producer of SheHH podcast, which seeks to celebrate Christian women and their artistry by amplifying their voices through a collection of interviews, where artists share their stories. As a podcast, SheHH is now in its third year and has conducted more than 40 interviews with Christian female artists. We reached out to Paula to get more details on her heart behind it and the exciting future that she and her team are planning.
PASSIONATE: Paula Melissa
Just out of interest, why the name ‘SheHH’ for the Podcast? Paula: SheHH is a play on CHH a recognisable acronym, that stands for Christian Hip Hop. I wanted a name that made it clear our focus was women in music, and whilst our initial focus was on female rap artists, we have expanded to women making Christian music in all genres.
THIS MONTH’S pick is the undeniable banger, All In Good Time. As far as debut singles go, Tofunmi Adorna has already mastered what it means to capture hope in the form of a song, as the uplifting lyrics comfort listeners who may feel discouraged, anxious or frustrated with life’s circumstances. The singer-songwriter, explains that this song came about at a time when she had been feeling disappointed and God encouraged her through these lyrics ,“to keep going”. As a self-professed fan of Whitney Houston, Lauryn Hill, Doe and Maverick City, Tofunmi’s eclectic taste of music is another reason as to why she is an artist to be excited about. If that wasn’t enough, she is set to drop her debut EP later this year, which is certain to be a smash hit filled with a mi ture of spoken word, soulful music and even a re ective ballad.
Considering ‘SheHH’ is in its third year, what growth have you witnessed? Paula: The growth has been tremendous! The first series was me recording phone calls so it was audio only and wasn’t great quality. Now we record UK-based artists in a podcast studio in central London and use online podcast recording software to get the best quality interviews for our virtual interviews. It started with me, in my room and now we have an international team of content editors and my sister as our creative director. I’m very proud of the journey and continue to see an increase in our followers and listeners. There is definitely a lot to be proud of, what are some of your highlights? Paula: The podcast going into its fourth season, is a huge highlight, as well as, interviewing some of Gospel’s brightest stars, like GRAMMYnominated Gospel artist, Jekalyn Carr.
Listen to All in Good Time on any digital streaming platform and follow Tufunmi’s musical journey, ‘@Tufunmi.adorna’ on Instagram.
Given SheHH’s specific focus on Christian women, why do you feel that women need to be heard in the Christian space? Paula: It’s no secret that female artists simply don’t get as much time in the limelight as they should, in comparison to their male counterparts. It’s even harder to find recognised female artists within the smaller Christian music genre. The SheHH Podcast is a series of interviews with women in front and behind the scenes of Christian Music globally. Women have stories of God at work in their lives
It’s no secret female artists don’t get as much time in the limelight as they should and I believe they should be heard too.
loving Asha Elia, Emandiong, CRYS and Adeshola!
Speaking of Christian women in music, who would you say were your favourite artists growing up and who are some of your current favourites? Paula: Growing up I was a big fan of Mary Mary — they were my favourites! I also listened to Tamela Mann, Sinach and Nicole C Mullen. Currently, I’m
Thinking about the future, what can we expect from the Podcast going forward? Paula: We have big, BIG dreams! We are hoping to put on our own events where we can host Christian artists on grand stages. We want to run a distribution label that helps emerging artists with the production and marketing of
music — we want more women as career artists (living off their music and art full-time). Wow! So many plans and such an exciting future ahead! Thank you for sharing the journey of the SheHH Podcast but before we sign off, how can people support the vision? Paula: You can follow us @ SheHHPodcast on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and podcast platforms. Like and share our content. And if led, support financially with the production costs, as we are completely funded by me, so any donation is greatly appreciated!
