ELEV8 Magazine MAR / APRIL 2016 | Page 24

on the Billboard Top Gospel Albums Chart in the Spring of 2015. All in all, it’s a very personal album with the ability to move many personalities. After spending time with Bri and getting to know her heart and soul, Marquis Boone got a feel of what kind of album he wanted to create around her voice and then he partnered with Tyscot Music & Entertainment to bring his vision to life the Spring of 2015. “We can go day after day and smile like we’re okay in front of people but God sees the heart,” Bri confesses. Korey Bowie, an independent artist himself and multi-instrumentalist who has worked with the likes of R&B veteran Angie Stone as well as Casey J and soulful crooner Darwin Hobbs, produced the twelve-track set that skillfully seals the fissures separating Millennials, Generation X and Baby Boomers with a pool of songs that have wide and distinctive appeal. Recorded live at Doppler Studios in Atlanta to an invitation-only audience of family, friends and fans, the collection reveals the keys to Bri’s heart. There are up-tempo 21st century power anthems such as the rousing “Heaven Must Be Something Like This” and the pulsating“Lord of All” which both show off Bri’s most fiery and raspy vocal wails on the climatic vamps of these engaging sing-a-long selections. At her core, Bri is a worshipper and smooth cuts such as “Holy Spirit,” “Set A Fire” and the plaintive “Love You Forever” showcase her love for this sub-genre of gospel music. There are also tunes with crossover possibilities such as “Run Over” which can find a home on Inspirational radio formats and the smooth as silk “My Everything” has Adult R&B/Urban AC radio written all over it. A particularly compelling segment of the set is Bri’s first composition, the rock-edged “Jacob’s Song” and it’s explosive reprise “I’m Desperate.” Bri’s close friend and fellow recording artist Bryan Andrew Wilson wrote the beautifully warm, stripped-down ballad “Grace” with her in mind. Christian Hip-Hop star Uncle Reece crafted the uplifting paean “Love You Forever” that Bri sings with intimate zeal and deep understanding. “He sees the things we have hidden in our hearts whether it’s emotional pain, scars or anger. He wants total access. He wants the keys to open up the door to our hearts and once that door is open He can then uncover the hidden things and we can release them from our lives; then God can began to heal our hearts. I allowed God to have total access to my heart and once I did that I was able to release all the hurts I’ve experienced. I named the album ‘Keys T