Mahalia Jackson was an American gospel singer, widely considered one of the most influential vocalists of the 20th century. With a career spanning 40 years, Jackson was integral to the development and spread of gospel blues in black churches throughout the U.S. During a time when racial segregation was pervasive in American society, she met considerable and unexpected success in a recording career, selling an estimated 22 million records and performing in front of integrated and secular audiences in concert halls around the world.
Shirley Ann Caesar-Williams, nee Caesar,, known professionally as Shirley Caesar, is an American gospel singer. Her career began in 1951, when she signed to Federal Records at the age of 12. Throughout her seven decade career, Caesar has often been referred to as the "First Lady of Gospel Music", and "The Queen of Gospel Music". She has won eleven Grammy Awards, fifteen Dove Awards, and fourteen Stellar Awards.
Emily Drinkard, known professionally as Cissy Houston, was an American soul and gospel singer. Born in Newark, New Jersey, Houston began singing with three of her siblings in the family gospel group, The Drinkard Singers. By the early 1960s, Houston began a career as a session vocalist for several secular musicians in the rhythm and blues, soul, rock and roll, pop and rock genres. After initially joining her nieces' group the Gospelaires for a session with Ronnie Hawkins in 1961, Houston gradually took control of the group, which revamped into "The Group" with Houston, niece Sylvia Shemwell, Myrna Smith and teenager Estelle Brown. She eventually founded the girl group The Sweet Inspirations with Shemwell, Smith and Brown in 1967 and that year signed a contract with Atlantic Records where, with Houston as lead singer, they would record four albums before Houston departed for a solo career in 1970. Her best known solo singles include the top 20 R&B chart single, "I'll Be There" and the top 5 dance single, "Think It Over". Her solo career culminated with two Grammy Award wins, both in the Traditional Gospel Album category.
James Edward Cleveland was an American gospel singer, musician, and composer. Known as the "King of Gospel," Cleveland was a driving force behind the creation of the modern gospel sound by incorporating traditional black gospel, soul, pop, and jazz in arrangements for mass choirs.
Sandra Faye "Sandi" Patty is an American Christian music singer, known for her wide soprano vocal range and expressive flexibility.
Michelle Antoinette Wallen, known professionally as Mica Paris, is an English singer, presenter, and actress. Her debut album, So Good, was released in 1988, spawning the singles "My One Temptation" and "Where Is the Love". She has since gone on to release seven further albums: Contribution (1990), Whisper a Prayer (1993), Black Angel (1998), If You Could Love Me (2005), Soul Classics (2005), Born Again (2009), and Gospel (2020). In 2020, Paris played Ellie Nixon on the BBC soap opera EastEnders.
Beverley Knight is an English singer, songwriter, actress and radio personality. She released her first album, The B-Funk, in 1995. Heavily influenced by American soul music icons such as Sam Cooke and Aretha Franklin, Knight has released nine studio albums. Widely regarded as one of Britain's greatest soul singers, Knight is best known for her hit singles "Greatest Day", "Get Up!", "Shoulda Woulda Coulda", "Come as You Are" and "Keep This Fire Burning".
City of London Academy Islington is an 11–18 mixed, secondary school and sixth form with academy status in Islington, Greater London, England. It was established in 1966 and adopted its present name after becoming an academy in September 2008.
Carleen Cassandra Anderson is an American musician. She was the vocalist, composer and musician for the Young Disciples and is known for her numerous, varied collaborations. Her solo career began in 1992. She is credited for composing and writing futuristic Operas.
Tarrian LaShun Pace, professionally known as LaShun Pace and sometimes credited as LaShun Pace-Rhodes or Shun Pace-Rhodes, was an American gospel singer, songwriter and evangelist. Pace was also a Stellar Award winner.
Yvie Burnett, is a Scottish mezzo-soprano and vocal coach, best known for her work with Simon Cowell on television shows The X Factor and Britain's Got Talent, The Big ReunionThe Voice UK and BBC's Let It Shine.
Paloma Faith Blomfield is an English singer, songwriter, and actress. After signing with Epic Records in 2008, Faith released her debut studio album, Do You Want the Truth or Something Beautiful? (2009), which produced the UK top-twenty singles "Stone Cold Sober" and "New York", and earned Faith her first BRIT Award nomination in 2010. Her second studio album, Fall to Grace (2012), charted at number two on the UK Albums Chart, earned her two Brit Award nominations, and spawned her first UK top-ten single, "Picking Up the Pieces" and the top-twenty cover version of INXS's "Never Tear Us Apart".
"New York" is a song by English recording artist Paloma Faith from her debut studio album Do You Want the Truth or Something Beautiful? (2009). It was released on 13 September 2009. The song features a sweeping gospel chorus by the London-based Souls of Prophecy Gospel Choir. The song was re-released in a new remix featuring rapper Ghostface Killah.
Sarah Joyce, better known by her stage name, Rumer, is a British singer-songwriter. Supported by leading music industry figures including Burt Bacharach, Elton John, Carly Simon, and Jools Holland, Rumer was nominated for two Brit awards on 13 January 2011.
Lianne Charlotte Barnes, known professionally as Lianne La Havas, is a British singer-songwriter and record producer. Her career began after being introduced to various musicians, including singer Paloma Faith, for whom she sang backing vocals. In 2010, La Havas signed to Warner Bros. Records, spending two years developing her songwriting, before releasing any music. La Havas' debut studio album, Is Your Love Big Enough? (2012), was released to positive reviews from critics and earned her a nomination for the BBC's Sound of 2012 poll and awards for the iTunes Album of The Year 2012. She has released two other studio albums since, Blood in 2015 and Lianne La Havas in 2020. She was nominated once for a Grammy award in 2016 and twice for Brit Awards, in 2017 and 2021. She currently lives in London.
Laura Mvula is a British singer. A native of Birmingham, England, Mvula has gained experience as a young member or leader of a cappella, jazz/neo-soul and gospel groups and choirs. She was classically trained. In 2012, she signed with RCA Records and released an extended play, She, to critical acclaim.
Jamie Barton is an American mezzo-soprano. She won the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World competition in June 2013. She is also the winner of the 2015 Richard Tucker Award.
Tara Brown is an English acoustic gospel, contemporary Christian singer-songwriter, whose recent popularity boost followed her performance in the 2012 edition of the Time2shine Gospel Talent Search in the UK.
Rachel Charmaine Kerr is a British singer/songwriter, celebrity vocal coach and entrepreneur from Walsall, England. She is also the CEO and founder of Singercise. She is a member of the Grammy Award Association and a BET Music Matters endorsed artist.
Lurine Lilian Cato,, is a British gospel singer, songwriter and session vocalist who won the MOBO Award for Best Gospel Act in 2013 and was nominated in the same category in 2017. She was a finalist on the 12th Season of Britain's Got Talent 2018 with the B Positive Choir.
