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 This Is She The granddaughter of the late Dr. Mattie Moss Clark, the daughter of Karen Clark Sheard, and an artist who now stands on her award-winning reputation recently spoke at length with GOSPELflava.com about a wide variety of issues. This is she!  GOSPELflava.com: You had have had quite a successful career this far, Kierra. Your solo CD made history when it debuted at #1, you have a gold album in Japan, you’ve been nominated for just about every award possible including winning your first Dove award. And now, with all this success, you still made the choice to enter college and get a degree! Kierra Sheard: All of this success is great, but I believe I need an education to fall back on. I could be here today and gone today, industry wise. There are things in life I want to achieve and I want to make sure I am keeping some money in my pocket. Being in school also helps to keep me busy and out of trouble! GOSPELflava.com: So college life is good? Kierra Sheard: I’m not gonna front, it is really hard. Balancing everything, taking classes, singing, studying, it’s hard, but it’s making me responsible. I’m making new friends but you know how females are sometimes [laughing]. But I love it! GOSPELflava.com: What classes did you take this school year, and what is your major? Kierra Sheard: I took a few writing classes and some criminal justice classes as well. My major was criminal justice but recently I decided to switch it to entertainment law. I think studying that will help me to be aware of when people are trying to take advantage of me and give me the knowledge to take control of my singing career.
Kierra Sheard: I really love being a role model. I love being an example for the youth. At the same time, being a teenager, there are some things I might do that I have to be careful of, because of the doors that God has opened and because of my name. There is a lot of expectation from the people around me and those watching me, but I am staying on top of it. I have my friends who I trust, although I have found that being an artist is a lonely road. GOSPELflava.com: You mentioned that the name you carry keeps you in check. We all know you are a member of the Clark family but you are finally being recognized and respected as an artist in your style. Your new CD will help to solidify that. Kierra Sheard: Thank you so much!! O wow… I have been working so hard to be seen as my own person. I thank God for the wonderful legacy set before me, by my mother, her sisters, and my father too. A lot of times people want me to squall like Twinkie, or sing like Do’do, and its like, Hello! I am not them, I’m Kierra. Don’t get me wrong though, I love being a Clark, I love the opportunities my aunts have given me, the road they paved for me to be here, but at the same time, I am special. My gift is special, what I can do is like no one else and I’m glad people are starting to see that. I am here to do what God has created me and has given me a gift to do. I can’t be someone else, I can only be me. GOSPELflava.com: Is that where the title of this album (This Is Me) came from?  Kierra Sheard: Yeah, this album will just give you a more behind-the-scenes look into who I am. I have matured both naturally and spiritually; I’m a young lady now. I feel like people will be able to relate to this CD no matter what the age is. I even had the chance to write a few songs from the experiences I have been through. I also was allowed to incorporate the style of music that I personally like, such as jazz, neo-soul and rock. Like, if this was someone else’s CD, I would listen to it all the time. I think people will really like it. GOSPELflava.com: The song “No Never” is especially hot. It would have been interesting to be in studio with you when that one was recorded. Can you share any interesting anecdotes about the recording of this project? Kierra Sheard: You know what, I want everyone to know I really put my soul into this recording. There were times where I sang so much that I’m hoarse on some of the tracks, but I couldn’t help it. The messages of the songs just really started ministering to me in the studio. I recorded it at Uncle Freddy’s house (Fred Jerkins) and he would have to stop recording so many times, ‘cause I would just start to cry, and everyone would call me a crybaby! I couldn’t help it though; God has just been so good to me at a young age. I just don’t deserve it, I messed up just yesterday, but today he gives me grace and another chance to get it right. I love Him. GOSPELflava.com: Many people your age don’t recognize who God is, and don’t truly value the relationship with him. What would you tell someone reading this who isn’t sold out for Christ and is waiting til they get “older” to fully give themselves to Him? Kierra Sheard: Tomorrow is not promised y’all! You have to take advantage of everything He has to offer while you’re young. I mean, why not do it? What’s to wait for? He is coming back so soon, and it will be unexpected. We have got to live saved. The people you are trying to impress and hang around? It’s time out for that, if they are not living saved. Spirits can transfer; I’m a witness to that. Why would you allow the spirit of the enemy to overtake your mind and your life? The enemy will go as far as to use the people who are closest to you to bring you down and before you know it, you are in a mess. He is THE best thing that could happen to you.
GOSPELflava.com: Finally, how do you, yourself, describe Kierra Sheard? Kierra Sheard: I am silly all day, loud and ghetto when I wanna be. But initially, I’m a shy type of girl. I am very loyal and if you have my trust, I will give you anything, even the shirt off my back. I don’t know why I do that, I just like to give. I am not stuck up! If some of y’all have come in contact with me on a bad day, trust me, don’t take it personal. I love everyone. I would love to sit down with everyone and help them to work through their problems, or just be there for those who don’t have anyone else to listen to. I’m just a trustworthy person. You know you can’t trust everybody with your stuff, but if you are there for me, then I am the type of friend you want to have by your side. Email This To A Friend
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One of many choice cuts is "Have What You Want". Hip-hop laced beats are thrown down with a neo-soul feel as J.
Drew lends his rapping ability to highlight a powerful brother/sister partnership that has only just begun. The song
reminds us ....
Learn more about your favorite artist —things so trivial, things so unusual, things so irrelevant.... maybe more than you ever thought you'd be privileged to know.