Born with singing in her blood, Kierra "Kiki" Sheard is stepping into a destiny reserved for her.

She gained attention as the daughter of Karen Clark Sheard when she hit the national stage by age nine. KiKi, now matured, aims at a new generation with her debut album, I Owe You. Kierra Sheard is ready to take flight on the roots and wings of her famous musical lineage.

She spoke in length to Gospelflava.com. (See also the special Insider Interview with Kierra "Kiki" Sheard).

From the moment we heard her on Finally Karen, we've been waiting her album debut. She's gained experience, both musically and spiritually since that debut, and tells us just how.

"Well I do think that I have matured in many ways. First, I am not just singing a Gospel song with an old message. I am able to sing this message and say that I've been through this situation and God has brought me out. So I've been maturing with my voice and just singing different and other experiences also."

Those experiences, of course, include the frightening near-death battle of her mother a few years back. The growth through that experience is one of the things producers tried to capture in word and emotion on this project.

"I was listening to the words [of "You Don't Know"] when I first heard it. Because they wrote the song based on me going through with my mom being sick. And I'm like, how do they know how I feel? They wrote the song, but this is really how I felt. This is really what I went through. And I'm like how do they know that. Then they threw into it, the "You Brought The Sunshine" sound, and I'm like, 'This is cool!' That is why Rodney Jerkins is who he is today, he is just the man.

Jerkins is just one of the premier corps of producers brought in to work on this project. Cousin J. Moss and Tonex hit hard with their respective tracks and Kierra has great respect and appreciation for what they bring to the table.

"They brought the unique sound. Not just the unique sound, they brought that young sound. The music that the young people will be able to groove to. [Young people] don't always have to listen to Lil Jon, Lil Flip or whatever. Don't get me wrong. I listen to [different things], but sometimes we got to get a little Gospel music into our little spirit. They brought that sound where the young people will be able to get on the floor and just dance. Dance and just do our thing, but still have that Gospel message."

Album: I Owe You

The neck fractures continue to pile up with "Church Nite", a PAJAM setup that begins with the warning "with joints like these, you don't need a drug". J.Moss adds his background vocals to the cut, which turns typical 'party focus' on its head by celebrating church priorities..... See full album review.

Apart from bringing the hotness, Sheard is honored at the chance to work with the Greats.

"It is a dream come true. It was an honor working with them. And I thank them so much for taking into consideration that I wanted to work with them. It was a blessing. They just made me see that all things are possible with God on my side."

Sheard feels that the whole project is a manifestation of her God appointed destiny. "Well, I must say that it is an answered prayer. This is something that I have been waiting for, for a long time. It's different because I am not under my mom's and Auntie Dorinda's wings anymore. It's different because I am stepping out on my own but then again it's fun and this is what I want to do. I'm just happy. And hopefully everyone will like it." One would think that a wealth of confidence and certainty would come with carrying the Clark name, but there is some anxiety about stepping out, and some pressure with carrying on the legacy. Her mom and aunties raised the bar pretty high, and the comparisons are inevitable.

Kierra shares how she feels about this, "Well, how can I say this? First of all, they are crazy women that can just do these crazy riffs and runs and scrawls. I must say that I cannot do that! Again, I am young and my voice is still developing. I get hoarse after one scrawl and they can do ten scrawls in one song!" All jokes aside, "I do feel the pressure. [But] I am the one that will step out. Auntie Dodo (Dorinda) will do the running man and she'll shake her hand. But I will stand out and just be ready to get down and just shake my head and go crazy like a rock star! So I look at it as if, I'm way different because I'm younger. So we can have a good time, like you're at a Beyonce concert, but we are at a Gospel concert. And we giving God praise! And we ain't just doing the you know, thug thizzle. So I feel the comparison [but] I kind of separate myself from that."

But we all know the apple don't fall too far from the tree, and the Clark legacy didn't begin with Karen, Jackie, Twinkie and Dorinda.

"It started out with my grandmother. She was big in what she did", acknowledges Kierra.

"She was this little petite woman, but the way she handled things, it was like she was a big Debo. She was serious about music. It's a lot of superstars out there that are serious about what they do. And a lot of us don't take music seriously, like we should. And not just music but Gospel music. Because it has a Gospel message and it's ministry. We all don't take ministry too seriously. My grandmother did. And if you didn't get this note right, she was going to throw a chair at you or a shoe. So it started out with my grandmother. And then it went onto the Clark Sisters. They were serious too, and it proved that being serious about music could get you this wonderful sound. And not just this wonderful sound, but it could get you to minister to people and could get you that message. Auntie Twinkie wrote the song and the message and everybody was able to relate to it."

Kierra believes the legacy continued because of the purity and power in that message "Parents would tell their children about the Clark Sisters and Dr. Mattie Moss Clark and then we would admire what they've done or what she did in the music. Being serious about the music and ministry, that is how I would say it pulled people to us."

And now it's her turn!

Kierra says that since the age of 12 or 13, she honed in on what had just been fun to her and "got more into it". At that age her mother began to trust her to listen to forms of music other than Gospel. The artist in her zeroed in on her contemporaries on the other side and checked out what they were doing.

"I kind of watched Monica and Brandy. They were doing their thing. They are still doing their thing, don't get me wrong. That is when they were young. Like when Monica had that short haircut. That is when I was really feeling the music. The singing thing. I was like, man I want to do that. Because she was singing through the streets. And I was like I want to sing through the streets, too. It was kind of a cool thing. And then that was when Sister Act 2 was out. I love Lauryn Hill. And I was like, man I want to be able to sing like that."

Of course with singing comes the responsibility of communicating with your audience. Runs and riffs aside, that part doesn't come easy to Kiki.

"I am not that much of a talker. I like to just sing and dance and give God the praise and worship. My Momma and Daddy. All of them are all on my head [telling me] I can't just stand on stage and not say nothing. And just start crying?! [They tell me] you are supposed to talk to the crowd. It's kind of different. Because I am not behind Momma. Usually when I'm with Momma or Auntie Dorinda, if I cry they'll start talking. But now if I cry I have to start talking!"

All the crying aside, Kierra Sheard hopes to create a meaningful, but fun experience for her fans.

"I want to be a big Gospel singer. Where it'll be a party. Where we will have a good time. How the old folks used to get on the floor and dance to Marvin Gaye. I want the young people and old people to be able to come to my concert and be like, man I had a good time! I want people to be able to sing my songs and just have fun, while giving God the praise. I want to be able to pull a big crowd, just how the secular artists pull these big crowds. I want to be able to pull a big crowd but they will be able to say that I just came from a Gospel concert, and they will be like, it seemed like a Gospel concert but then again, it didn't seem like it! I almost want to be like Michael Jackson, it's just fun to be on stage! "

Kierra has great vision for herself, but you better believe it's God first. "I want to be wherever God wants me to be." Her family helps her keep a level head while supporting her dreams. "They always told me to make sure to keep God first. And I realize that if I keep God first that all things are possible. [They tell me] don't get the big head. You can not have a big head and be working for Jesus! You have to know that —this is talking from myself —now they gave me a lot of pointers, but this is talking from myself now. You have to know that if you have God's anointing and if you are appointed and chosen by Him, that the devil is out to get you. So you have to be ready to go through hard times and struggles, even if you're not singing or doing the music thing. You have to know that you are going to go through something and that sometimes it's God putting us through something to make us stronger for something that He is about to take us to. So have a prayerful life. Don't let stuff get in the way. Keep God first at all times. And you just have to always pray and seek God!"

Both youthful and mature, carrying the Clark legacy, but with her own flava, Kierra Sheard is marked for greatness. The greatness of her lineage can only be enhanced and brought forward by her fortitude and heart. Look for Kierra "Kiki" Sheard to make her own mark yet not forget where she comes from.