Grammy nominated and Stellar Award winning gospel recording artist Jekalyn Carr. Photo courtesy of Lunjeal Records.
Gospel Grammy nominated recording artist Jekalyn Carr is uplifting souls during the pandemic with her single, “Changing Your Story.” The bubbly, very spiritual 22-year-old recorded the live album at The Cellairis Amphitheater in Atlanta during WPZE-FM’s annual outdoor event “Praise In The Park.
Jekalyn Carr is the Stellar Award winning singer/songwriter brought us life empowering top charting hit songs like “Greater is Coming, “ “Something Big” “You’re Bigger,” “I See Miracles” and “You Will Win” (the latter also came with an accompanying book). Her new music, Changing Your Story, continues in that righteous vein, offering up songs with timeless messages that inspire the world and uplift Christ without compromise.
The preacher/motivational speaker encourages others during the COVID-19 pandemic, “I tell people. And this is something that I’m doing, just making the best out of it. We don’t know how long this is going to last, but I do know that we can choose happiness. We understand that there is stuff going on all around us, but we have to make sure that we stay positive. We continue to trust God. And continue to encourage one another. Because we’re all in this together. And that’s just what’s been helping me. And then of course staying busy at home, directing my energy towards working on visions, and things like that. That’s been definitely helping me during this time.”
When asked about being a part of the very social, millennial generation and the difficulties of having to shelter in place, she says there is one thing she truly misses, “I love going the movie theater. A girl would like to go and see a movie or something…when the doors of the world open, I will be gladly going to do these things!”
Jekalyn Carr performing live. Photo courtesy of Lunjeal Records.
Jekalyn is constantly in touch with her family in the Memphis area from her Atlanta residence, checking on them during the pandemic and working on future projects all at the same time.
For the Carr family, music is the family business and the money stays in-house. They have their own label, Lunjeal Records, run by her dad, Allen Carr. He is an award winning producing. Plus the Carr’s own their music publishing company. Jekalyn said, “God has really blessed us. From the beginning, everything has been in-house, songs and all…all of the writing is in house. Either my dad writes it, I write it, even my mom,” said Jekalyn.
“The calling has no age. It requires a ‘yes’ and because I gave God a ‘yes.’ And God has really, really blessed my ministry.” – Jekalyn Carr
The savvy, creative is in a sweet place right now but her arrival at this juncture in her career in music did not come without its challenges. Jekalyn said, “For me, coming up in the industry or in coming up in general…I think I was about 12 when stuff really started taking off…you know you have that where (people say) ‘You ain’t even been here long enough to tell me this.’ I tell people listen, if God called Jeremiah, and these different people in the Bible where God used them very heavily, I believe that the anointing has no age. The “calling” has no age. It requires a ‘yes’ and because I gave God a ‘yes.’ And God has really, really blessed my ministry.
And I think that’s why it is very important for people to really know who you are, so that you won’t be moved by this negativity that you hear, and even that you see…but you can confident in who God has created you to be…and don’t you waste your time trying to talk back or ‘clap back’ as they say… No, you do what God has called you to do and God will allow your work to speak for you. And God has been blessing my ministry ever since I can remember.”
Beyond singing and preaching, the author and businesswoman with a new upcoming cosmetic line, Jekalyn Beauty, has expanded her territory into acting. She played herself on an episode of cable TV’s Greenleaf on OWN.
Although she may be expanding, Gospel music is very much a part of Jekalyn’s soul. It’s wired into her DNA. Her forthcoming single, and album by the same name, “Changing Your Story” is an extension of her inner being. When I asked her how “Changing Your Story” and other hit songs she’s created have resonated so well with people have come about. She said, “I’m either on stage flowing, or at home. Wherever I am, that’s where they come from. So “Changing Your Story,” I was on stage and I was singing something else, and then God dropped that in my spirit, I flowed into that and the people really, really received breakthrough…and we were like yeah, we have to do this for the next album.
“It’s very imperative that you speak what God is speaking so that you can see what God sees.” – Jekalyn Carr
And so, through this song, I really want people to understand, not only are you aware of what you were and are up against, but God is highly aware of that. But you gotta know that this is the time that God is changing your story. What was once an issue for you will no longer be an issue for you anymore. Every opportunity you get when it looks like the opposite, you say ‘God is changing my story.’ When it seems like it’s not working out, you say, ‘God is changing my story.’ It’s very imperative that you speak what God is speaking so that you can see what God sees. So that’s how the message came about and the message that I want people to get through this song.”
Before concluding our interview, Jekalyn had these words of inspiration to say to anyone searching for their place in life,” Make sure that whatever you want to do in life, that is your purpose. Cause many of us are multi-talented…but there is a purpose that God had given you. I always say that a purpose is like a foundation that God wants to catapult you (from) and everything else will fall in place. So, make sure you’re operating in your God given purpose. And also surround yourself with people that can continue to push you further into destiny.”
Jekalyn Carr’s single, “Changing Your Story” is expected to be released this summer. The Changing Your Story album will drop later this year.
#StaySafe #StayInspired
by Lin. Woods
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Jekalyn Carr’s Social Media Connections:
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Jekalyn Carr talks about her haters on the LIn. Woods Gospel Entertainment Podcast.
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