Album Review: Kierra Sheard – ‘Graceland’

Artist- Kierra Sheard

Album – Graceland

Genre- Pop/R&B/Hip-Hop

Label – Karew Records

Release Date- 7/22/14

I think one thing that’s beautiful about Kierra Kiki Sheard and her music is the way she chooses to reinvent herself on each album of songs. This is a glossy fan review, so get ready for more praise than criticism but I tell you it’s still worth the read.Over the years, though I really haven’t been a number 1 fan of Kiki’s music maybe cause I considered it too loud (in the beginning years) but I have been a fan of her person. Though starting out young, I have never considered her as a girl. That woman, that woman I have always said. She has bold convictions and she is also bold. Another thing I love is she has added different elements of creativity to her music over the years thereby breaking barriers for gospel music and winning over people who could never have listened to this genre. Of this I’m sure of: it’s the God in Her.

So what’s next? What’s next after a ground breaking record like Bold Right Life that eventually started off a movement. Kiki went worshipful with Free covering acclaimed songs such as Chris Tomlin’s ‘Indescribable’, giving it an extra Midas Touch thereby making it a re-Hit. What else after such an album that was a success on all grounds causing church choirs to go ballistic with new hip songs of praise? Kiki comes back with Graceland. It’s bold, it’s edgy, it’s every thing you’ve known about Kiki’s music and so much more. It’s a BANG!

Graceland zones in on BIG music. It’s not easy to place in a genre perse funny enough but the pseudo R&B, pop grunge flushed sound artists like Beyoncé and Rihanna are used to would sure come to mind. Songs like Flaws,In You,Graceland and Found Love In Me takes things from a personal perspective using the ‘me’ and ‘I’ pronouns avoiding the ‘preach at you’ terrain. The later Found Love would do for a parking lot- dance rave music, yeah the kind of ‘come show your steps’ diggity thing. The title track Graceland is sort of quite anthemic and is as beautiful as anything that has been tagged Graceland (yeah including the Jackson mansion and the bayside mansion in the series. Eh!)

Interlude-esque You Don’t Like What You See is super! It starts off with a sound that seems like something Kiki borrowed from a 80’s Clark Sisters (which her mom and aunties were members of) record. It’s jumpy and bouncy, everything we loved of Boney M and Hot Chocolate. And I think would have done well as a full track. It goes on to some strategic truth slamming: if you look in the mirror and you don’t like what you see, remember God sees your heart.

Every now and then I wish for a time out with artists or writers due to a cryptic word or song they drop someone in between an album (you know the U2 style. Yeah that band does that a lot. Every song is worth a conversation. Lol) For Kiki’s Graceland, it’s ‘Kill The Dragon Save The Girl’. I really want to sit with Kiki over tea and discuss this song. It’s loaded with meaning and then you don’t know what it means.

Though we have the mysteriously beautiful Kill The Dragon Save The Girl and we hear a line that might make some go hmmm on the chanty ‘Moving Forward’ ‘Quitting is not an option’, but still. . .

At the surface, Kierra Sheard appears with so much shiny creativity and music technique but little to no depth lyrically (as we are used to Kiki’s poetry as an artist e.g ‘Invisible‘, ‘Jesus‘ and ‘Boyfriend‘ from Bold Right Life. Also ‘All I am’ and ‘Church Nite’ from ‘I Owe You’ and ‘Rise‘ from ‘This is Me’) But this is a whole new record and I really think it should be treated and respected as that.

On second thought after much listening, though this might appear ‘gemless’ lyrically, rather I think after all, the gems might have been buried and would emerge over time with each listen. Dig in with each listen. Yes it’s worth getting.

Graceland is one of those albums you discover a hit from 5 years latter.