Kierra Sheard

Kierra Valencia "Kiki" Sheard (born June 20, 1987 in Detroit, Michigan) is an American gospel singer and radio host. She is the daughter of gospel singer Karen Clark-Sheard (member of gospel singing group The Clark Sisters) and the granddaughter of gospel choral director Mattie Moss Clark. Sheard portrayed Litha in the 2010 Christian-drama-film Preacher's Kid. After appearing on her mother's albums, Sheard broke to the music scene with the release of her debut album I Owe You in 2004. Her hit single "You Don't Know", was written about her mother's bout with an almost fatal blood clot.

Early life

Born in Detroit, Michigan, and raised in the suburb of West Bloomfield, Sheard spent her formative years surrounded by the influences of her family, their faith, and their music.^[1] At age 6, she began singing in the choir at Greater Emmanuel Institutional Church of God in Christ, pastored by her father Bishop J. Drew Sheard. Even at a young age, Sheard had a preternatural grip on the signature "Clark sound" pioneered by her mother and aunts, executing high and fast melismata, riffs, runs, and deep, throaty growls sometimes referred to as "squalls" (the latter is prominently displayed on "Done Did It", a traditional gospel leaning track from her album I Owe You).

Music career

1997–2003: Early career

Sheard made her professional stage debut at the age of 10 performing on two tracks on her mother's debut solo album Finally Karen in 1997. One of those songs was "The Will Of God", penned by Evangelist Richard "Mr. Clean" White as the standout closing track. The song won a Stellar Award for Best Children's Performance the following year. In the years following, she honed and matured her skills as a performer and vocalist. Sheard started singing as a background vocalist for her mother, her aunt Dorinda Clark-Cole, and The Clark Sisters. In 2002, Sheard was featured on her aunt Dorinda's self-titled debut album. The following year, she performed two tracks again on her mothers' third album, The Heavens Are Telling. On The Heavens Are Telling, she was featured with her mother on a popular cover of Jill Scott's He Loves Me (Lyzel In E Flat). In 2003, EMI Gospel won a bidding war between several record companies to sign Sheard to her first recording contract.

2004–2005: I Owe You

Her debut album I Owe You was released on September 7, 2004. The 11-track set included production and songwriting from such notable music luminaries as Rodney Jerkins, Warryn Campbell, Erica and Tina Campbell of Mary Mary, J Moss, and Tonéx. The album also functioned as the production debut for her brother J Drew.

The following year, EMI commissioned a collection of remixes entitled Just Until... on August 2, 2005. The title of the stopgap release was abbreviated from its working title "Just Until The Next Record".^[2] The album had a surprise international hit in The Godson Concept remix of "Let Go". The upbeat gospel single, released only in Japan, raced to the top of mainstream R&B charts and remained there for several weeks.^[3]

2006–2007: This is Me

Shortly after graduating high school, Sheard readied her second album This Is Me. It debuted at #1 on Billboard's Top Gospel Albums chart when it was released June 27, 2006.^[4] A midtempo fan favorite, the Fred Jerkins III-produced "Why Me?" was chosen as the lead single for the album. Sheard shot her first music videos for two subsequent singles from the album, "Yes" and "This Is Me". The album was Grammy Award-nominated for Best Contemporary R&B Gospel Album in December 2006.^[5]

In addition to performing at the 2007 Stellar Awards ("Why Me?"), Sheard appeared on BET's Celebration of Gospel standing in for pregnant Faith Evans in "Endow Me" (as popularized by Sheard's aunts) along with Coko, Lil' Mo, and Fantasia. Sheard also sang with her mother for A Tribute to Aretha Franklin.

2008–2009: Bold Right Life

In October 2008, Sheard released her third album, Bold Right Life. The album spawned the two lead singles "Praise Him Now" and "Won't Hold Back".^[6][7] Sheard was also featured on what would be the biggest single of her career to date, "God In Me", from Mary Mary's The Sound album.

In January 2009, Sheard appeared at the BMI Trailblazers performing "Jesus Is a Love Song" as a salute to her aunt, Elbernita "Twinkie" Clark.

Sheard released a greatest hits EP entitled KiKi's Mixtape on September 22, 2009.^[8] The EP included 3 new unreleased songs, 2 remixes, singles from previous albums and "This Christmas" with Marcus Cole.

2010–2013: Free and The Sheards

Sheard had a role in Preacher's Kid (starring platinum-selling R&B artist LeToya Luckett, Durrell Babbs, Clifton Powell, Gregory Alan Williams, Sharif Atkins) which was released in theaters across the U.S. on January 29, 2010 and was released on DVD and Blu-ray disc on May 4, 2010.

Sheard's fourth album, titled Free, was released on October 18, 2011. This, being Sheard's first album on her family's gospel label, Karew Records (pronounced Kuh-Rue). Originally scheduled for a July 2011 release, the album was leaked and subsequently pushed back and reformatted with a different track listing.^[9] The album features Sheard's BRL (Bold Right Life) Choir.

On April 7, 2013, Sheard and her family debuted in a new BET reality series entitled, The Sheards. The show is based on the lives of Sheard, her brother and producer, J. Drew, and her parents, Grammy-award winning Karen Clark Sheard and Pastor J. Drew Sheard Sr. Season 1 had a run of eight episodes, and it was announced by the BET Twitter account that Season 2 would debut in Fall 2014.

2013-present: Graceland

She released the single "Trumpets Blow" in 2013, and "2nd Win" was a song played on SoundCloud in 2014. Her fifth album "Graceland" was released on July 22, 2014. This album hit #1 overall on iTunes, and is nominated for multiple awards at the 2015 Stellar Awards.

Personal life

Sheard is a graduate of Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan, where she received her bachelor's degree in English with a minor in psychology. Though her touring schedule has been curbed to accommodate her academic goals, Sheard did embark on a Japanese tour with her mother Karen Clark-Sheard in August 2006. In 2013, Sheard began preaching at her father's church and others.

In June 2015, Sheard released the Fall/Winter collection of Eleven60 which honors her inspiration, her mother, the bold and classy Karen Clark Sheard. Eleven60 is the month and year that Clark-Sheard was born. Kierra has personally designed classic and refreshing looks for the professional curvy woman that is chic, sexy, bold and eclectic. Sheard has crisscrossed the globe and absorbed the fashion trends of New York City, London, Paris, Tokyo and Seoul.

Discography

Albums

• 2004: I Owe You
• 2006: This Is Me
• 2008: Bold Right Life
• 2011: Free
• 2014: Graceland
• 2015: LED

Compilations

• 2005: Just Until...
• 2009: KiKi's Mixtape
• 2011: My Kierra Sheard Playlist

References

External links

• Official website