Kierra "Kiki" Sheard

Infobox musical artist
Name = Kierra "KiKi" Sheard


Landscape =
Background = solo_singer
Birth_name = Kierra Valencia Sheard
Alias = "Kiki" or "Juliet"
Born = Birth date and age|1987|6|20|mf=y
Died =
Origin = Detroit, Michigan
Instrument = vocals
Genre = Urban gospel, R&B, neo soul
Occupation = singer, songwriter
Years_active = 1997-present
Label = EMI Gospel
Associated_acts = Karen Clark Sheard
J Moss
The Clark Sisters
URL = [http://www.kierrakikisheard.com/ KierraKiKiSheard.com]
Current_members =
Past_members =
Notable_instruments =

Kierra "Kiki" Sheard (born Kierra Valencia Sheard) is a Grammy Award-nominated American gospel recording artist. She is the daughter of gospel singer Karen Clark Sheard (member of the seminal gospel singing group The Clark Sisters) and the granddaughter of legendary gospel choral director Mattie Moss Clark.

Biography

Born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, Sheard spent her formative years surrounded by the strong influences of her family, their faith, and their music. At age 6, she began singing in the choir at Greater Emmanuel Institutional Church of God in Christ, pastored by her father Superintendent 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 melismas, 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").

Sheard made her stage debut at the age of 10 duetting with her mother on the Twinkie Clark-penned "The Will Of God", the standout closing track from her mother's debut solo album "Finally Karen" in 1997. The song won a Stellar Award for Best Children's Performance the following year. In the years following, she honed her skills as a performer accompanying her mother on stage. By 2003, EMI Gospel won a bidding war between several record companies to sign Kierra to her first recording contract.

Her debut album "I Owe You" was released 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". [cite web|url=http://www.gospelcity.com/dynamic/news-articles/gospel_news/166|title=Kierra "KiKi" Sheard to be Kellogg’s Gospel Sing Off Spokesperson & Judge|date=May 5, 2005|publisher=GospelCity.com] 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. [cite web|url=http://www.christianpost.com/article/20060105/5823.htm|title='Kiki' Sheard Tops Japanese Radio, Receives 3 Stellar Nominations|author=Justin Camacho|date=January 5, 2006|publisher=The Christian Times]

Shortly after graduating high school, Sheard readied her second album "This Is Me". Repeating the same spectacular feat from her first release, this album debuted at #1 on the Billboard Gospel charts when it was released June 27, 2006. [cite web|url=http://www.gospelcity.com/dynamic/music-articles/new_music/288|publisher=GospelCity.com|date=July 10, 2006|title=Kierra "Kiki" Sheard's ‘This Is Me’ debuts at #1] A midtempo fan favorite, the Fred Jerkins III-produced "Why Me?" was chosen as the lead single for the album. Sheard's shot her first music videos for two subsequent singles from the album, "Yes" and "This Is Me". "This Is Me" was nominated for a Grammy for Best Contemporary R&B Gospel album in December 2006. [cite web|url=http://www.grammy.com/GRAMMY_Awards/49th_Show/list.aspx|title=49th Annual Grammy Awards Nominee List|publisher=Grammy.com]

Kierra is currently a freshman at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan where she is studying entertainment law. Though originally a criminal justice major, the decision to switch to entertainment law was definitely influenced by her growing career in the gospel music industry. [cite web|url=http://www.gospelflava.com/articles/kierrasheardinterview2006.html|title=Kierra Kiki Sheard Interview|author=Jones, Steven|publisher=GospelFlava.com] 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 addition to performing at the 2007 Stellar Awards, ("Why Me?"), Sheard appeared on BET's Celebration of Gospel standing in for Faith Evans (because she was pregnant) 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.

After much speculation, Sheard confirmed on her MySpace blog that she is in the studio recording a third album but did not state the release date. Recording in the studio began on July 11, 2007.

Discography

Albums

"See also "

*"I Owe You" (EMI Gospel, 2004)
*"Just Until" (EMI Gospel, 2005)
*"This Is Me" "'(EMI Gospel, 2006)
* "Bold Right Life" (EMI Gospel, 2008) [cite web|url=http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0018Q7K26/|title=Kierra Sheard: Bold Right Life|publisher=Amazon.com|accessdate=2008-10-10]

ingles

* "You Don't Know"
* "Let Go"
* "Why Me"
* "Yes"
* "This Is Me — The Live Session"
* "Won't Hold Back" [cite web|url=http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001D6NHG4/|title=Kierra Sheard: Won't Hold Back|publisher=Amazon.com|accessdate=2008-10-10]
* "Praise Him Now" [cite web|url=http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001CKT1ES/|title=Kierra Sheard: Praise Him Now|publisher=Amazon.com|accessdate=2008-10-10]

Other

* J. Moss feat. Kierra "Kiki" Sheard & 21:03: "Jump, Jump" "V2" (GospoCentric)
* Kierra "KiKi" Sheard & Marcus Cole: "This Christmas" "Christmas To Remember" (EMI Gospel)
* Karen Clark Sheard feat. Kierra Sheard: "The Will Of God" "Finally Karen" (Island)
* Karen Clark Sheard feat. Kierra Sheard: "Sacrifice" "2nd Chance" (Elektra)
* Karen Clark Sheard feat. Kierra Sheard: "You Loved Me" "The Heavens Are Telling" (Elektra)
* Karen Clark Sheard feat. Kierra Sheard: "Don't Change" "The Heavens Are Telling" (Elektra)
* Ramiyah f/ Kierra Sheard, Dorinda Clark Cole, Karen Clark Sheard: "Don't Nobody Know" "Ramiyah" (Columbia)
* 21:03 f/ Kierra "KiKi" Sheard, PDA & J Moss: "One Love" "Twenty One O Three" (Verity)
* Kierra "Kiki" Sheard: "Nearer My God To Thee" "Music Inspired By the Motion Picture Amazing Grace" (Sparrow)
* Tye Tribbett feat. Kierra Sheard: "Look Up" "Stand Out" (Columbia) [cite web|url=http://www.gospelflava.com/articles/tyetribbettliverecording2007.html |title=REC
]

Videography

Kierra filmed her first two videos for "This Is Me" and "Yes" simultaneously. Both songs are culled from her 2006 second studio release "This Is Me".
*"This Is Me" premiered on September 16, 2006. The video is for the Antonio Neal-produced "live session" version of the song, not to be confused with the Darkchild-produced studio version. The scenes alternate from Kiki driving a Ford Fusion, Kiki singing in a small gig, and Kiki singing in a curtained room.
*"Yes" consists of alternating scenes of Kiki Sheard in an old-fashioned General Motors vehicle and a party scene on top of a roof. The video premiered on The Gospel Music Channel and BET.For further reference, Kierra Sheard has made video appearances on the DVD release "Dorinda Clark Cole LIVE", singing background for Clark Cole throughout the set and being featured in a standout solo on "You Can't Hurry God". Also available is Karen Clark Sheard's "Finally Karen Live" (VHS only). This video features the now-classic 1997 Karen & Kierra duet performance that earned both artists Stellar awards in their respective fields.

More recently, Sheard made a cameo appearance in J Moss' music video "Operator".

Controversy

There was a rumor going around that prior to signing with EMI Gospel, Sheard considered singing with a well known mainstream R&B label. While this was seemingly minor, it stirred up Sheard's conservative fan base. In an interview, Sheard claimed that she had not ever considered signing with a secular label. [cite web|url=http://www.blackgospel.com/interviews/kierrakikisheard.htm|title=BlackGospel.com Interview With Kierra Kiki Sheard|author=Heron, Christopher|publisher=BlackGospel.com]

Trivia

*Kierra's song "Have What You Want" plays in gospel duo Mary Mary's recent music video "Yesterday". The vamp is heard as the two exit their vehicle, presumably from their car.
*Sheard's favorite musical artist is Mary J. Blige [cite web|url=http://www.gospelflava.com/articles/insider-kierrasheard2006.html|title=Kierra Kiki Sheard Insider Interview|author=Jones, Steven|publisher=GospelFlava.com]

References

External links

* [http://www.kierrakikisheard.com Official website]
* [http://www.myspace.com/kierrakikisheard Kierra "Kiki" Sheard's MySpace page]