Gig Review: The Kiki Sheard Experience
Having grown up before our very eyes and carefully capturing the hearts of the avid church-goer, the music lover and the pure entertainment seeker, Keirra Sheard has come a long way since her first impressing singing battle YouTube video with her Mother. Today, she has earned a well-deserved place as one of the Gospel industries heavy-weights without a sense of strain in sight. From her impeccably disciplined riffs and runs, to her repeatedly commended work ethic, the heavenly sounding twenty-something year-old offers a new definition to the term 'Cool, calm and collected.
Born to her four-time Grammy award winning mother, church bishop father, and having the positive influences of her Aunts and choral director grandfather, Mattie Moss Clark, it’s fair to suggest that Kierra was destined for this path, right from the get go. So with her start-up in life taken into full account, and her credentials reflecting those of an ambassador for naturally endearing efforts, it was no surprise to see approximately 200 young adults piled in to Bethesda Ministries in Thornton Heath last weekend for a night of praise and worship music with Miss Sheard. As opposed to performing her own tracks from her latest debut Free, Miss Sheard opted for popular songs that would encourage the congregation to interact with her, and in doing so, she received an electric and genuine response from a crowd who had so eagerly awaited her arrival.
'Kiki', took to the altar in true church style, singing and dancing along to favourites such as 'Alpha and Omega', and 'Chasing after you', turning the atmosphere dial up to 100 degrees. Salutation goes to the perfectly impromptu efforts of a four-man strong backing, which aided Kierra in taking her performance technique to a new dimension.
We reckon with four albums and two mixtape-style projects released since 1997, she's allowed to let her hair down once in a while and join in the party- even if she was doing it cautiously in a gorgeous pair of 5 inch black suede ankle boots. Careful now Kiki! Amid the alter call and well-earned musical breaks for the leading lady, it was beautiful to be in a venue that was well organised, well-disciplined and that encouraged the amazing talent of UK musicians who were fortunate enough to exhibit their crafts!
