Erica Campbell, Tasha Cobbs to Transform Lives at Soul Train Awards
When gospel music artists perform at secular events, they often use the platform as an opportunity to plant seeds of change within viewers. That's exactly what Grammy Award-winning singer Erica Campbell plans to do when she teams up with fellow gospel artist Tasha Cobbs for a special performance at the Soul Train Awards on Nov. 6.
"I'm a big Tasha Cobbs fan. Not only do I love her voice, but I love her spirit. So to be able to present gospel at the Soul Train Awards is amazing," Campbell told The Christian Post. "We're really excited about this collaboration, to make sure that we represent gospel music in the best possible way. I'm totally just excited about the possibilities."
The 43-year-old "I Luh God" singer, who built her music career with the gospel duo Mary Mary before finding solo success last year, told CP about her mission to bring Jesus to people at an event filled with its fair share of secular hip-hop, R&B and soul music.
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"When we as gospel artists are invited into mainstream arenas, people are already going to be entertained. We want to bring that element, but the difference has to be that we are fully anointed and the anointing must spill from the stage to the audience so that change can take place," Campbell said. "They have to feel different, they have to be different after our performance. A seed needs to be planted."
The opportunity to collaborate onstage with Cobbs, the 34-year-old "Jesus Saves" singer, is more than just another performance for Campbell, whose on-stange collaborations are girded by a solid strategy.
"We're private change agents and we go in to minister the gospel that causes people's lives to change or their minds to change. When your mind can change, that leads to a change in your life," she told CP. "It's not like we'll have an alter call and people will be running around shouting, but we definitely want to plant a seed to cause people's lives to change after our performance."
Campbell is nominated for Best Gospel/Inspirational Song Award for her single "More Love." An honor of which she says she is "blessed." Since becoming a solo singer with her debut album Help last year, Campbell has been recognized at a number of award shows, including the 57th Grammy Awards where she won for Best Gospel Album.
She told CP that the best part of her entire journey, however, has nothing to do with accolades and awards, but with seeing how God works when she obeys Him.
"Saying yes to God, taking a departure from Mary Mary — who was so successful and so loved — that's what I'm most proud of — even if the results weren't what they are with the awards and the sales and all that stuff," Campbell told CP. "When my sister wanted to chill a little bit more, I just thought there was more for me to do. I'm just glad that I said 'yes' to the Lord and could be blessed in this way.
"Whether I'm on an interview or spending time by myself, I'm like, 'wow, God.' When we yield to Him and do what He's asked us to do — not what we want to do or what we think the right thing is to do — but when we know beyond the shadow of a doubt that it's something God has called us to do ... it's just an overwhelming blessing," she said. "People ask me if I'm scared, I'm not scared at all. I'm just thoroughly enjoying it, the whole process."
You can watch Erica Campbell perform with Tasha Cobbs when the Soul Train Awards airs on Centric at 8 p.m. ET. Nov 29 on BET. For more information,
