Vanessa Bling not going gospel
Four years ago, singer/songwriter Vanessa Bling recorded the single ‘Have Mercy On Me Lord’, which to date has received 1.4 million views on YouTube.
The former apprentice of incarcerated deejay Vybz Kartel has other gospel-inspired songs in her catalogue, including the 2017 single Overcome, but received backlash from the Church community for releasing the hardcore sex-themed track My Position around the same time.
“As artistes, we should simply continue to put out good music, it doesn’t matter the genre. Good music is good music,” Vanessa Bling said.
Some speculated that since the former Gaza artiste had decided to regroup and take a break from the dancehall music scene, the next single would have leant towards the gospel genre.
The title and artwork for the newly released track, Freedom, also hinted at a more a roots, reggae spiritual sound.
“The track was done to express a part of me and what I have been going through. I knew it would be relatable, and I wanted to reach out to persons that might have had similar experiences,” she said.
The Mama Said artiste said she was raised in a Christian home and was taught Christian principles from her mother and grandmother.
In fact her grandfather was the leader of a church, and she was expected to attend service every Sunday.
“Whatever it is that inspires me on any given day, that is what I am going to write about because art is a representation of life,” she said. “So, if God is inspiring any artiste, that artiste should be free to express it through his or her music, what is moving them to write spiritual music.”
But Vanessa Bling said she is not in any frame of mind to transition to gospel music.
“Music is my number one passion, and anyone who knows me knows that I have always seen myself crossing over to the international market as a true representation of my family and country, Jamaica,” she said.