“What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun…….or does it explode?” For Gospel newcomer, Da’Quela, her dream of becoming the next great Gospel artist took more of a “big bang” turn in a direction she had, oddly enough, almost given up on. EMI Gospel, the label known for nurturing some of the industry’s most amazing talent from career infancy to stardom, brings Da’Quela to center stage with her debut release entitled Blue Sky.
Blue Sky is God’s big answer to what happens to Da’Quela’s seemingly deferred dream. As she lifts her voice, Da’Quela emits a vocal collage that whisks you into the presence of Ce Ce Winans, Yolanda Adams, and Mary J. Blige all at once. “Blue Sky”, the first single and title track from her debut project, speaks of a love for God that gently elevates the vocalist to a place where she can seemingly touch the sky. Subtle strings grace the track, appearing as a heavenly orchestra waiting to greet and accompany the voice of an angel.
Da’Quela was your average girl next door. She carried a dream in her heart and a deadline for realizing that dream in her head, and the clock was ticking rapidly. Born and raised in Beloit, Wisconsin, population 37,000, she has memories of singing at the age of 2, when she wrapped her toddler fingers around her hairbrush microphone and performed around the house with her older brother. Fast forward a few years, and picture the life of a young adult, adjusting to the reality and challenges of managing life as a single mom. Da’Quela felt the possibility of her dream morphing into reality becoming fainter by the day. Perched on the front steps of her home, one day Da’Quela decided to stretch her faith and present God with a challenge. “If I’m not signed (to a label), recording an album, or something by [age] 25, I’m gonna quit,” she said. She thought, “Maybe I could get used to just singing at church.”
After trying out for both American Idol and Exalting Him, in 2006, Da’Quela sang her way past 16,000 contestants to win the first ever, Trinity Broadcasting Network’s (TBN) Gifted television competition, an American Idol look-alike, showcasing the talent of Christian vocalists nationwide. Immediately, the Gifted judges took note. The accolades from competition judges – industry veterans such as Eddie DeGarmo and Andrae Crouch – came in rapid succession during Da’Quela’s performances, as they observed her personality, her style, and her amazing ability to master any note and any song placed in front of her. At one point in the competition DeGarmo remarked, “……You have a special gift, and whether or not you win this competition…, you should be making cd’s so we can all enjoy it.” The other judges agreed, and Da’Quela pulled out of the competition the winner and proved that there is, in fact, a stage with her name on it in the music industry.
With total confidence, Da’Quela delivers to the world the dream she’s been waiting so long to share. She holds her own against Gospel powerhouse, Darwin Hobbs, who makes a special guest appearance, lending his distinctly rich and powerful vocal gift to a duet on the track “Never Too Far”. Together, the two voices intertwine in a melodious reminder that “no mountain is high enough, no valley is low enough” to separate us from the love of God.
Da’Quela displays her versatility, delivering up tempo tracks like “So Happy”, “I Got You”, and “U Gonna Make It” with unquestionable vocal control and power. She seamlessly delves deep to usher you into the presence of God’s glory on the soul stirring, worshipful love song, “Incredible”. Her passionate conveyance of “It’s Love”, one of the more personal songs on the Blue Sky project, takes you to the depths of her life and her heart. Listen closely, and you will hear snippets of Da’Quela’s personal testimony sprinkled throughout the song as she wraps herself in the forgiving and endless love of God.
“Shining Star”, co-written by Antonio Neal, Kyle Lovett, and label-mate Darlene McCoy, is understandably Da’Quela’s favorite song on the project. This sweet serenade dares you to close your eyes and float on a wave of smooth jazz and R&B sounds as Da’Quela’s lead vocals invite the listener to reflect on the all sufficient and gratifying character of the Lord. Likewise “Psalm 23”, a kindred companion, successfully breathes new life into a familiar, comforting verse of scripture.
In her first time ever in a studio, this nouveau artist was placed in the more than capable hands of industry pros like Antonio Neal, DoubleDutch (Josiah Bell and Robert Marvin), and Cedric Thompson. The evidence is lucid, and selecting a favorite from Blue Sky will prove to be a laborious task and one that will quickly be abandoned at first spin of the project. Inspirational lyrics overlay tracks full of jazz, rhythm and blues, gospel, pop, and even disco influences. Blue Sky promises a collection of sounds capable of pacifying the ears of the most discriminating listener. For Da’Quela, however, her “dream deferred” has now become a dream revealed.
