Gospel singer Lena Byrd Miles joyfully celebrates the release of her debut album, Brand New. The renowned singer/songwriter promises to her devoted fans to share her personal journey with God. This is her heartfelt story in her own words.
Your debut album, Brand New, was released today. How does this project differ from the many other offerings available today?
Brand New gives my fans a part of my journey. I am sharing through my songs how my parents were definitely influential, the way I came up singing in The Sunshine Band, and things like that. While they are hearing great music and great encouraging songs, they are also getting a look at what it was like for me growing up.
Sharing your personal story was very important to you. Why do so now with your first album?
I think because it is introducing me and my artistry to people who may be hearing me or gospel music for the first time. It was a concept that Warren Campbell introduced to me. I was all for it. I thought it would be a lot of fun, and it was. I believed it would also be creatively challenging to come up with so many songs in such a short amount of time.
Having shared the stage with great luminaries such as Tye Tribbett and Lalah Hathaway, how has that shaped the way you perform?
I was definitely watching from the sidelines and taking notes from the greats. I was looking at the way they worked the stage and how they engaged with their audiences. Those are a few of the things I learned while working with them.
You have described the recording process as being fun, exciting, and challenging. Tell us what the most challenging part of the new album’s development was.
It was sometimes singing some of those high notes over and over to get annunciation and tone. After doing a run about three times, I could feel those soprano notes slipping out of range (laughing). I was starting to feel light-headed. I didn’t want to end up in an ambulance from trying to sing God’s praises (laughing). When you sing some of those runs in church, they are going to either rejoice or pull you aside later and tell you that some of those notes were kind of flat. In the studio, however, they are not going to put out a song that’s half done. I would keep doing it until I got it right.
Having garnered over 300,000 streams on Spotify alone with just three singles, were you surprised by incredible reception?
Yes, although I have been featured on several projects, I still don’t take it for granted that people know who I am, let alone want to listen to my music. Sometimes people will pigeonhole you and feel that they only like a certain type of music they have heard. I have had people come up to me as if I would release a prayer album or a devotion album. There have been times where I felt that a lot of my fans have only heard me on a certain type of project. Some have heard me sing worship, while others have heard me sing hymns. With this album, I have a little bit of everything on there. When the singles were released, I wasn’t really sure of the reception. I didn’t want to take for granted that people would gravitate towards it just because they follow me on social media. It was really a pleasant surprise. I didn’t know for sure which way it would go.
What are your thoughts on the way gospel music has evolved over the last few decades?
I am excited to say that I am happy with the way it has evolved, and you can incorporate so many things in the music now. I am glad that we had so many great pioneers who didn’t do just one style within the genre. I am still thankful for the legends like Mahalia Jackson, who laid the foundation, as well as the newer talents who, through their versatility, showed that you don’t have to put worshipping God in a box. We can sing about him in different ways, and it will all be accepted. I love that we have so many options in gospel music.
Is it difficult to maintain your Christian values while navigating the business side of the music industry?
I can’t say that it has been a problem for me in my career so far. I haven’t really been challenged in that area. Thankfully, the people I have been surrounded by in the music industry have certain standards and morals that they abide by, so I haven’t felt any pressure to become something I’m not or I wasn’t raised to be or condone. Thankfully, I have been pressured to change the Lena that people have come to know. I can’t speak on anyone else’s journey, but for me, I have been blessed to have never faced that kind of issue.
BE’N ORIGINAL
