Many people all across the world continue to be drawn to Christian music. It’s now accessible in a variety of forms, ranging from heartfelt ballads to upbeat and enthusiastic praise and worship anthems. Notwithstanding the fact that the number of men in Gospel music continues to rise year after year, the names on the modern Christian music charts are still littered with female artists.
Good music necessitates good voices, and today’s Christian music scene includes many female artists who sing/rap to the Lord and even lead worship. Here are the top 5 female artists you should watch out for in 2022.
DOE
Doe Jones (Dominique Jones), a passionate musical performer and songwriter from Shreveport, Louisiana, is a former member of the GRAMMY, Stellar, and Dove Award-nominated family band “foreverJONES.” She currently tours the United States, singing and encouraging others to grow in their faith.
I first noticed Doe when she was featured on the song “Cycle” by Jonathan McReynolds. On stage, she has a contagious energy. Her distinct voice, varied originality, and sound set her apart from the crowd. Signed to the Life Room label, she introduced her own warm, soul-infused contemporary gospel music with the Doe EP in 2020. ‘Brighter,’ the EP’s smash single, is currently her second No. 1 song on the Gospel Airplay Chart.
Doe has started 2022 very well with two beautiful singles, an upbeat sound in “When I Pray” and a soulful ballad in “So Good”. She recently announced her debut album will be released on the 18th of February, which further shows how promising the year would be with this wonder woman.
TERRIAN
Terrian Bass Woods is a Christian music recording artist and singer from the United States. She is well recognized for her work with TobyMac’s band, Diverse City, as a vocalist. Born and raised in Memphis, Tennessee, Terrian entrenched herself in community and mentorship as a member of AngelStreet Memphis. AngelStreet mentors girls in communities with limited artistic options through musical training, empowering them to recognize their worth, discover their mission, and become creative leaders.
Signed to Gotee Records, Terrian’s first single, “God With Us,” was released in 2019. The music video has received over three million views on YouTube since its release. “In The Arms” came after that. “Let Love Lead,” her third lead single, was released on February 14, 2020. And it was followed by “You Still Do”, released on May 15 of the same year. Then in 2021, she released her EP “Genesis of Terrian”, which happen to be my favourite project from her. Songs like “Stayed On Him (Isaiah 26:3)” had a long-lasting effect on me.
So far in 2022, Terrian has released a new single titled “Wake Up”, and she has also been touring with Grammy award winning artist TobyMac and his DiverseCity Band on the Hits Deep Tour. It’s still a long year, but she’s one to watch out for.
WANDE
Wande, whose real name is Mutiat Yewande Isola, is a Nigerian-American Christian hip hop artist, former journalist, and A&R administrator from Austin, Texas. Born in Nigeria, She grew up in Round Rock, Texas, before moving to Austin. She speaks Yoruba in addition to English. With the exception of her Christian mother, the majority of her family was Muslim.
In 2019, she signed to Reach Records, a Christian hip hop label where she previously worked as an A&R administrator. Prior to that, she worked as a music journalist and released multiple singles as an independent musician from 2013 to 2018. She also made numerous featured appearances on other songs. As the first female artist signed to the label, Wande released her first EP “Exit” on the 24th of April, 2020 followed by a mini-EP “The Decision” on December 4th of the same year.
In 2022, Wande has featured in Reach Records’ Triple Pack mimi-Ep titled, “We Are Unashamed”. While she’d be among the artists touring this spring on the We Are Unashamed Tour, Wande is one artist you need to pay close attention.
KORYN HAWTHORNE
Koryn Mattanah Hawthorne is a gospel and contemporary Christian singer from the United States. At the age of 17, Hawthorne was a finalist on Pharrell Williams’ team on Season 8 of NBC’s singing program The Voice. Following her fourth-place finish on the show, Hawthorne was signed to RCA Inspiration, a Sony Music division dedicated to gospel music records. Unstoppable, her debut studio album, was released on July 13, 2018, and received many nominations, including two Grammy nods.
Koryn released “Pray”, the lead single off her second album, on July 24, 2020, and it debuted at number one on Billboard’s Gospel Digital Song Sales chart. The album’s second single, “Speak to Me,” was released on August 7. “I AM,” Hawthorne’s album, was released on September 18, 2020. The album is my favourite project of hers, the power in her voice echoes similarities with that of mainstream RnB star, Beyoncé.
She recently released a remix of the song “You” from her last album, featuring rapper Big K.R.I.T. I have listened, and it’s a beauty I must say. When Koryn Hawthorne sings, it fills your heart. You should listen to her.
A.I THE ANOMALY
A.I. The Anomaly (real name Aitina Fareed-Cooke) is a Christian rapper currently residing in Buffalo, New York.
A.I. was exposed to writing at the age of six as a means to cope with the tragedy of her biological mother’s death from a heroin overdose when she was three years old. Despite the difficulties of growing up without her original mother and father, A.I. eventually came to believe in the Bible and desire a closer relationship with God. She began to write stories and poetry about her experiences, which later evolved into music. Since 2007, A.I. has dedicated her life to making music that inspires people to change for the better.
As a wife and mother of two, A.I. was signed to Christian record label God Over Money as their sixth artist and first female signee in 2019. She then released her third studio album “Soul’s Acrylic” on the 29th of January, 2021. Soul’s Acrylic – a beautiful, artistic, thought-provoking album – was the project that introduced me to this super talented woman. Listening to her previous projects like “Sever Threads”, I was blown away by her vivid storytelling and the way she projected all her traumas into music. There is Healing and Hope in Jesus, and maybe if you take out time to listen to A.I. this year, you might have your own testimony too.
Music is a form of art, and it’s one of the best ways to project Christ and draw others to the light of salvation. Good music can help boost one’s faith and also get through tough times, and that’s why we have to be intentional about the kind of music we listen to. I hope you get blessed listening to these women.