Kierra "Kiki" Sheard (I Owe You) - Reviews

Kierra "Kiki" Sheard
I Owe You

This isn't her grandmother's music.

Kierra "Kiki" Sheard comes to the scene gifted with a legacy that is undeniable. Daughter of Clark Sister Karen Clark Sheard and granddaughter of the famous COGIC musical mastermind,

the late Dr. Mattie Moss Clark, this 17-year old vocal phenom breaks her solo debut on the razored edge talent of an urban production dream team —J.Moss, Warryn Campbell and Rodney Jerkins, plus her own brother (Drew Sheard Jr.).

Kiki is not unknown. With a Stellar Award already under her belt for her sizzling performance with her mother on the duet "The Safest Place", Kiki has been turning heads for several years now.

But I Owe You may be a little different than expectations, if you're basing things on what you've heard before.

From the get-go, Sheard's EMI Gospel entry grabs attention. "You Don't Know" rocks it with the best of them. Finessed into a pocket by Darkchild stylings (Rodney Jerkins), the cut is a celebratory, testimonial jam of God's goodness and greatness.

I Owe You

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The neck fractures continue to pile up with "Church Nite", a PAJAM setup that begins with the warning that "joints like these don't even need intros". J.Moss adds his background vocals to the cut, which turns typical 'party focus' on its head by celebrating church priorities.

The joyfully frenetic "Let Go" pulls you right in, with its Warryn Campbell-produced ultra groove, and snaggy melodics. Sheard's youthful energy and soulful pipes are a perfect fit to make this a jam lover's jam. Her contrasting vocal display on the Campbell-penned slow ballad, "All I Am" is also compelling.

The "War" is notable by the fact that Sheard's brother, 14-year old Drew Sheard, produces and co-writes with his sister. Dry percussives intro the cut that finds its lyrical power from spritual warfare encouragement. Closely stacked harmonies punctuate the chorus, as Kierra pours the verses on top.

Double Interview with
Kierra Sheard

"I was listening to the words [of "You Don't Know"] when I first heard it. Because they wrote the song based on me going through with my mom being sick. And I'm like, how do they know how I feel? They wrote the song, but this is really how I felt. This is really what I went through. And I'm like how do they know that....

See full interview with Kierra Sheard. See also, the supplementary Insider Interview.

Warryn Campbell (Mary Mary, William Murphy III, Kelly Price, Angie Stone) continues to show his prowess on the traditional side of Gospel with his work on "Done Did It", as Sheard drops her vocals over a romping church beat. Check the intensity of her growls at the song's conclusion for more proof that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

"S.N.A.P" is something a little different, as Tonex spills Nureau Ink all over the track. Sheard shows her versatility in multi-genres as she flows over the high-intensity hip hop beats. Dona Vigor adds her flow to the mix, and T-Bizzy does his thing. The song title refers to our "snapping" out of any funk we may be in, by way of our reliance on the power of Jesus Christ.

With other songs ("Closer, Sweetest Thing", "So Long") also making the mark, it's big kudos to Kiki on a shimmering and auspicious debut.

Grandmother would surely approve.

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Producers: Various album release date: September 7, 2004
EMI Gospel

— reviewed by Stan North —