This EP was released in 2016 and now sits proudly in my CD collection as one of my favourites ranking alongside artistes who are far more famous than this young lady.
In 2016 my wife and I regularly attended the 606 Club Gospel Brunches. In September Kingdom Choir were invited to perform. The show was excellent and choir leader gave some of the choir members an opportunity to showcase their own music. Mariam was one of these artists, she performed ‘Be There For Me’. I enjoyed her performance and in November I ordered her CD. It arrived quickly with a little note thanking me for my purchase.
Two days later I was in my car travelling for work and I played the CD, it struck me immediately how good it was and the closing song ‘Running’ was one of those songs that I instantly loved. On the way home I played that track on repeat for about forty minutes! I emailed Mariam, telling her how good the EP was and she responded thanking me for my kind words and telling me that Kingdom Choir were returning to 606 in December. It was my Birthday on the day and I took my EP to the 606 hoping that Mariam would sign it. She was not in the choir that day but did attend and kindly signed the EP, the choir were amazing (even without her) and it was one of my best Birthdays ever!
There are five songs on the CD.
Track 1 –Be There For Me
This is quite ‘poppy’ with a great chorus and the sort of song that gets into one’s head and you can’t stop singing it.
Track 2 -What I Want
This is a short song with a soulful vibe.
Track 3 – Without You
This is my second favourite song on the EP with more of a gospel sound.
Track 4 – Grow
Another short track which is raw but effective with just guitar and vocals
Track 5 – Running
This track would grace any album. It has a soulful funky vibe reminiscent of Joan Armatrading or Tracey Chapman in their prime. I am amazed somebody has not covered it and made it an enormous hit. It I had to choose my Desert Island discs this song would be chosen, it is that good. There are so many contenders for my all-time top ten but this song would have to be in it.
This artiste deserves to be heard, I am delighted that she has found success with Kingdom Choir but this lady deserves to be well-known as a singer and song-writer. I recommend that you listen to this EP.
Johns London Music Reviews 