Cotemporary Gospel/Hip-Hop artist Kierra "KiKi" Sheard was born into one of the most talented families in Gospel music. She is the daughter of Karen Clark-Sheard, a founding member of Gospel legends, the Clark Sisters, and the grandaughter of the late Dr. Mattie Moss Clark, who is thought to be one of the defining influences in all of Gospel music. At just 17, Kierra has proven herself to have the talent of her anscestors, yet hold her own individual sound. Her debut album, I Owe You was released in September of 2004 through EMI Gospel Records. It is Kierra's desire to reach her peers with a sound they can groove to but still praise God with. Kierra "KiKi" Sheard was born and raised in Detroit, where she and her family still reside, and grew up with church, family, music, and teaching all around her. At age six, she began singing in the children's choir of Detroit's Greater Emmanuel Institutional Church of God in Christ, which was pastored by her father, Rev. J. Drew Sheard. It was immediately apparent to her family that she was full of extraordinary talent and had "Sheard blood" in her. Before her grandmother passed away, she told Kierra's mother that "this baby was going to sing." Karen, Kierra's mother, was told to raise her right both spiritually and musically.
Kierra Sheard made her recording debut when she was nine and sang a duet with her mother on "The Safest Place," from Karen's chart-topping album, Finally Karen. When she was ten, she began traveling with her mother on tour to join her for the song. Kierra went on to win the Steller Award for Children's Performance for the song. At first, Kierra recalls not being that interested in singing and performing, but she soon began to witness the fun and joy her family had in singing and praising God, and she longed to be apart of it. By the time she was 13, Kierra had the desire in her heart to minister to people her own age, and she felt God leading her to do that.
Kierra's album, I Owe You, debuted at #1 on the Gospel charts. The album was a dream come true for Sheard and was something she had prayed for for a long time. She chose the title becuase she says she really feels that way about God. God healed Karen, Kierra's mother, of a very serious medical complication in which the doctors had only given her a 2% chance to live. Kierra feels so richly blessed by the Lord because He healed her mother, because He allowed her to make this album, and because He is always with her and will never leave her, that she chose to express her feelings of gratitude in her title.
When Sheard is not busy with school, she is on stage performing. She had the opportunity to perfrom with her mother and Mary J. Blige at a Mary J. Blige concert. It was a thrill for her to be on stage with Blige, who is an influence of hers, as well as have the opportuinity to minister to a secular crowd with Gospel music. Other artists she has shared the stage with include Mary, Mary, and Donnie McClurkin.
Kierra wants people to know that, while she does follow in a long line of great musicsl talents, she does have her own style and is very serious about her ministry. She is determined to show young people that they don't have to live in sin to have fun and enjoy life. I Owe You, she believes, demonstrates that the greatest joy in life is in singing and praising God.
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