Kirk Franklin

About Kirk Franklin:Raised in Fort Worth, Texas by his great-aunt Gertrude after his mother gave him up as an infant, Kirk started playing piano at four and directing a church choir at eleven. By 1993, he had flipped gospel music on its head. His debut with The Family became the first gospel album in history to be certified Platinum, spending 100 weeks on the Billboard charts. Three decades later, he stands as the most awarded gospel artist of his generation, and a quiet architect of the modern gospel industry. Through Fo Yo Soul Entertainment, his imprint at RCA/Sony, Kirk has produced, mentored and platformed a generation of voices. Through Den of Kings, he's hosting the conversations other rooms won't have.Artist. Composer. Producer. Entrepreneur. Author. Husband. Father. And still, thirty-plus years later, refusing to stay inside the lines. About Kierra Sheard KellyJust how mesmerizing is Kierra Sheard’s voice? Captivating enough to shut down a noisy audience until you can hear a pin drop.Case in point: Sheard’s recent Grammy Week performance at BET’s annual Music Matters showcase. Those lucky enough to be in the audience were treated to a brief but powerful set that included a song about insecurities, both physical and emotional in her latest single, “Flaws,” as well as a goose bump-raising cover of the Mary J. Blige classic “No More Drama.” That colorful versatility provides the creative blueprint for Sheard’s contemporary urban inspirational sound.“It’s about singing an inspiring song that everyone can listen to,” explains Sheard, “especially those people who may never step foot in a church. It’s about R&B/hip-hop and gospel beats mixed with Coldplay and other pop/rock sounds—but always with a positive message.”