Gospel Artist Insists 'It Is Time to Celebrate'
Shavonn Graves celebrates the release of her debut album “I Am.”
Album Artwork: Ruben Stunner
Artists around the world record albums for various reasons. For Shavonn Cumby Graves, the release of her debut album I Am is to commemorate an intentional time to celebrate.
During a time in which many people are finding it difficult to focus on the positive, Graves resolves to sing her steadfast songs.
“The album is titled I Am because it is a mirror,” Graves shares. “The most high God says I am who I am - and I am my lineage, my design, my makeup – I am not anything without THE GREAT I AM. It’s an affirmation that points to the great I AM.”
Many music enthusiasts would agree that gospel music is transcendent. Graves has never fit into any box - neither does her music.
The songs on I Am are about her heritage and her desire to never cease in honoring God, as opposed to simply the routines of going to church. The album is moreso about referencing who is the creator of all things. In essence – the album provides a way of worshipping without the four walls of an edifice.
I Am offers some funky gogo beats, “churchy jubilee” sounds and then the old 100 sound.
To be Graves’ friend on social media means being introduced to both eccentric and oftentimes unfamiliar content and messages. To actually meet her is a charismatic experience, in which she never minds explaining her beliefs and stances. To listen to her sing provides an exchange of emotion.
“I’m not a Christian. I’m an Israelite,” Graves commands.
It’s not the typical declaration one might expect from a gospel artist. But Graves is far from typical – not to be confused with unapproachable.
When asked to explain her sentiments, she doesn’t hesitate to share details of a trip she took to Hawaii with her husband Kevin.
“It was an awakening,” Graves explains. “For two weeks, we learned about each other and about our identities. We did genealogy tests to discover that both of us are Israelites. I’ve always been me without having to be attached to the ideology of Christianity. I would have dreams about scriptures, like a movie and it was like puzzle pieces coming together.”
Graves is an independent artist and she wants to stay that way. She grew up learning how to make the right kind of authentic connections, both in business and personally. “I honestly haven’t found the benefit of management just yet,” she explains. “My husband produces and plays. I write, arrange and do my own background on everything.”
The loving couple has an in-home studio that suits them perfectly.
The 42-year old artist says she hears the music before she pens it to paper. She’ll then write it, do a vocal recording of herself singing and send it to Kevin.
“I call him Ike without the fist,” Graves laughs. “He’ll tell me if it’s good. He is very direct.”
Kevin Graves has been a minister of music since he was five years old. He has worked with plenty of gospel artists himself, so his wife insists she trusts whatever he says.
“Friendship brought us together,” Graves explains. “Marriage was never on my agenda, but love and our love for music has made our relationship special.”
With the new album – Graves insists it was composed as a two-way sense of obedience. When her grandmother was sick, she would take care of her during the day until her mom could take over. She didn’t think she would be able to return to music after her grandmother passed, but she had to keep her promise.
“God was telling me to put the album out, that it would be an awakening vessel,” Graves says. “Even though it does have a lot of the church sound – it would be more of the ancestral awakening.”
Like many Black religious scholars, Graves says she has always had so many scriptures memorized, but it was her desire to know more about the things that had been engraved in her that truly changed her life.
Graves first sang at the tender age of three, bellowing out the words to “Bless the Lord Oh My Soul.”
“According to my family, I was singing before I was talking,” Graves laughs.
A native of South Dallas, Graves grew up just blocks from all of the Dallas schools that would nurture her love for singing, but like so many around her – there was too much talent to simply focus on one skill.
The late Audrey Jones was Graves’ choir director in high school. It was him who pushed her forward.
“I would have been okay with singing background if not for him,” Graves shares. “I didn’t like my voice growing up, but he made me the soloist in Germany for show choir. When we did gospel music – he gave me the solos. I wasn’t afraid to be on stage, but I didn’t want people to see me. The authenticity of singing exposes you – when you expose it – you don’t have that piece of yourself anymore.”
As a Lincoln High School student, Graves was recruited by Michigan State to play basketball. The Lincoln principal encouraged her to explore her options with a Historically Black College. But it was the men’s coach from Texas Southern University (TSU) who had seen her play and he was impressed. He introduced her to the coaches of the women’s program and the rest was history.
“I played for TSU for three years,” Graves recalls. “But I was still singing the whole time.”
Before every home game, Graves would sing the National Anthem in her uniform and then take the court as a starting forward. She graduated from the University of Houston -Downtown with a major in sociology and a minor in communication. It was always a desire of hers to be a therapist.
“Turns out I’m really too much of an empath to be a therapist.”
Once her playing days were over, Graves began singing for different artists. She would perform for rappers all over Houston. It was not only consistent money, but it complimented her plans to become a full-time singer. She has performed background for different artists, including Lamar Campbell, Bryan Courtney Williams and Kirk Carr.
By 2016, Graves branched out and recorded her first single “He Reigns.” The single was received well, netting her bookings in California, Florida, Louisiana, Oklahoma and even back home in Dallas.
After an extended stay in Houston, Graves returned home to Dallas in 2017. To be around her family once again made the transition a beautiful one. It was especially important for Graves to be able to spend that time with her beloved grandparents. Graves was able to care for her grandmother after she became ill in 2018.
“My grandmother made me promise that I would complete my album.”
Eura Nita Cumby - Graves’ late grandmother’s voice is featured on a track on I Am. It was important that she warn her family that it would be included.
“I was raised in a family that will tell me the truth,” Graves shares. “My mom has always been honest and tough - she would say go back, that’s not it.”
So far, many of her family members have shared that they think the album is very versatile. Graves is especially happy that her mom gets to see the fruits of her labor. “She has always been my biggest supporter,” Graves shares about her mom. “Even when I put out my singles – it was my mom who always made her way to the front row of every performance.”
There are, however, family members who are not supportive, because Graves’ practices go against family tradition.
“We’ve had to have those conversations about what I believe and what I don’t believe,” Graves shares. “They can’t disprove what I’m saying, so they just dismiss it. Most of my family hasn’t downloaded the album. They would rather not deal with it. I’m comfortable understanding that who I am may not be for you.”
I Am reached #3 on the iTunes charts on its release day of September 3rd. Today, the album sits between CeCe Winans and Maverick City. Graves never thought that she would be charting during pre-orders, but she was.
“I didn’t expect all of this with Covid-19 surging and with no manager - we’re literally making this music from our home.”
Graves would love to tour overseas with the album, preferably in South Africa.
Last Friday evening, Graves hosted a free concert for the new album at Northwood Church in Keller.
“I’m definitely conscious of Covid-19,” Graves insists. “The only reason I agreed to do a concert is because the venue is extremely large and I was able to have an online presence.”
Graves was adamant that she wouldn’t mind if 20 or 200 people showed up – her excitement would be the same. More than 200 people attended in person and over 1,500 watched online.
“I’m so grateful for every person who has allowed me to serve with them, whether it be background or leading,” Graves says. “With this album – you see my heart. I always wanted to do a record, but not be seen by people – now I’m grateful for the opportunity to enjoy both.”
