Jonathan McReynolds facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jonathan McReynolds
McReynolds in 2018
Background information
Birth name	Jonathan Caleb McReynolds
Born	(1989-09-17) September 17, 1989 (age 35) Chicago, Illinois
Genres	Gospel urban contemporary gospel
Occupation(s)	Singer songwriter
Instruments	Vocals guitar piano organ drums
Years active	2012–present
Labels	Light Entertainment One

Jonathan Caleb McReynolds (born September 17, 1989) is an American gospel musician. He has won a Grammy Award for his music. Jonathan started his music career in 2012 with his album Life Music. He has had two albums reach No. 1 on the Billboard Gospel Albums chart. These were Life Music: Stage Two (2015) and Make Room (2018). He has also won many other awards, including fifteen Stellar Awards and four GMA Dove Awards. He has been nominated for five Grammy Awards and won one in 2021.

Early Life and Talents

Jonathan McReynolds was born in Chicago, Illinois, on September 17, 1989. He grew up with his single mother. His family, church, and pastor gave him a lot of love and support. Jonathan was a very smart and talented child. He started playing the drums when he was five years old. By age eight, he was playing the piano. He showed off his musical skills every week at his church.

At first, Jonathan did not like to sing in front of people. He would only sing by himself at home. But in high school, he started to become more confident. He began to share his singing talents with others. He went to Whitney M. Young Magnet High School. There, he became known for his music. He also learned how to record and produce songs. These skills were very helpful later on. He used them to record his first songs in his college dorm room. One of these songs, "No Gray," became very popular online.

Jonathan's Music Journey

Jonathan's music career officially began in 2012. His first album, Life Music, came out on September 25, 2012. It was released by Light Records and Entertainment One Music. This album helped him become known in the music world. It reached No. 3 on the Billboard Gospel Albums chart. His song "No Gray" was a huge hit online. It led to him appearing on TV shows like BET's Celebration of Gospel. Famous artists like India.Arie and Nicki Minaj became his fans.

Big Success with Life Music: Stage Two

Jonathan's second album was Life Music: Stage Two. This album was nominated for a Grammy Award. It became the No. 1 Billboard Gospel album for four weeks. It also won a GMA Dove Award. The album featured other well-known artists like Israel Houghton and India.Arie. His song "Gotta Have You" became a top five gospel hit. Many people praised the album for its honest and spiritual messages. In 2016, Jonathan released an EP called Sessions. This surprise album quickly reached No. 1 on the iTunes Christian chart.

Make Room and More Achievements

Jonathan's third album, Make Room, was his biggest success yet. It helped him win eight Stellar Awards. It also earned him two more Grammy Award nominations. The album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Gospel charts. His song "Not Lucky, I'm Loved" became his first No. 1 radio hit. Another song, "Cycles," became very popular online. Stars like Justin Bieber and Kandi Burruss showed their support for this album. Many people, including Kirk Franklin, called Jonathan "the future of Gospel Music."

In March 2018, Jonathan made history for gospel music. His one-hour TV special, "Make Room," aired many times on TVOne. He also became the first gospel artist to partner with Tidal, a music streaming service. In the fall of 2018, he released a book called "Make Room: Finding Where Faith Fits." It almost became a bestseller.

Recent Projects and Acting

In June 2019, Jonathan became a judge on Season 9 of BET's Sunday Best. He judged alongside other famous artists like Kirk Franklin. In 2020, he released an EP called People. This EP included the song "Moving On." This song won a Grammy Award in 2021 for Best Gospel Performance/Song.

After his Grammy win, Jonathan starred in a BET+ movie called "Favorite Son." This was his first acting role. He played the main character in the movie. In August 2021, his song "Grace" became his fourth straight No. 1 hit on Gospel Airplay. In August 2024, Jonathan performed at the 2024 Democratic National Convention.

Life Outside of Music

In 2016, Jonathan started a non-profit organization called Elihu Nation. This group helps young people learn and grow in wisdom. It has held events about Christian learning and self-help. Elihu Nation has also given out at least $30,000 in college scholarships.

Even with his busy music career, Jonathan has taught at Columbia College Chicago. He taught in the music department for five years. He believes it is important to help society outside of music. Jonathan earned his bachelor's degree in music from Columbia College. In 2015, he also earned a master's degree in Biblical studies from Moody Theological Seminary.

In 2018, Jonathan became a member of Mensa. This is an international group for people with high IQs. He also became an honorary member of Alpha Nu Omega, Inc., a Christian fraternity. Jonathan McReynolds is the uncle of actor Khalil Everage.

Discography