Kierra Sheard facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kierra Sheard-Kelly
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Sheard-Kelly in 2023
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Kierra Valencia Sheard |
| Also known as | Kierra "Kiki" Sheard, Kierra Sheard-Kelly |
| Born | June 20, 1987 |
| Origin | Detroit, MI |
| Genres | Urban gospel, R&B, CCM |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, Evangelist |
| Instruments | Vocals |
| Years active | 1997–present |
| Labels | Capitol Christian Music Group, EMI Gospel, Motown Gospel, Karew Entertainment. RCA Inspiration |
| Associated acts | Karen Clark Sheard Mary Mary The Clark Sisters Tasha Cobbs Mali Music |
Kierra Valencia "Kiki" Sheard-Kelly (born June 20, 1987) is a famous American gospel singer and evangelist. She comes from a very musical family. Her mother is the gospel singer Karen Clark-Sheard, her father is Bishop J. Drew Sheard, and her grandmother was the well-known choir director Mattie Moss Clark.
Before starting her own career, Kierra appeared on albums by her mother and aunts. In 2004, she released her first album, I Owe You. It featured the hit song "You Don't Know". This song was inspired by a time when her mother was very sick and almost died from a blood clot in 2001. Kierra also played her mother in the popular Lifetime movie, The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel.
Contents
Early Life and First Steps in Music
Kierra was born in Detroit, Michigan, and grew up surrounded by music and faith. When she was only five years old, she started singing in the choir at her father's church.
She made her first professional recording at age nine on her mother's album, Finally Karen (1997). The song she sang, "The Will Of God," even won a Stellar Award. For the next few years, she sang backup for her mother, her aunt Dorinda Clark-Cole, and the famous group the Clark Sisters. In 2003, she was signed by the record label EMI Gospel.
Music Career
A Powerful Debut: I Owe You
Kierra's first album, I Owe You, came out on September 7, 2004. It was a huge success and went straight to number one on the Top Gospel Albums chart. This made her the first new artist in Billboard history to do so. The album featured songs written and produced by famous artists like Rodney Jerkins and the duo Mary Mary.
In 2005, she released an album of remixes called Just Until.... A remix of her song "Let Go" became a surprise hit in Japan, reaching the top of the R&B charts there.
Growing as an Artist
After finishing high school, Kierra released her second album, This Is Me, on June 27, 2006. It also debuted at number one on the Top Gospel Albums chart. The album was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary R&B Gospel Album.
In 2008, Kierra was featured on the hit song "God in Me" by Mary Mary. The song was very popular and was her first to appear on the US Hot 100 chart. That same year, she released her third album, Bold Right Life. It mixed different styles like R&B, pop, rock, and traditional gospel.
Her fourth album, Free, was released on October 18, 2011. This was the first album on her family's own record label, Karew Records.
Acting, Reality TV, and More Music
In 2010, Kierra acted in the movie Preacher's Kid. Three years later, in 2013, she and her family starred in a BET reality show called The Sheards. The show followed the lives of Kierra, her brother J. Drew, and her parents.
In 2014, she released her fifth album, Graceland. It became her fourth album to reach number one on the Top Gospel Albums chart.
In 2020, Kierra starred as her own mother, Karen Clark-Sheard, in the Lifetime movie The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel. The movie was a huge success. Following the movie, she released her sixth album, Kierra. It also debuted at number one on the Top Gospel Albums chart. One of its songs, "Something Has To Break," became a big hit.
Personal Life
Kierra graduated from Wayne State University with a degree in English. In 2017, she was officially licensed as an evangelist, which means she is a preacher who travels to spread her faith.
In 2015, Kierra launched her own clothing line called Eleven60. The brand is designed for curvy women and is named after her mother's birth month and year.
On her 33rd birthday, June 20, 2020, Kierra got engaged to Jordan Kelly. They were married on December 12, 2020. In 2021, she released her first book, Big, Bold and Beautiful: Owning the Woman God Made You to Be. In May 2023, she and her husband announced they were expecting their first child, a baby girl.
Discography
- I Owe You (2004)
- This Is Me (2006)
- Bold Right Life (2008)
- Free (2011)
- Graceland (2014)
- Kierra (2020)
- All Yours (2023)
Awards
Kierra Sheard-Kelly has won many awards for her music. Here are some of the major ones.
Dove Awards
The Dove Awards are given out by the Gospel Music Association. Kierra has won 3 awards from 13 nominations.
- 2005: "You Don't Know" won for Urban Recorded Song of the Year.
- 2007: This Is Me won for Urban Album of the Year.
- 2020: "Something Has To Break (Live)" won for Gospel Worship Recorded Song of the Year.
Grammy Awards
The Grammy Awards are one of the biggest honors in music. Kierra has been nominated 4 times.
- 2006: This Is Me was nominated for Best Contemporary R&B Gospel Album.
- 2009: Bold Right Life was nominated for Best Contemporary R&B Gospel Album.
- 2021: Kierra was nominated for Best Gospel Album.
- 2024: "God is Good" was nominated for Best Gospel Performance/Song.
NAACP Image Awards
The NAACP Image Awards celebrate the achievements of people of color in arts and entertainment. Kierra has won 1 award from 6 nominations.
- 2024: "All Yours" won for Outstanding Gospel/Christian Song.
Stellar Awards
The Stellar Awards honor achievements in gospel music. Kierra has won 7 awards from 24 nominations.
- 1999: "The Will of God" won for Children's Performance of the Year.
- 2006: I Owe You won for Contemporary Female Vocalist of the Year.
- 2010: She won for Special Event CD of the Year for a tribute album.
- 2013: Free won for Albertina Walker Female Vocalist of the Year.
- 2021: Kierra won for Contemporary Album of the Year.
- 2021: "Something Has to Break (Live)" won for Song of the Year.
- 2024: All Yours won for Contemporary Female Artist of the Year.
See also
In Spanish: Kierra Sheard para niños
