Atlanta, GA (Top40 Charts/ PR Group) Delra Harris was 5-years-old when he launched his singing career standing on a chair in the church cafeteria.
"One Sunday afternoon we were at our family church and my mom lifted me up on a chair so everybody could see me and she told me to sing her favorite song. Although, nervous, bashful and shy, I obediently sang her favorite song, "Walk With Me Lord", recalls the multi-talented Atlanta-based singer/songwriter/producer. "I guess people liked something about what I did, because suddenly I found myself singing in the little children's choir and performing at all types of various church events."
Encouraged by his mother, herself an amazing singer, Harris says he soon started appearing in local talent shows and performing in a plethora of music events at school.
"I sang at many weddings for friends, family members and even performed at the mayor's daughter's wedding," says Harris. "Before long I was being asked to appear all over the place, but I wasn't quite sure if it was because of my singing or because of the energy I was throwing into my performances ... lol but either way, performing music always gave me a delight, regardless of what was going on in my life, and it has been my passion my entire life. I'm not sure if I came out crying or singing when I was born."
Harris says at the age of 22 he decided to get more serious about becoming a professional vocalist. He started by recording a series of traditional gospel songs, in large part to honor his mother who was a devout lover of that genre.
"After a number of recordings and performances, I began to realize that even though I had grown up around gospel music and I had learned to vocally imitate other popular gospel artists, traditional gospel music wasn't my style. It just wasn't totally me," says Harris.
With that realization, Harris decided he would stop trying to pattern his vocal ability after a particular artist or musical style. Rather, he would write and perform music that expressed his own unique energy using his own unique voice, essentially creating his own music.
"I learned to stop worrying about who might accept my music and who might reject my music, and I concentrated on just being myself, Delra and on creating and performing songs that I felt inspired the soul, which I hoped would also somehow inspire others," says Harris.
Harris says his decision to stay true to himself proved to be a magical turning point for his career, leading to the recording and release of his 2010 album, Keep the Faith. The album earned him critical acclaim, a flock of new fans, an enormous host of honors, world wide performances, including the prestigious honor of performing his precedent single "Keep The Faith" at the historic Jordan River in Jerusalem Israel. Delra additionally earned magazine covers, television performances, multiple Music Awards and nominations, including 2010 En Sound Music Awards, nominations for Male Vocalist of the Year and Best Male Urban Artist, and winner's trophies for "Best Song" in the Urban Gospel category with the cut "Hope", and "Best Video" for the title track, "Keep the Faith".
"The Keep the Faith album is an Inspirational mix of Pop, R&B and Gospel flavor and even some hip hop," says Harris. It's a very diverse album. Cuts from it are played on hip hop stations, R&B stations, pop music stations, and gospel stations, but the common denominator to the music is that it's just 'me', 'just inspirational'."
How would Harris describe the sound of his brand new album, No Authority, now in the final mastering stages as he readies it for a World wide release this summer.
"I feel that my new album belongs in a brand new genre, totally free of pre-existing labels," says Harris. "Though it may have flavors of Pop, Rock,Techno R&B and Gospel, the project is really about the inspiration and the fulfillment that comes from spreading a positive message to all listeners from all genres and not placing a limit on who can be inspired. After all ... we can all use inspiration! I am so excited to produce another project that is Pure Delra, because being myself is the best person I can be."
Harris says he's not quite sure what to call the new genre, but for lack of a better descriptive term, and until the fans and critics weigh in, perhaps the new album's highly-energetic and inspirational musical style could be best described simply as, 'Pure Delra'.
Listen to an interview with recording artist Delra Harris and get a special advance audition of the title track from his upcoming album, No Authority, on Atlanta's KISS 104.1 FM radio, Sunday, May 15th at 6:15am. Then keep listening for the official World Debut of "No Authority" at 9:30am.
For the full Delra Harris discography, visit www.delraexperience.com.
Delra Harris albums and singles are available online from iTunes, Amazon.com, eMusic.com, CDBaby.com, Rhapsody.com and Napster.com.
