The Journal of Gospel Music Information about the gospel music of yesterday, today, and tomorrow.
“He Saved Me”
YaLonda Lolar-Johnson
Thysongbird Music Group (release date: July 2017)
www.thysongbird.com
By Bob Marovich
YaLonda Lolar-Johnson is distinctive in gospel music for hailing from two environments not particularly well known for producing many gospel artists: St. Paul, Minnesota; and the Seventh Day Adventist Church.
Nevertheless, gospel is her favorite genre and on “He Saved Me,” a song written by vocal instructor Dileesa Archer, Lolar-Johnson admits she was to blame for some of the problems in her life. She also had too much pride to ask for help, so she threw herself a pity party. But out of her emotional darkness, God reached down and saved her.
To an acoustic backdrop with thudding bass and drum maintaining an easy, strutting tempo, Lolar-Johnson navigates wordy verses to stretch her voice out on the liquid chorus. It’s on the chorus that the full flower of her voice bursts forth.
