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Doe

Source: DoeMusic / Radio One D.C.

Saturday October 15th Spirit of Praise is back live in person!! Zacardi CortezIsabel Davis, Ricky Dillard, James Fortune, JJ Hairston, Pastor Mike Jr and Doe will all be performing live at Reid Temple A.M.E. in Glenn Dale, Maryland at 7pm

GET YOUR TICKETS HERE

Learn more about Doe:

All it takes is one listen to know there’s something uniquely special about DOE. Between the purity of her vocals, intuitive lyrics and soul-captivating sound, the singer-songwriter-musician — born Dominique Jones — is poised to usher in a new era of gospel/inspirational music that transcends traditional perceptions.

Music fans first heard DOE’s multifaceted talent in October 2020 with the release of her debut single “Brighter.” The ebullient hit track was the lead-off to her self-titled EP, released through gospel star Jonathan McReynolds’ Life Room Label in partnership with RCA Inspiration. Now DOE is ready to welcome everyone into her fearless world with Clarity, her debut full-length album due February 18th, 2022. The project borrows its title from one of the 11 tracks comprising the timely and cohesive package.

DOE says, “In listening to that song, I came to the understanding that it sums up the message of the entire album. Clarity is the point where I am in my life. I feel like I’m coming to a beautiful understanding of who I am and what my role is as a child of God.” As she sings on the mid-tempo track, “I feel a freedom in this melody … strip it down, take it off, let them see you wear your crown … be you, be you.”

The empowering honesty imparted in “Clarity” is the unapologetic through line DOE weaves within each song as she shares her own relatable joys and vulnerabilities while claiming hope and perseverance in a world still being rocked by the pandemic, racial unrest and other social issues. The other through line tying everything together: DOE’s ethereal vocals, which float and soar as they carry the listener along on a resonating journey.

Raised in a family of musicians, singers and songwriters, DOE “grew up listening and absorbing everybody that I could … even random people that I’ve found on YouTube. My voice, sound and writing are a combination of all those influences.”

And Clarity bears that out. For example, on the emotional ballad “When I Pray” she soulfully declares, “I know I can reach you when I pray. You’re never too busy for me. It’s not in your nature to turn away.”

Other standouts include the joyous “So Good,” the salvation-themed ballad “What I’m Waiting For” and “Mercy,” which showcases DOE’s elegant high register. Rounding out the album are the five tracks from DOE’s 2020 EP: “I Try,” “Good Now,” “Take Me Back,” “Hey You” and the aforementioned “Brighter,” which hit #1 on the Gospel radio charts.

DOE, also an accomplished guitarist, wrote all of Clarity’s 11 songs and also co-produced on some of the album, working with her brothers Judah Jones, and Dewitt Jones, plus Darryl Howell and McReynolds. DOE says with a laugh, “It was just a bunch of kids putting their brains together to give these songs wings to fly and have a good lifespan.”

Actually, DOE is no stranger to the Christian-Gospel world. Longtime fans no doubt initially remember her as the 19-year-old lead singer in the family septet forever JONES. The group released two albums on EMI Gospel, 2010’s Get Ready and 2012’s Musical Revival, and the self-released Prayer Tools, Vol. 1 in 2014. Along the way, forever JONES earned multiple Stellar and Dove Award nominations as well as two GRAMMY Award nods for Best Contemporary R&B Gospel Album and Best Gospel Performance.

Born in Washington state and raised in Shreveport, Louisiana, DOE began her solo evolution in 2014. She says, “I always knew I was going to do something on my own and my family always knew because I really have such an intense passion for singing and writing. I love that part of who I am.”

DOE went on to self-produce and independently release a couple of EPs and several singles with the help of her brothers. Then in 2018 she came to a crossroads, having also become a youth pastor at her church in Shreveport. DOE recalls, “I felt torn, because I had a really great church family. But I remember sitting with my pastor and him saying ‘Everybody’s waiting on you.’ And my decision to continue pursuing a solo career came at that moment.”

Later that same year, DOE was featured on McReynolds’ single “Cycles” from his Make Room album. The collaboration resulted in DOE’s third GRAMMY nod when the track was nominated for Best Gospel Performance/Song. Impressed by her singing and songwriting skills, McReynolds signed DOE to his Life Room Label.

Over the course of experimenting beyond her prayer music roots, DOE has crafted a unique sound that defies strict definition. The artist, who now lives in Nashville, says “Because what people know most about me is my family’s gospel group, my music is categorized as such. But when people listen to my solo material, they hear other elements like neo soul. I just think it’s really cool that everybody is digesting the music differently.”

Now her seven-year solo gestation is coming full circle with Clarity. And there’s only one main takeaway that DOE wants listeners to embrace. “The more of themselves that they’re willing to accept and not reject because it’s different from what others think, the more powerful their partnership with God and faith. That’s the freedom I want listeners to walk away with.”

Doe  was originally published on praisedc.com