Anita Faye Chronicles the Making of Her "Kingdom Journey"

Las Vegas-based singer/songwriter Anita Faye is busy prepping for the release of her long-awaited new CD, Kingdom Journey. The stellar new 13-song CD is slated to impact retail in September, 2018, from NiNiTunes, and will be available from major online retailers including iTunes, Amazon.com, and Google Play. Running the stylistic gamut from smooth jazz and bouncy hip hop to swaying reggae, Anita wraps her mellifluous, multi-octave soprano around each song, imbuing it with a soaring spiritual burst of energy. 

Faye burst onto the music scene in 2005 with her independent release R U Willing, which earned a Gospel Album of the Year nomination from the International Independent Music Awards, and has shared the stage with Gospel music legends including Martha Munizzi, Kim Burrell, and the Edwin Hawkins Youth & Young Adult Mass Choir, among others.  

Q.:  Anita, thank you for doing this interview with us.  Let's start with yourself, how did the Lord lead you into music ministry?

A: Thanks for the opportunity to connect. I've been drawn to music since before I could really form sentences. As I learned from my mom, I would be singing to my stuffed animals (my first audience) into the wee hours of the night. And in church, it started with the youth choir as well as community choirs I was a part of. You could say that I had a keen awareness and understanding from a very early age that music was my special gift. I felt a calling and a deep sense of responsibility to use my voice and musical talent to encourage others throughout my Christian walk. As I began to truly understand the power that music has to bring hope, healing and inspiration, it further impressed upon me to be even more committed to honor my call to be an ambassador of the music ministry.  

Q:  How would you describe your style of music?  And who would you say are people who have had inspired you?

A: I would call my style of music 'gospel fusion' which is a hybrid of contemporary, jazz, neo-soul and some traditional sacred music. I've never been one to subscribe to labels per se. I simply try to get into receiving mode to hear what God is saying and wants me to impart, and sometimes the expression takes on a different form. Plus, my musical influences have been very diverse growing up. I did grow up in church, but I listened to everyone from Mahalia Jackson and The Clark Sisters to Ella Fitzgerald, Michael Jackson and Sting.  

Q: You have a brand-new album entitled "Kingdom Journey."  Why did you title it "Kingdom Journey"?

 A: In many ways, Kingdom Journey describes a process of spiritual awakening and maturation. It is symbolic of a faith walk, and it is also indicative of the road we travel in discovering who God is, as well as our Kingdom purpose in Him. The narrative in this project is a little different based on some of the themes it explores, but it is not superficial. In fact, it uses creativity to express transparency and vulnerability. I believe that every journey is a discovery filled with ups and downs and even some scars. And that's ok. As Romans 8:28 says, "And we know that all things work together for the good of them that love God and are the called according to His purpose." Kingdom Journey symbolizes that everything we experience in our Christian journey works for our good. Whether it's hurt, pain, suffering, disappointment, or God's healing and redemptive power, it's all part of the glorious narrative of our "Kingdom Journey." 

Q:  What are your hopes for this record?  How do you wish this album would impact the lives of your listeners?

A: My hope is that people are inspired to go layers deeper in their exploration and relationship with God. I pray that people who may have encountered doubt or questioned God in their struggles will realize that there is no shame in that...and that even the greatest Christian leaders in the world-and in the Bible-have endured spiritual roller coasters. I also hope that as people enjoy the style of music the message is wrapped in, that they will indeed have an encounter with the message, as I believe music has the power to comfort and bring healing. And a final wish is if it blesses someone, they will support my ministry and recommend it to someone else. 

Q:  One of the songs on the record is dedicated to the families of the victims of the Las Vegas mass shooting.  Tell us more about how the song "Angels in Heaven" came about.

A: Great question. My husband and I were stunned when we heard about the shooting. We have a friend who owns a security company and started posting updates on social media to warn people to stay away from the area. Then the news feeds started. We had a deja vu moment because we both lived in Boston during the time of the marathon bombing. This was the same eerie feeling we experienced then. In fact, in both instances I had co-workers whose friends or family members were impacted. As Christians, we wanted to not only pray for those victimized, but offer a song of healing. It felt like the very least we could offer (in addition to our donations). My husband wrote the song and I arranged the vocals.

Q:  Let's talk about your new single "Cast My Cares."  Did you write this song too?  Why are you passionate about it?

 A: Yes, I wrote "Cast My Cares" at a time when I was truly despondent and overwhelmed and just in need of a release. It came in a moment of realization that I could not carry the load. The song is both deeply personal and totally relatable. I think a lot of people can identify with being in a place when it seems the weight of the world is on their shoulders. And the truth of the matter is we were never intended to carry the burden that God wants to carry for us. That's why He admonishes us to cast our cares on Him because He cares for us, and take His burden upon us because His yoke is easy and His burdens are light. Of course, that's easier said than done (especially if you're a Type A personality like I am), but it is nevertheless the place that the Lord wants us to get to. Sometimes, we need to get to a point of exhaustion to have that aha moment. 

Q:  Through the making of this new record, how has God enriched your kingdom journey? 

A: Wow, I love that question. The short answer is growth. I had an opportunity to reflect on where God has brought me in recent years. The process of writing these songs and the themes that were covered was also very healthy for me...perhaps even cathartic.  The healing process, the journey of forgiveness (for myself and others), and the ability to really sit back and say, "I made it through that and I know that God has my back" is nothing short of enriching. The process made me take inventory and realize that the good outweighed the bad, even when it didn't feel like it at the time. For me it was a breakthrough and such an awesome takeaway that God's always true to His word, but it's only in trusting Him that we discover His providential grace along this Kingdom journey. 

 

 

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