Kelontae Gavin's "At the Meeting" has carried the sound of South Carolina's Lowcountry gospel tradition far beyond the church. The song has reportedly generated more than a billion TikTok views and inspired the "bouncy dress" trend, while Gavin's performance with quartet legends Melvin Williams and Paul Porter at the Stellar Gospel Music Awards prompted an audience singalong and an unplanned reprise. Gavin discusses the song's reach, the roots he wanted to honor and how he keeps faith at the center of a growing career.
Q: "At the Meeting" has reportedly generated more than a billion TikTok views and inspired the "bouncy dress" trend. When did you first realize the song had become a cultural phenomenon?
A: Honestly, I don't know if I've fully realized it yet. When I started seeing people who didn't necessarily know me or even listen to gospel music using the song, dancing to it, and creating their own moments around it, I knew something special was happening. But what really moved me was seeing people from different generations connect with it. For me, that's bigger than numbers. It reminded me that when God puts something on you, you don't always know how far He intends to take it. I made "At The Meeting" because I love the sound I grew up with, and God took it places I could have never planned.
Q: The song reflects the traditional Lowcountry gospel sound of your South Carolina roots. Why was this the right time to reveal that side of your musical identity?
A: I think I finally got comfortable enough to stop trying to prove that I could do everything and just be who God created me to be. I grew up around traditional gospel, quartet music, choir music, contemporary gospel, worship - all of it. That Lowcountry sound is part of my DNA. "At The Meeting" allowed me to honor the people, churches and musicians who poured that sound into me while introducing it to a younger generation. I believe there's something powerful about honoring where you come from without being afraid to take it somewhere new.
Q: Your Stellar Awards performance with Melvin Williams and Paul Porter prompted the audience to keep singing until you returned for a reprise. What did that unforgettable response mean to you?
A: Man, that moment is hard to put into words. I've watched and respected Melvin Williams and Paul Porter for so long, so sharing that stage with them was already an incredible moment for me. But when the audience kept singing after we walked offstage, that was different. It felt like the song had become bigger than the people standing on that stage. They weren't just singing a song - they were participating in a moment. And for me, that was confirmation that "At The Meeting" really belongs to the people. I'm just grateful God trusted me to carry it.
Q: Your career began after a video of you singing "I Won't Complain" went viral in high school. Looking back, how do you see God's hand guiding your journey from that cafeteria performance to BET?
A: I can see God's hand in all of it now. At the time, I was just a young kid singing in a cafeteria. I wasn't thinking about a career, BET, awards or any of the things that have happened since then. I was just singing because I loved God and I loved to sing. Looking back, I realize God was teaching me that what feels small to you can be the beginning of something much bigger. The cafeteria was a stage before I ever understood what a stage was. Every opportunity since then has taught me something different, but the foundation has remained the same: serve God, love people and use whatever platform He gives me to point people back to Him.
Q: How has your personal relationship with God changed as your platform and success have grown, and how do you protect your faith amid the pressures of the music industry?
A: My relationship with God has become much more personal. When you're younger, sometimes your faith can be connected to what you grew up around. As I've gotten older, I've had to know God for myself. Success has actually made me more aware of how much I need Him. There are things a platform can give you that only look fulfilling from the outside, so I have to constantly remind myself that none of this is worth losing my relationship with God. Prayer, the Word, my family, my church community and having people around me who will tell me the truth are important to me. I never want the gift to become more important than the Giver.
Q: What can listeners expect from your next season of music? Are more traditional gospel releases, collaborations or a new album currently in the works?
A: Definitely more music. "At The Meeting" opened a door for me creatively, and I don't want to walk through that door and immediately walk away from the sound God used to open it. I'm exploring more traditional gospel, quartet, worship and some different collaborations that I'm really excited about. There's also a bigger body of work taking shape. I'm still allowing God to show me exactly what the next chapter looks like, but I know it's going to sound like me - where I've come from, where I am now and where God is taking me. My goal is not just to make music that people enjoy. I want to make music that reminds people of God, brings generations together and gives people something they can carry with them long after the song ends.
