Maranda Curtis
{{Infobox musical artist
| honorific_prefix = Minister
| name = Maranda Curtis
| honorific_suffix =
| image = Maranda Curtis PR Image.jpg
| image_upright =
| image_size =
| landscape =
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_name =
| alias = Maranda Curtis Willis
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1979|08|04}}
| birth_place = Miami, Florida, U.S.
| origin =
| genre = {{Hlist|Gospel|praise and worship}}
| years_active = 2012–present
| label = Butterfly Works
| associated_acts =
| website = {{URL|https://iammaranda.com/}}
}}
Maranda Curtis (born August 4, 1979) is an American gospel singer and praise and worship leader formerly with The Potter's House Church, Dallas. Her music has garnered her several nominations from the Stellar Awards and the Dove Awards. She was awarded in the 2020 BMI Trailblazers of Gospel Awards with "Nobody Like You Lord" being one the top 20 most performed Gospel songs in the United States.{{Cite web|last=GMA|date=2020-06-29|title=BMI Announces Its 2020 Trailblazers of Gospel Music Winners|url=https://gospelmusic.org/bmi-announces-its-2020-trailblazers-of-gospel-music-winners/|access-date=2022-02-16|website=The Gospel Music Association|language=en-US}}
Early life
Maranda Curtis was born on August 4, 1979,{{cite web|url=https://www.zionstars.com/download-a-holy-christmas-album-maranda-curtis/|title=DOWNLOAD: A holy Christmas (Album)-Maranda Curtis|website=zionstars.com|date=November 21, 2018|accessdate=May 7, 2019}} in Miami as the fourth of seven children of pastor W. S. Curtis and Darlene Curtis, both former R&B singers.{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/maranda-curtis-mn0001556708/biography|title=Maranda Curtis|publisher=AllMusic|last=Erlewine|first=Stephen Thomas|author-link=Stephen Thomas Erlewine|accessdate=May 7, 2019}} Before she began working professionally making gospel and praise and worship music, she grew up listening to R&B and jazz. She began singing at an early age, learning to harmonize from sitting in on her parents' rehearsals.{{cite web|url=https://www.ccmmagazine.com/features/maranda-curtis-an-open-book/|title=Maranda Curtis – An Open Book|last=Lusk|first=Caroline|date=April 30, 2018|work=CCM Magazine|accessdate=May 7, 2019}}
Career
Curtis is a former worship leader at The Potter's House in Dallas, which is "one of the most influential churches" in the United States. In 2012, she released her first single, "Don't Take Your Love Away".
Curtis's first extended play (EP), The Maranda Experience, Vol. 1, debuted atop the Billboard Top Gospel Albums chart dated August 26, 2017.{{cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/8455411/andy-mineo-arrow-no-2-top-christian-albums-chart|title=Andy Mineo's 'Arrow' Shoots Straight Onto Top Christian Albums, Maranda Curtis Crowns Top Gospel Albums|last=Asker|first=Jim|date=May 10, 2018|work=Billboard|accessdate=May 7, 2019}} Curtis has explained that the title came from a desire of "making my private worship public" by "sharing my experience—the 'Maranda experience'—with others". She learned this desire of "responsible worship", she said, from a visit to South Africa where she taught congregants who "would worship for three and a half hours. I was so convicted. I repented. A burning desire intensified inside of me to never be guilty of withholding my worship." The singer Fantasia commended The Maranda Experience, calling it "true worship".{{cite web|url=https://www.christianpost.com/news/fantasia-moved-by-gospel-singer-maranda-curtis-worship-album.html|title=Fantasia Moved by Gospel Singer Maranda Curtis' Worship Album|date=August 10, 2017|last=Thomasos|first=Christine|accessdate=May 7, 2019}}{{cite web|url=https://www.thisgospellife.com/features/girl-wonder-maranda-curtis-invigorates-the-worship-experience/|title=Girl Wonder: Maranda Curtis Transforms the Worship Experience|author=Kymberlee|date=June 14, 2018|website=thisgospellife.com|accessdate=May 7, 2019}}
A live-in-concert version of the EP, Open Heaven: The Maranda Experience Live, was released the following year, as was the associated single "Nobody Like You Lord".{{cite web|url=http://www.crossrhythms.co.uk/articles/news/Open_Heaven/62527/p1/|title=Maranda Curtis set to release gospel album with UK-based record company|publisher=Cross Rhythms|accessdate=May 7, 2019}} Recorded in Delaware, the live album contains "jazz, traditional and churchy ballads ... all the sounds I grew up singing", as Curtis said.{{cite web|url=http://www.breathecast.com/articles/maranda-curtis-releases-new-single-nobody-like-you-lord-embarking-on-the-winning-circle-tour-this-april-37694/|title=Maranda Curtis Releases New Single 'Nobody Like You Lord'; Embarks On 'The Winning Circle Tour' This April|last=Lundin|first=Marcus|date=March 6, 2018|website=breathecast.com|accessdate=May 7, 2019}} Open Heaven debuted as a Billboard number-one gospel album on May 12, 2018, and stayed on the chart for 35 weeks; "Nobody Like You Lord" debuted on the Hot Gospel Songs chart at No. 20, eventually reaching the fifth place.{{cite web|url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwmusic/article/Maranda-Curtis-Presents-A-HOLY-CHRISTMAS-Available-Now-20181119|title=Maranda Curtis Presents A Holy Christmas Available Now|date=November 19, 2018|work=BroadwayWorld|accessdate=May 7, 2019}}{{cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/maranda-curtis|title=Maranda Curtis {{!}} Billboard|work=Billboard|accessdate=May 7, 2019}} Later in 2018, Curtis released a Christmas music EP, Maranda Presents a Holy Christmas, which BroadwayWorld called "extraordinary in its musical arrangements" with "the expected goosebump-raising vocals delivered by Curtis". It reached No. 9 on the Top Gospel Albums chart.
At the 34th Annual Stellar Awards, for gospel music of 2018–19, Curtis was nominated for seven Stellars—including Artist of the Year, Song of the Year ("Nobody Like You Lord"), and CD of the Year (Open Heaven)—but she won none.{{cite web|url=https://www.thestellarawards.com/2019-nominees.html|title=34th Annual Stellar Gospel Music Award Nominees|publisher=Stellar Awards|accessdate=May 7, 2019}} {{cite web|url=https://www.thestellarawards.com/2019-winners.html|title=2019 Winners - 34th Annual Stellar Awards|publisher=Stellar Awards|accessdate=May 7, 2019}}
Curtis' newest project, Die To Live (2022), is a half live, half studio album inspired by and written for the grieving process Curtis experienced after the passing of her mother, Darlene.
She is an honorary member of Sigma Gamma Rho sorority.
Discography
=EPs=
=Live albums=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+ List of extended plays, with selected chart positions ! scope="col" rowspan="2" | Title ! scope="col" rowspan="2" | Album details ! scope="col" colspan="1" | Peak chart positions |
| scope="col" style="width:2.5em;font-size=80%;" | US Gospel |
|---|
| scope="col" | Open Heaven: The Maranda Experience
|
| 1 |
| Die To Live
|
|12 |
=Singles=
- "Don't Take Your Love Away"{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.com/Dont-Take-Your-Love-Away/dp/B00998O7E4/|title=Don't Take Your Love Away by Maranda Curtis Willis|publisher=Amazon Music|date=September 17, 2012|accessdate=May 18, 2019}}
- "Power Lord"{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.com/Power-Lord-Maranda/dp/B01IX0VSNG/|title=Power Lord by Maranda Curtis|publisher=Amazon Music|date=August 5, 2016|accessdate=May 18, 2019}}
- "Release" (The Church Choir featuring Maranda Curtis & John P. Kee; 2017){{citation needed|date=May 2019}}
- "In Your Presence" (David Walker featuring Maranda Curtis; 2017){{cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/in-your-presence-feat-maranda-curtis-single/1244734488|title=In Your Presence (feat. Maranda Curtis) - Single|publisher=iTunes|date=June 16, 2017|access-date=May 18, 2019}}
- "Open Heaven" (2018){{citation needed|date=May 2019}}
- "Nobody Like You Lord" (2018){{cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/nobody-like-you-lord-radio-edit-single/1354106309|title=Nobody Like You Lord (Radio Edit) - Single|publisher=iTunes|date=March 2, 2019|access-date=May 18, 2019}}
- "Joy" (2018){{citation needed|date=May 2019}}
- "I'm All In" (2019){{cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/im-all-in-single/1456010389|title=I'm All In - Single|publisher=iTunes|date=March 22, 2019|access-date=May 18, 2019}}
- "Press" (2020){{Citation|title=Press (Radio Edit) - Single by Maranda Curtis|date=2020-06-25|url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/press-radio-edit-single/1520099647|language=en-US|access-date=2022-02-16}}
- "Lazarus" (2021){{Citation|title=Lazarus (Radio Edit) - Single by Maranda Curtis|date=2021-09-24|url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/lazarus-radio-edit-single/1585414129|language=en-US|access-date=2022-02-16}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Official|https://iammaranda.com/}}
- [http://cinderent.com/artists/maranda-curtis/ Biography] from Cinder Entertainment
{{DEFAULTSORT:Curtis, Maranda}}
Category:American gospel singers