In the summer of 2004, one of the biggest songs on both urban and gospel radio playlists was the pulsating rhythm of Kierra “KiKi” Sheard’s debut single “You Don’t Know.” Produced by Rodney Jerkins (known for churning out hits for Brandy, Mary J. Blige and Destiny’s Child), the song gave then-17 year-old Sheard an instant platform to reach her generation with a cool, urban brand of gospel music.

Kierra Valencia Sheard was born into gospel music royalty. Her grandmother was Mattie “Moss” Clark, the legendary choirmaster who ruled the Church of God in Christ (COGIC) music department for over 25 years and trained three generations of gospel stars. Sheard’s mother, Karen Clark Sheard, hails from the Grammy-winning Clark Sisters, who influenced R&B stars ranging from Mariah Carey to Faith Evans and Joe. Her cousin, J. Moss, is a celebrated gospel artist and her father, J. Drew Sheard, is one of the most influential pastors in the COGIC denomination.

At the age of six, Sheard began to sing in the choir at Detroit’s Greater Emmanuel Institutional COGIC where her father was the pastor. Although, she was initially reluctant to sing, her parents kept coaxing her to demonstrate her talent. By the age of nine, she was seasoned enough to be featured on a duet of “The Will of God” on her mother’s 1996 Finally Karen CD and won a Stellar Award for best children’s performance.

Aside from doing backing vocals on her mother’s CDs 2nd Chance and Heavens Are Telling for Elektra Records, Sheard also participated in an aborted musical project that featured M.C. Hammer, Tia & Tamara Mowry and Bryan Wilson. During Sheard’s high school years, a bidding war broke out among the various gospel labels to sign this musical prodigy.

EMI Gospel won out and commissioned urban producers such as Warren Campbell, Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins and J. Moss to craft a project that would be true to Sheard’s church roots but also reach a generation of kids growing up on a musical diet of Usher and Alicia Keys. The success of “You Don’t Know” pushed her debut CD I Owe You to #1 on the Billboard Top Gospel albums chart. Not only did it cross over to the American R&B charts, but the song also became a huge hit in Japan and earned a gold record. Since then, Sheard has recorded other Top Ten albums such as Just Until… (2005), This is Me (2006) and Bold Right Life (2008).

Throughout Sheard’s music, one can hear her family’s trademark vocal styles. “My Aunt Twinkie’s squall, Aunt Dorinda’s energy, all the crazy notes my mother hits, my cousin J Moss’ quick runs, and my Aunt Jacky’s sweet tones,” she’s said of her style. In spite of the vocal gymnastics that draw people to Sheard’s music, the Wayne State University pre-law student says that her main purpose in performing is to evangelize. “I want to reach most of all my generation, specifically those who have not been raised in the church or who have no clue of what church is, or whatever it is,” she once told Destroitgospel.com. “I don’t want to limit my music to the four walls of what we call church music, I want to get it out to people who don’t know who Jesus Christ is.”