For a dozen years, Trin-i-tee 5:7 has been contemporary gospel music's answer to Destiny's Child or TLC. Their slick urban sound, fashionable stage costumes and inspirational messages have earned them a loyal fan base of both churched and unchurched music listeners. Among their many hits is “Oh Mary, Don't You Weep”, “God's Grace”, “My Body”, “Put Your Hands”, “Holla” and their recent smash, “Listen.”

The group's journey began in 1997 when New Orleans high school classmates Chanelle Haynes, Angel Taylor and another friend formed a singing group. Their manager at the time, Kenneth Grant, introduced them to Vicki Mack, the owner of Gospocentric Records. Mack immediately saw the act's potential to not only be huge gospel stars but also to cross over to the urban world. The trio's name was derived from the Biblical scripture of John 5:7 which defines the Trinity.

For their self-titled CD debut, Mack pulled in heavyweight producers such as R. Kelly – R&B's biggest male artist at the time, and Kirk Franklin – gospel's biggest selling artist ever, to craft and define Trin-i-tee 5:7's sound. With a mélange of silky soul styled ballads like “God's Grace”, a rousing cover of “Mary, Don't You Weep” and club-friendly tracks such as “Call His Name” the album debuted at #1 on Billboard's gospel album sales chart in the summer of 1998. The album eventually went gold and earned them a Stellar Award as Best New Artist of the Year.

By the time their sophomore CD Spiritual Love dropped in 2000, the group's makeup artist Adrian Anderson had joined the cluster. It was their biggest hit yet. The album featured four radio hits, including “Put Your Hands Up”, “I Promise”, “My Body” and “There He Is.” Not only did it debut at #1 on the gospel chart but it reached #5 on the R&B album sales chart. Two years later, the ladies were back on top with the edgy dance track “Holla” from the CD The Kiss that earned them performances on “Soul Train” and a BET “106 & Park” video premiere.

The girls then took almost five years off from recording to evaluate their business relationships and refocus their mission. They emerged under superstar Beyoncé's father Mathew Knowles' management firm and Spirit Rising inspirational recording label in the fall 2007. The pulsating track “Listen” from their comeback CD T57 graced the Hot 100 R&B airplay chart and was one of the biggest gospel radio hits of the 2007-2008 period. In addition, the CD won two Dove Awards, a Grammy nomination, and earned them a performance slot on the Grammy broadcast with Aretha Franklin, BeBe Winans, Israel & New Breed and the Clark Sisters.

It's not only about music with the trio either. Chanelle, Angel and their families lost everything after Hurricane Katrina whipped through New Orleans in 2005. Since then, the trio has done benefits and other charitable acts to aid those affected by the hurricane in New Orleans, Houston and parts of Mississippi. "God has filled us with blessings so greatly that we feel an overwhelming need to pour some of that back,” Adrian has said.

Currently, Trin-i-tee 5:7 is busy putting the finishing touches on their first-ever Christmas album, Love, Peace Joy at Christmas, to be released this fall.