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Artist
Special Gift
11+ albums
gospelchristianuban
about
Kayla Parker, lead singer, songwriter, musician and vocal arranger, while attending Detroit's Pershing High School formed an all-female vocal group, taking the name God's Special Gift" after an audience member's compliment. The group won a talent show and went on to become widely known in the city's churches. As their fame spread and producer Michael J. Powell (Anita Baker) heard them and began working with them. At this point the group shortened their name to SpecialGift. Powell's R&B styled gospel quartet recreates Motown magic with their breathtaking vocal virtuosity. Kayla's earliest musical experiences came from singing in high school and church choirs. The budding songstress taught herself the harmonies to all the Clark Sister’s songs on the piano. Kayla then spent her leisure time transforming R&B songs by DeBarge into gospel songs. "My mother supported my musical interests, but she said I was limiting myself by not creating my own songs," the songwriter recalls. Then, in 1988 Kayla says, "The Lord started to give me songs." That's when she wrote her first song, "I'm Tired" and she's been writing prolifically ever since. Still, Kayla didn't take her gift seriously at first. "I was just doing it as a hobby," she laughs. "I wasn't planning to do this as a career." She tried to enroll in college because she thought that was the right thing to do "But the door slammed in my face" she says when she couldn't come up with the tuition money. Then, through family friends
