The burgeoning new sound of Gospel music is steadily changing the face of the genre itself and subsequently uplifting the spirit of younger listeners with a more contemporary tone. There are many rising stars in the gospel industry approaching Gospel music in a more modern way. One of which is Chicago’s own Nikeya Young. Her current album, Victorious One, plays with uptempo beats and edgy melodies while giving an unabashed testimony of God’s love and power. The singer/lyricist is no holds barred and chatted it up with GlossMagazineOnline (GMO) about her upbringing, music career, future projects and not compromising her faith.

Chapter three says “When God places us in uncomfortable places, that doesn’t always mean it’s time to run away from the situations, but to run to Him and see what He wants you to accomplish while you’re in that place.”

The spirit of Gospel music transforms the lives of millions through its faith filled melodies and lyrics. More than a handful of Gospel greats have risen from the city of Chicago, artists such as Mahalia Jackson, the Staples Singers, Albertina Walker and Darius Brooks to name a few. As the old principal of the church goes, the “oil has been passed” and there is a new crop of young, contemporary gospel artists making their mark in the gospel industry.

The lyrics simply say, ...Lord I'm split in two/Part of me loves the world and the other loves you so/.../what do I do/I wanna be saved but I gotta stay cool too/.../And no I'm not a fool/I know eventually I'm gonna have to choose and/.../really I don't wanna lose/.../my ticket into heaven and a chance to be used by You... These raw lyrics that seemingly tap into the spiritual toil many people face come from a young man who is heaven bent, literally, on making transparent music while representing Christ.

Dr. Tara Jenkins was born and raised in Jackson, TN, a small city of less than 100,000 people. Having grown up in a household with a mother who was determined to expose her to new places, to education and the arts, she was groomed to not have a “small town” mentality.

In 2010, at one area high school in Memphis, TN, it was discovered that 86 girls were either pregnant or had given birth in that same year. In the beginning of 2011, Memphis launched a campaign entitled “No Baby!” in response to this huge spike in pregnancies at Frayser High School.

There are many factors that make each person on this planet distinctively different: characteristics, background, physical features, and culture to name a few. However, the one thing that most people have in common is the desire to live the best life possible. People are on a continuous search for solutions, resources and tools in order to design a blueprint for success. Daily positive affirmations and goal setting maybe cliché to some, but for most people it’s the very key to winning in life.

More than 20 years ago, the genre of Hip Hop began as a form of expression giving voice to the woes of society, inner city life and economic inequality. Since then, it has become one of the world’s most prominent art forms, and subsequently morphed into a more commercialized entity where clubbing, drinking, sex and materialism are the focus.

It is true that music is a universal language, but gospel music is the language of the soul. For years, the conversation among gospel industry circles has been how to make it more modern in order to reach the masses, particularly the youth. The sound of praise and worship has typically been traditional and often been lost on those it seeks to reach.

For the past 10 years, January has been designated National Mentoring Month. Started by a joint project of the Corporation for National and Community Service, The Harvard Mentoring Project and MENTOR/National Mentoring Partnership, National Mentoring Month highlights those who have devoted their time to the lives of young people. There is a need for mentors, and by drawing national attention to the importance of life coaches for today’s seemingly disenchanted Generation Y, everyone–individuals, businesses and non-profits–can work toward a more optimistic future for America’s youth.