H.U.M.B.L.E moves forward in faith with fashion
All-male a cappella gospel group wows at SGMA
Published:Friday | October 13, 2023 | 12:09 AMYasmine Peru/Senior Gleaner Writer
Gospel group H.U.M.B.L.E was one of the nominees in the Group of the Year category at the recent Sterling Gospel Music Awards (SGMA), and, although they lost out to Levy’s Heritage, there was still one unofficial category in which the all-male group dominated. It was a night on which the fashion stakes were high and H.U.M.B.L.E upped the ante.
“For those who know H.U.M.B.L.E, we are big on music and we are big on fashion. They said the theme was black and white and I just told the guys ‘Go all out. I am not telling you what to wear, just go for it.’ And the guys look amazing,” Chevaughn ‘Chevy’ Walker, the spokesman for the a cappella group, said with a smile.
Compliments rained on them throughout the night, especially after their riveting a cappella performance, and social media weighed in with lots of fire emojis once pictures and videos were posted. Among the comments were:
“Di man dem clean to di bone. Performance???? EPIC #ENCORE.”
“You guys look fantastic. The suits are [fire emojis].”
“Listen, y’all’s performance on Saturday was the performance we didn’t know we needed, until we experienced it. I loved every minute of it! Keep up the good work guys, and keep being truly HUMBLE. Bless unno hawt!”
If we were to pick a poster group for wholesome Christian young men, it’s likely that H.U.M.B.L.E would fit the bill. This acronym represents their commitment to staying grounded in their Christian journey, standing for ‘Hearts United Minds Bonded in Love for Eternity’. H.U.M.B.L.E consists of six Seventh-day Adventist male vocalists, including two brothers, and they were all thrilled to receive their second SGMA nomination.
“It is exciting and it is humbling. The last time we were nominated was back in 2017, so it’s really a humbling experience that we are nominated again. For us. the nomination is really a recognition of the work that we are doing and have been doing ... so it’s just a testament to that,” Walker said.
For a group that has made its name on the gospel circuit for many years now, it was only on October 1 that H.U.M.B.L.E. released their first full-length album, DECALOGUE: The Heartwork. Walker explained why. “In 2016, we did an EP but, after the release, some members left, new ones joined, and then we were ready to go again. And then COVID happened and we were locked in. So we said ‘Listen, we have been promising the album for some time ... now is the time’.”
Speaking to the album title, he added, “When we think of Decalogue, we think of the 10 commandments. So we have 10 tracks and we are positive that those tracks speak of love for God and love for man. One thing that we love about the album is that there are songs on there for everyone.”
Currently, the members of H.U.M.B.L.E all have separate careers, but a move into gospel ministry full-time is on the table. “We want to go where the Lord leads. If the Lord says to us that He wants us to do full-time music, then we are willing and able. If He says to us that He wants us to continue in the trajectory that we are, then we are also willing and able,” Walker said.
Acknowledging that the thought of going into gospel music as a full-time career “can be scary sometimes”, Walker emphasised that the important thing is to keep grounded in faith.
“Amongst ourselves, we have our devotionals and we just completed a prayer walk. And we know how important it is to encourage each other every day, because we know that, as men, it nuh easy. But we try to be accountable and keep each other accountable. But we nuh perfect ... and, as young men, we may slip up and we may fall, but understand the goal. And that is to move forward,” Walker declared.