Minister
Maranda Curtis
Background information
Also known asMaranda Curtis Willis
Born (1979-08-04) August 4, 1979
Miami, Florida, U.S.
Genres
Years active2012–present
LabelsButterfly Works

Red Alliance Media

Fair Trade Services
Websiteiammaranda.com

Maranda Curtis (born August 4, 1979) is an American gospel singer and praise and worship leader formerly with The Potter's House Church, Dallas. Her music has garnered her several nominations from the Stellar Awards and the Dove Awards. She was awarded in the 2020 BMI Trailblazers of Gospel Awards with "Nobody Like You Lord" being one the top 20 most performed Gospel songs in the United States.[1]

Early life

Maranda Curtis was born on August 4, 1979,[2] in Miami as the fourth of seven children of pastor W. S. Curtis and Darlene Curtis, both former R&B singers.[3] Before she began working professionally making gospel and praise and worship music, she grew up listening to R&B and jazz. She began singing at an early age, learning to harmonize from sitting in on her parents' rehearsals.[4]

Career

Curtis is a former worship leader at The Potter's House in Dallas, which is "one of the most influential churches" in the United States.[5] In 2012, she released her first single, "Don't Take Your Love Away".[3]

Curtis's first extended play (EP), The Maranda Experience, Vol. 1, debuted atop the Billboard Top Gospel Albums chart dated August 26, 2017.[3][6] Curtis has explained that the title came from a desire of "making my private worship public" by "sharing my experience—the 'Maranda experience'—with others".[4] She learned this desire of "responsible worship", she said, from a visit to South Africa where she taught congregants who "would worship for three and a half hours. I was so convicted. I repented. A burning desire intensified inside of me to never be guilty of withholding my worship."[4] The singer Fantasia commended The Maranda Experience, calling it "true worship".[7][8]

A live-in-concert version of the EP, Open Heaven: The Maranda Experience Live, was released the following year, as was the associated single "Nobody Like You Lord".[3][9] Recorded in Delaware, the live album contains "jazz, traditional and churchy ballads ... all the sounds I grew up singing", as Curtis said.[10] Open Heaven debuted as a Billboard number-one gospel album on May 12, 2018, and stayed on the chart for 35 weeks; "Nobody Like You Lord" debuted on the Hot Gospel Songs chart at No. 20, eventually reaching the fifth place.[5][6][11] Later in 2018, Curtis released a Christmas music EP, Maranda Presents a Holy Christmas, which BroadwayWorld called "extraordinary in its musical arrangements" with "the expected goosebump-raising vocals delivered by Curtis".[5] It reached No. 9 on the Top Gospel Albums chart.[11]

At the 34th Annual Stellar Awards, for gospel music of 2018–19, Curtis was nominated for seven Stellars—including Artist of the Year, Song of the Year ("Nobody Like You Lord"), and CD of the Year (Open Heaven)—but she won none.[12]

Curtis' newest project, Die To Live (2022), is a half live, half studio album inspired by and written for the grieving process Curtis experienced after the passing of her mother, Darlene.

She is an honorary member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc.

Discography

EPs

List of extended plays, with selected chart positions
Title Album details Peak chart positions
US
Gospel
[13]		 US
Christ
[14]
The Maranda Experience, Vol. 1
  • Released: August 4, 2017[15]
  • Label: Butterfly Works / C Bazz ENT
 1 5
Maranda Presents A Holy Christmas
  • Released: November 16, 2018[16]
  • Label: Butterfly Works / Red Alliance Media / Fair Trade Services
 9
The Maranda Curtis Experience, Vol. 2
  • Released: July 27, 2020[17]
  • Label: Butterfly Works / Red Alliance Media / Fair Trade Services
 19

Live albums

List of extended plays, with selected chart positions
Title Album details Peak chart positions
US
Gospel
[13]
Open Heaven: The Maranda Experience
  • Released: April 27, 2018[18]
  • Label: Butterfly Works / Red Alliance Media / Fair Trade Services
 1
Die To Live
  • Released: February 18, 2022[19]
  • Label: Butterfly Works / Red Alliance Media / Fair Trade Services
 12

Singles

  • "Don't Take Your Love Away"[20]
  • "Power Lord"[21]
  • "Release" (The Church Choir featuring Maranda Curtis & John P. Kee; 2017)
  • "In Your Presence" (David Walker featuring Maranda Curtis; 2017)[22]
  • "Open Heaven" (2018)
  • "Nobody Like You Lord" (2018)[23]
  • "Joy" (2018)
  • "I'm All In" (2019)[24]
  • "Press" (2020)[25]
  • "Lazarus" (2021)[26]

References

  1. ↑ GMA (2020-06-29). "BMI Announces Its 2020 Trailblazers of Gospel Music Winners". The Gospel Music Association. Retrieved 2022-02-16.
  2. ↑ "DOWNLOAD: A holy Christmas (Album)-Maranda Curtis". zionstars.com. November 21, 2018. Retrieved May 7, 2019.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Maranda Curtis". AllMusic. Retrieved May 7, 2019.
  4. 1 2 3 Lusk, Caroline (April 30, 2018). "Maranda Curtis – An Open Book". CCM Magazine. Retrieved May 7, 2019.
  5. 1 2 3 "Maranda Curtis Presents A Holy Christmas Available Now". BroadwayWorld. November 19, 2018. Retrieved May 7, 2019.
  6. 1 2 Asker, Jim (May 10, 2018). "Andy Mineo's 'Arrow' Shoots Straight Onto Top Christian Albums, Maranda Curtis Crowns Top Gospel Albums". Billboard. Retrieved May 7, 2019.
  7. ↑ Thomasos, Christine (August 10, 2017). "Fantasia Moved by Gospel Singer Maranda Curtis' Worship Album". Retrieved May 7, 2019.
  8. ↑ Kymberlee (June 14, 2018). "Girl Wonder: Maranda Curtis Transforms the Worship Experience". thisgospellife.com. Retrieved May 7, 2019.
  9. ↑ "Maranda Curtis set to release gospel album with UK-based record company". Cross Rhythms. Retrieved May 7, 2019.
  10. ↑ Lundin, Marcus (March 6, 2018). "Maranda Curtis Releases New Single 'Nobody Like You Lord'; Embarks On 'The Winning Circle Tour' This April". breathecast.com. Retrieved May 7, 2019.
  11. 1 2 "Maranda Curtis | Billboard". Billboard. Retrieved May 7, 2019.
  12. ↑ "34th Annual Stellar Gospel Music Award Nominees". Stellar Awards. Retrieved May 7, 2019. "2019 Winners - 34th Annual Stellar Awards". Stellar Awards. Retrieved May 7, 2019.
  13. 1 2 "Maranda Curtis Chart History - Top Gospel Albums". Billboard. Retrieved May 18, 2019.
  14. ↑ "Maranda Curtis Chart History - Top Christian Albums". Billboard. Retrieved May 18, 2019.
  15. ↑ "The Maranda Experience Volume I". iTunes. August 4, 2017. Retrieved May 18, 2019.
  16. ↑ "Maranda Presents A Holy Christmas". iTunes. November 16, 2018. Retrieved May 18, 2019.
  17. ↑ The Maranda Experience Volume 2 by Maranda Curtis, 2020-07-27, retrieved 2022-02-16
  18. ↑ "Open Heaven - The Maranda Experience". iTunes. April 27, 2018. Retrieved May 18, 2019.
  19. ↑ "New Album 'Die To Live' From Maranda Curtis Now Available For Pre-Order". TCB. 2022-01-28. Retrieved 2022-02-16.
  20. ↑ "Don't Take Your Love Away by Maranda Curtis Willis". Amazon Music. September 17, 2012. Retrieved May 18, 2019.
  21. ↑ "Power Lord by Maranda Curtis". Amazon Music. August 5, 2016. Retrieved May 18, 2019.
  22. ↑ "In Your Presence (feat. Maranda Curtis) - Single". iTunes. June 16, 2017. Retrieved May 18, 2019.
  23. ↑ "Nobody Like You Lord (Radio Edit) - Single". iTunes. March 2, 2019. Retrieved May 18, 2019.
  24. ↑ "I'm All In - Single". iTunes. March 22, 2019. Retrieved May 18, 2019.
  25. ↑ Press (Radio Edit) - Single by Maranda Curtis, 2020-06-25, retrieved 2022-02-16
  26. ↑ Lazarus (Radio Edit) - Single by Maranda Curtis, 2021-09-24, retrieved 2022-02-16
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