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© & TM 2008-2012 EEW Magazine a division of Hobbs Ministries a Subsidiary of Training for
Reigning Inc. Custom graphics and logos are registered trademarks of EEW Magazine and
may not be reproduced or replicated in any form.
Reigning Inc. Custom graphics and logos are registered trademarks of EEW Magazine and
may not be reproduced or replicated in any form.
It was like a dream come true for the Nevels Sisters, a group
made up of four biological sisters from Youngstown, Ohio:
Veneice Andrews, Debra Jordan, Gail Nevels, and April Wade.
They were the 2006 grand prize winners of the Gospel FOCUS
(Find Out If U Can Sing) Competition—the reality series
sponsored by the Word Network and Frontline Productions.
When news of their 1st place win hit, press releases went out
and fans of the sisters celebrated all over the country. It
appeared that the highly publicized contest that required a
hefty $300 entry fee had finally paid off. The Nevels were all
ready to claim the prize that served as their motivation
throughout the grueling contest: A record deal with
Gospocentric, an album produced by PAJAM, and $5,000
cash—the most notable rewards in a package worth a purported
$50,000.
But this fairytale ending turned out to be more like a wary- tale
of broken promises and disappointing outcomes. April tells
EEW Magazine that originally, the sisters couldn’t come into
agreement over whether to participate in the competition at all,
specifically because of what had transpired for the group just a
year prior.
“I mustered up some money, took out my retirement at my job,
and we independently released the It’s About Time project in
’05,” she says. “So, we did that and it was really big for the city.
It was huge. But it was independent, so it didn’t really get any
national acclaim,” which left April looking for ways to gain
more exposure for the group that had been singing since the
seventies at their father’s church, Nevels Temple Church of
God In Christ in Youngstown--eventhough April wasn’t allowed
to join until after she turned 18.
made up of four biological sisters from Youngstown, Ohio:
Veneice Andrews, Debra Jordan, Gail Nevels, and April Wade.
They were the 2006 grand prize winners of the Gospel FOCUS
(Find Out If U Can Sing) Competition—the reality series
sponsored by the Word Network and Frontline Productions.
When news of their 1st place win hit, press releases went out
and fans of the sisters celebrated all over the country. It
appeared that the highly publicized contest that required a
hefty $300 entry fee had finally paid off. The Nevels were all
ready to claim the prize that served as their motivation
throughout the grueling contest: A record deal with
Gospocentric, an album produced by PAJAM, and $5,000
cash—the most notable rewards in a package worth a purported
$50,000.
But this fairytale ending turned out to be more like a wary- tale
of broken promises and disappointing outcomes. April tells
EEW Magazine that originally, the sisters couldn’t come into
agreement over whether to participate in the competition at all,
specifically because of what had transpired for the group just a
year prior.
“I mustered up some money, took out my retirement at my job,
and we independently released the It’s About Time project in
’05,” she says. “So, we did that and it was really big for the city.
It was huge. But it was independent, so it didn’t really get any
national acclaim,” which left April looking for ways to gain
more exposure for the group that had been singing since the
seventies at their father’s church, Nevels Temple Church of
God In Christ in Youngstown--eventhough April wasn’t allowed
to join until after she turned 18.
THE FAIRY TALE THAT WASN'T
The Nevels Sisters' April Wade Tells the Real Story Behind The
Gospel FOCUS 2006 Competition
Interview and article by Dianna Hobbs, (Founder and Editor-In-Chief EEW)
The Nevels Sisters' April Wade Tells the Real Story Behind The
Gospel FOCUS 2006 Competition
Interview and article by Dianna Hobbs, (Founder and Editor-In-Chief EEW)
“So I got my little black book out and called the churches that had supported us and set up a tour from April until
August all over the country. And my friend Mary Mary—Erica—she set up a West Coast tour for us and we went over
there, and went to a lot of churches there. And people were so kind. They blessed us.” The kindness and receptiveness
of the ministries that opened their doors to the The Nevels Sisters kept them on the go.
From the looks of it, the Ohio natives were well on their way to building a fruitful career in the music business. In light
of that, a singing competition didn’t seem all that appealing to two of April’s three sisters. “They were like, listen, we
don’t need to do a competition," April says. "I said, I know y’all, but it’s gone be produced by PAJAM, you would get a
Gospocentric recording contract and all this good stuff. So I was like, come on it’s only for a year. Then we can get
back independent again, but we can get that national exposure.”
Though April gave it a valiant effort, her sales job didn’t convince everyone. Still, “I went ahead and sent the money in
anyway so they couldn’t back out on me,” April says laughing.
At the end of the day, the sisters didn’t back out on her, but when time came to collect the prize after the big win, well,
the label backed out on all of them. Initially, when EEW inquired further about what happened, April seemed a bit
hesitant to discuss it. “I don’t wanna get in trouble,” she said, “but artists coming up, they need to know this stuff. They
need to know. It’s so important. We’re still learning. My sisters have been in it for years and I’m talking over 20 years
and I came in a little later, but I’ve been in it for a little while and learning is everything,” and much of what they
learned during the Gospel FOCUS fiasco, came the hard way.
So then, what happened?
“Gospocentric was going through a transition is what we were told,” April explains, “and at that time, they were not in
position to take on any new artists and their first obligation was to the artists that they already had on the roster.”
Just like that, The Nevels Sisters’ dreams of being signed to a major label and produced by a sought-after production
team, went up in smoke. “Then, the people that put the contest on were like well we have this other record company
that will sign you so you’ll have a deal.”
But the sisters weren’t particularly interested in just any label. “Of course, we were definitely hesitant because we had
this [music] thing going on independently. It was doing really well. We were like, listen, the only reason we wanted to
do it is because we know what Gospocentric can do; we know what PAJAM can do. Their reputation speaks for them,”
the very thing that a smaller label doesn’t have.
What should have been a happy time, turned out to be a very distressing and rocky period for the sisters. “After, uh,
you know, much deliberation,” April chuckles uncomfortably, “we decided to go ahead and go with MoLife
[Entertainment], because they were saying they could get right on the project. We would get a project with the
production that we wanted.” And stellar production work is an expense most independent artists can't afford, which is
something The Nevels Sisters quickly learned while independently funding their 2005 release.
In the end, the promise of professional production was enticing enough to convince the group to ink a deal with
MoLife. The company delivered on its promise and the sisters' new album Beautiful, was just released in November
2008 to solid industry reviews. Now, the hard task of promoting the album nationally has the veteran group on the go.
But April doesn’t mind, though the other sisters tend to shy away from the spotlight. “They don’t like to do it so they
stick me out there,” says the self-proclaimed outspoken one, who thrives as the group’s spokesperson and has big
dreams for their future.
When EEW asked if they always knew they would go national, April said, “There was always the desire. I can’t speak
for everybody else, but I always knew. It was in me as a little bitty kid. I remember as a little girl we had a revival come
to our church and we had this prophet come. And he had said, whatever you want, write it down on a piece of paper,
fold it up, and put it in a Bible and tuck it away and don’t ever pull it out. I was maybe about 8 or 9 and I remember
writing on there, Lord please don’t let the Nevels Sisters get national success until I’m a part of it,” she says laughing
heartily.
“So I brought that up last year. I said, ooh I hope they don’t blame me.”
Well, if national exposure and a broader stage is the accusation, with the help of God of course, April is definitely to
blame.
To learn more about The Nevels Sisters, visit them online at www.molifeent.com or on their Myspace page.
August all over the country. And my friend Mary Mary—Erica—she set up a West Coast tour for us and we went over
there, and went to a lot of churches there. And people were so kind. They blessed us.” The kindness and receptiveness
of the ministries that opened their doors to the The Nevels Sisters kept them on the go.
From the looks of it, the Ohio natives were well on their way to building a fruitful career in the music business. In light
of that, a singing competition didn’t seem all that appealing to two of April’s three sisters. “They were like, listen, we
don’t need to do a competition," April says. "I said, I know y’all, but it’s gone be produced by PAJAM, you would get a
Gospocentric recording contract and all this good stuff. So I was like, come on it’s only for a year. Then we can get
back independent again, but we can get that national exposure.”
Though April gave it a valiant effort, her sales job didn’t convince everyone. Still, “I went ahead and sent the money in
anyway so they couldn’t back out on me,” April says laughing.
At the end of the day, the sisters didn’t back out on her, but when time came to collect the prize after the big win, well,
the label backed out on all of them. Initially, when EEW inquired further about what happened, April seemed a bit
hesitant to discuss it. “I don’t wanna get in trouble,” she said, “but artists coming up, they need to know this stuff. They
need to know. It’s so important. We’re still learning. My sisters have been in it for years and I’m talking over 20 years
and I came in a little later, but I’ve been in it for a little while and learning is everything,” and much of what they
learned during the Gospel FOCUS fiasco, came the hard way.
So then, what happened?
“Gospocentric was going through a transition is what we were told,” April explains, “and at that time, they were not in
position to take on any new artists and their first obligation was to the artists that they already had on the roster.”
Just like that, The Nevels Sisters’ dreams of being signed to a major label and produced by a sought-after production
team, went up in smoke. “Then, the people that put the contest on were like well we have this other record company
that will sign you so you’ll have a deal.”
But the sisters weren’t particularly interested in just any label. “Of course, we were definitely hesitant because we had
this [music] thing going on independently. It was doing really well. We were like, listen, the only reason we wanted to
do it is because we know what Gospocentric can do; we know what PAJAM can do. Their reputation speaks for them,”
the very thing that a smaller label doesn’t have.
What should have been a happy time, turned out to be a very distressing and rocky period for the sisters. “After, uh,
you know, much deliberation,” April chuckles uncomfortably, “we decided to go ahead and go with MoLife
[Entertainment], because they were saying they could get right on the project. We would get a project with the
production that we wanted.” And stellar production work is an expense most independent artists can't afford, which is
something The Nevels Sisters quickly learned while independently funding their 2005 release.
In the end, the promise of professional production was enticing enough to convince the group to ink a deal with
MoLife. The company delivered on its promise and the sisters' new album Beautiful, was just released in November
2008 to solid industry reviews. Now, the hard task of promoting the album nationally has the veteran group on the go.
But April doesn’t mind, though the other sisters tend to shy away from the spotlight. “They don’t like to do it so they
stick me out there,” says the self-proclaimed outspoken one, who thrives as the group’s spokesperson and has big
dreams for their future.
When EEW asked if they always knew they would go national, April said, “There was always the desire. I can’t speak
for everybody else, but I always knew. It was in me as a little bitty kid. I remember as a little girl we had a revival come
to our church and we had this prophet come. And he had said, whatever you want, write it down on a piece of paper,
fold it up, and put it in a Bible and tuck it away and don’t ever pull it out. I was maybe about 8 or 9 and I remember
writing on there, Lord please don’t let the Nevels Sisters get national success until I’m a part of it,” she says laughing
heartily.
“So I brought that up last year. I said, ooh I hope they don’t blame me.”
Well, if national exposure and a broader stage is the accusation, with the help of God of course, April is definitely to
blame.
To learn more about The Nevels Sisters, visit them online at www.molifeent.com or on their Myspace page.
THE MUSIC ISSUE
“I don't wanna get in trouble, but
artists coming up, they need to
know this stuff. They need to
know. It's so important...”
artists coming up, they need to
know this stuff. They need to
know. It's so important...”
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