Interview with Roslyn
 February 2006, BlackGospel.com

There are recording artists today who are divinely anointed singers. And there is a select group of artists who have a powerful testimony to accompany their God-given talent as singers.  And then finally, there is even a smaller set of individuals who fall into both categories as both anointed, tried and tested psalmists.

Roslyn, a seasoned professional singer, cultivated her gift in church but was soon drawn by the “temptations” of the world.  After spending years devoting her craft for worldly pursuits, the world took a heavy toll on Roslyn’s life. But after surviving a turbulent season that nearly cost Roslyn her gift and her spirit, she now sings a new song that is passionate, testimonial and clear.

BLACKGOSPEL.COM enjoyed its dialogue with Roslyn (as we believe you will too), who apparently was tried by a spiritual fire but has come out pure as gold.

Christopher Heron: Roslyn, let’s start at the very beginning. Your gift for singing was nurtured and groomed from the time you were a child, through your years as an adolescent while in the church. Who were some of your mentors or models that you patterned your singing and ministry after?

Roslyn: I started singing when I was 4 years old. I believe the first song I can remember singing was Yield Not to Temptation. It’s ironic that when I became a teenager, yielding to temptation was the first thing I did. Yielding to temptations led to an unfriendly world of drugs.

I grew up in a home where there was always music playing, both secular as well as Gospel. As a child I loved listening to James Cleveland, Aretha Franklin, Johnnie Taylor, Bobby Womack and Sam Cooke. These singers were always played in my home. As I grew older, I fell in love with Rev. Rance Allen and Rev. James Moore. I thought (and still believe) that Rev. James Moore was one of the most powerful singers that Gospel music has ever produced. What I appreciate most about Rance Allen is his freedom on stage and his vocal riffs. If he feels like breaking out into a little dance, he does it. He doesn’t care what the people think or how it looks. If he wants to do the jerk…he’ll do the jerk. He’s funky and he doesn’t care who knows he’s funky.

Nobody will admit it, but even "funk" has its place in Gospel music. There are listeners who love funky music, but nobody is really singing funky Gospel music right now. It’s almost as though funky music got "skipped over" during the evolution of Gospel music. Watching Rance Allen made me realize that I’m free to sing, dance and move any way I want to, as long as it doesn’t take away from the one I’m singing about… Jesus.

CH: You eventually left the church to pursue your dream as a professional mainstream singer. A decision to invest God-given talents in worldly pursuits must have come with a lot of mixed emotions and conflicting thoughts. Can you remember that stage in your life, how you felt about sharing your gift, singing lyrics that didn’t edify God? And what was the motivating factor that made you feel you needed to sing secular music?

R: Even though I sang secular music for many years with some reputable entertainers, I never felt comfortable (in my heart) doing it. I won’t deny that it was fun, but I always felt as though my place was in Gospel music. When the money got good, I managed to push the guilt further and further behind. It’s funny how money can change our outlook on things. I loved traveling and I loved money, as a result, I put my guilt on a back burner.

CH: The decision to leave the church came with grave consequences, as drugs become a part of your lifestyle and addictive behavior. For those of us who’ve never struggled through a compulsive, debilitating experience like cocaine, can you share how this addictive drug affected your relationship with family, friends and God?

R: To me, cocaine is one of the most evil and strongest demons this world has ever known. You don’t ever consume cocaine without paying a price. Some of my friends paid with their lives. I should have, but the Lord wouldn’t let me die. I remember being in so deep I prayed for death. He wouldn’t let me die. Since I was on the road traveling most of the time, my family was not aware of my addiction. I kept it hidden from them during visits. By the time they realized how bad I was, I was at my worst.

A very famous singer whose name I won’t mention introduced cocaine to me. He kept me full of the drug on a daily basis. He was rich and never ran out of money, therefore, we never ran out of cocaine. When I was no longer involved with him, the addiction had already taken hold of me. I didn’t realize how addicted I was until I tried to stop using the drug and couldn’t.  I still knew the importance of calling out to the Lord when in trouble, but it took a while before my deliverance came. I was asking for the Lord’s help, but I wasn’t doing anything to help myself.

CH: What was the turning point in your life that forced you to appeal to God for help and mend your broken spirit and ways?

R: There were many things that began to happen towards the end of my addiction. When I think back on all of those things today, I can see the Lord’s hand moving in a mighty way. I prayed and asked the Lord to send me someone in my life to help me with my addiction. Shortly afterwards, I realized I was pregnant. At the time I wasn’t happy about it because I didn’t want a child (out of wedlock) and I didn’t want to slow down my lifestyle of singing, but having a son was all a part of the plan. I didn’t want to shame this child in any way, and I certainly didn’t want him to ever have to face the fact that his Mommy was a junkie. My son’s very existence made me pray a different way. His existence made me pray in a way I would have never prayed had he not been born.

Even though the addiction didn’t stop immediately, it did stop suddenly!!!!! Praise God. I prayed a prayer back then that I would be afraid to pray now…it went something like this…Lord, if You’re who you say You are, if You really are a Deliverer, then deliver me. Help me, if You are really a Helper." After praying that prayer I never got high again. It was that simple. I don’t know how He did it, but He did. He did it suddenly and completely, so completely that the people who used to bring drugs to me never, ever came again…Now that’s deliverance!!!! Amen!

CH: To go from a drug addicted lifestyle back to a life in the Lord is a powerful testimony. As I think about it, the story leaves me with a firm belief that God is the answer to all problems and circumstances. Has your story and witness as a born-again Christian been an inspiration to people in your circle or to people who’ve listened to your songs and seen you minister in public?

R: I always make it a point to tell my listeners that I was a junkie, the worse kind. I’m not ashamed to tell the story. I always tell them because there is always someone sitting there who needs to "see" how the Lord can clean us up. When they hear my testimony of deliverance it gives them hope. When they see and hear what the Lord has done in my life, it encourages them to hold on a little longer.

I promised the Lord that I would always tell the story, and I always do. I tell the ugly, nasty truth. I don’t try to dress it up to make it more appealing or interesting. I just tell the story. There is always someone who comes up to me afterwards with tears in their eyes thanking me for giving them hope. Sometimes it’s the person with the addiction; other times, it’s a wife, mother or family member who doesn’t know what to do.

R: Your latest offering to the Lord and the public is a brand new album called, YET DREAMING. Tell us a little about this album and what this CD represents to you as an artist and minister.  The "YET DREAMING" project is a long time coming. It’s traditional, funky and contemporary. I have many favorites on the CD, but I think my all time favorite on the CD is Sunday Morning…it tells of what life was like for me in my house on Sunday Mornings as a child. Many listeners will be able to relate to that song. I’m praying that millions will be blessed and will grasp all the songs. I wrote several of the songs on the CD and I’m proud of that. Even though I knew it was in me, I never considered doing a CD with so much of my own penmanship. The Lord will let you know when it’s time to do things differently. The CD is a different "twist" for me, but it all feels right. Nothing was forced…it feels right. He’s blessed me.

CH: You’ve also accepted the call of serving as the Praise & Worship Minister for your church in Canton, Ohio. As a Worship Minister, what is your intention and desire as you lead a congregation in corporate worship and joint praise?

R: I’m no longer the Praise and Worship leader at my church because I’m seldom there, but when I lead people into worship, it is my intention to help them to forget their surroundings and concentrate on the goodness of the Lord. It’s always been my belief that if you can get people to not concern themselves with what or who is around them and concentrate on the goodness of the Lord…the worship experience will begin to happen. The Lord will show up and stay for quite a while when he’s sincerely invited. People need to know and learn that. After all, the Bible clearly tells us that the Lord inhabits praise. To new converts, worship feels strange. The whole act of lifting their hands unto the Lord and speaking praises out of their mouth feels a little odd, but once they get there they never want to leave. Praise and Worship is a lifestyle, and people need to know that.

CH:  In conclusion Roslyn, could you give me a sense of your spiritual growth and state to this point and what are your ambitions for the Lord, if it is God’s will? 

R:  I can only say that the Lord really has brought me out of Darkness and I can now see His light. It is my heart’s desire to please Him and to continue to bless His people with my songs and testimonies. I’ve learned that I can trust Him to work out every little part of my life. With each new day of my life, I awake with a great BIG "THANK YOU" on my lips. Every day of life is another day to bless Him and His people. Just as a child tries to please a parent…I try to please the Lord.  I fail often, but His mercy helps me want to get it right. I’m going to sing and boast on Him until the day I die. I’m YET DREAMING, STILL BELIEVING!

For more information on Roslyn and her new album – Yet Dreaming – visit her official website at www.roslynministries.com.  To contact Roslyn for speaking and singing engagements, email her at rozsings@yahoo.com.