REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: Tori Kelly "Hiding Place" CD

You may know her as a fairly new pop-artist whose debut album "Unbreakable Smile" was released in 2015. You may remember her as the voice of "Meena the elephant" on the animated film SING. But, what you may not know is that TORI KELLY has had a lifelong passion for gospel music.

With the help of her manager, Scooter Braun, the L.A.-based singer/songwriter connected with Kirk Franklin, a 12-time Grammy Award-winning gospel artist and one of Kelly’s musical idols. “I flew to Dallas and Kirk showed me a few songs he’d written, and I fell in love with all of them,” says Kelly. So, with its R&B-infused take on classic gospel, Ms. Kelly's newest album, Hiding Place, will be released on September 14, 2018. It presents what Franklin refers to as “hope-pop.”

Kelly says, "One of the things I want for this album is for people to feel uplifted and encouraged when they listen." She goes on to say, "I want them to know that, no matter what they’re going through, there’s a God who loves them so much and so unconditionally, and there’s always a reason to feel hope. That’s what I really believe in, and I want everyone out there to hear my heart."

As I listened to the CD, I definitely noticed the R & B style, which is not my favorite style of music. However, Ms. Kelly has a beautiful voice, and the lyrics to each of the 8 songs bring out the importance of being real with God and with placing our faith, hope and trust in Him. My favorite is "Souls Anthem," the last song on the album. Check out these lyrics:

Teach me how to love you. Show me how to trust you,

more than with my words or with a song.

No, it's not been easy to live life down on my knees,

but with faith I know I'll carry on.

There is more to see than with my eyes.

Fear sometimes can leave me paralyzed.

I realize that I'm not in control, 

yet it is well with my soul.

The enemy's against me, arrows all around me, 

never knew the fight would last so long.

In seasons of depression, I plead for your protection.

Make me right, I'm tired of being wrong.

Every time there's hope, it seems to die, 

and the voices all around they feed that lie.

Everything I see tells me to let go, 

yet it it well with my soul.

This fight I'm in is not of flesh and blood. 

The weapons that I need are in your love.

Lord, don't you ever let me go, 

You make it well with my soul. 

GIVEAWAY:  I am able to give away a copy of this CD to one of my readers who are in the United States. If you are interested, do one of two things - either make a comment on this blog post and make sure I have a contact e-mail for you, or make a comment under the Facebook post on HHMRH MINISTRIES PAGE where I will contact you via private message if you are the winner. For all who comment, a random drawing will be held on Saturday, September 15, 2018, at 8:00 p.m. Central Time. 

Here is a video of Ms. Kelly singing "Never Alone." 

Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway.  Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation.  I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post. Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway.  If you have won a prize from our sponsor Propeller/FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days on the same blog, you are not eligible to win.  Or if you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.