Music World Gospel recording artist and BET’s Sunday Best’s Season 4 first runner-up Andrea Helms’ new CD project, Moving Forward, debuts at #2 on Billboard’s Top Gospel Albums chart and #3 on the Top Christian/Gospel Albums chart. Moving Forward also debuts at #11 on Billboard’s Independent chart, #66 on the Top Current Albums chart and #77 on the Top 200 chart.
Andrea’s Moving Forward, which was released on March 6, is a collection of new recordings of songs from some of her highlight performances on Sunday Best. On her first single, “Yesterday,” she offers a powerful, soulful and bluesy turn on Mary Mary’s song. Her version of Richard Smallwood’s classic “I Love the Lord” is uniquely her own. She also puts her own spin on the highly popular praise and worship song, “Because Of Who You Are,” written by Martha and Daniel Munizzi, as well as on Donald Lawrence’s songs “The Heaven Are Telling (A Mighty God We Serve)” and “Encourage Yourself.”
One of the most talked about moments of the season was when Amber Bullock and Andrea Helms performed a duet, “Moving Forward,” penned by Ricardo Sanchez, during the show’s finale. Andrea and Amber offer a powerful rendition of that song for this CD. Andrea is especially drawn to the song, “Changed,” on the CD because it relates to her testimony about how God saw her through a severe bout of postpartum depression that had resulted in her having suicidal tendencies.
Music World is also preparing to release another addition to the Sunday Best brand—season three’s first runner-up Elder Goldwire McLendon’s first solo CD, The Best of Elder Goldwire McLendon. The CD, which features new recordings of songs he performed on Sunday Best, will be available online and in stores on April 24, 2012. The spirited and charismatic 81-year-old gained a large and devoted group of fans as he made his way toward the show’s finale, where he was first-runner-up to Le’Andria Johnson.
Music World Gospel is releasing over 40 projects this calendar year as the label continues its tremendous growth on the Billboard Sales chart. With the release of Andrea’s Moving Forward, the label now has three albums in the Top 10 on Billboard’s Top Gospel Albums chart. Two of the three titles include releases by GRAMMY® Award winner, Le’Andria Johnson. The Evolution of Le’Andria Johnson and The Awakening of Le’Andria Johnson Deluxe Edition land at #5 and #9 respectively. The label also has five albums in the Top 20, including Brian Courtney Wilson’s So Proud, which moves to #17 with a six percent increase at traditional retail outlets, a 32 percent increase at non-traditional retail outlets and an eight percent increase with digital sales. Amber Bullock’s Thank You lands at #20 on Billboard’s Top Gospel Albums chart. Music World Gospel has six titles in the Top 25 with Juanita Bynum’s Diary of Juanita Bynum 2 at #24 and seven titles in the Top 40 with Vanessa Bell Armstrong’s Timeless at #39.
Overall, Music World Gospel CD titles represent 22 percent of the Top 40 sales on the Billboard Top Gospel Albums chart.
