Reviewed by Clare Seddon

After being catapulted to national attention through the Sunday Best gospel music TV talent search, the success of Y'anna Crawley's debut was assured. But as this album indicates, Y'anna has the powerhouse vocal talent to stay on the scene for a long time. Her willingness to be musically versatile means that there is something for everyone on this album. The opening track "I Believe" has a Mary Mary feel to it while her cover of Bill Withers' "Grandma's Hands" (Y'anna's first gospel radio hit) brings out all the pathos and soul power of a classic song. Elsewhere listeners can contrast the aching soul in "You're Still God" to the JLS pop vibe of "Right Now" which you can imagine filling the floor in a packed out club. With the majority of tracks written by Lou 'Buster' Brown, Y'anna projects from the heart with a blend of cool reflective tones in "Well Done" to the outstanding final track "Worship Song". This song effortlessly completes the uplifting presence from this album with a quiet start that builds to a crescendo at the end with a web of jazz harmonies and a luscious chord foundation. 'The Promise' album is seamlessly produced set from a singer we'll be hearing a lot more from.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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