Tori Kelly - Hiding Places

In a world of Auto-Tune, and endless means of technology to make a singer sound better, it's a wonderful experience to hear a truly gifted singer bless us with her naturally beautiful, God given, voice. Tori Kelly's latest album, Hiding Places, introduces us to a new genre for Kelly, Gospel/R&B.

 In Ms. Kelly's words:

"I always thought that I would do something like this, but I thought it would be much further down the line," she says. "It's been in my heart for some time, but the timing didn't feel right until now. I didn't think I'd get the chance to work with someone like Kirk just yet, and that people would be so excited and accepting." And though the album marks a stylistic departure from her work in the pop world, a commitment to uncompromising artistry carries through all of Kelly's music. "No matter what genre you're working in, there should be a level of excellence, and Tori definitely brought that excellence to this album," says Franklin. "A lot of artists out there will rely on Auto-Tune or studio tricks, but there's no button you can push for emotion, and there's no button for skill. Tori is excellent in everything she does, because she's a real, pure artist."

I couldn't say it better myself. I have associated Tori Kelly with the pop world, so I was very excited to hear what she would do with a gospel album. I wasn't disappointed either. As stated in her bio above, her passion, her emotion, come through so clearly on Hiding Places. The music arrests your attention, and pulls you in. Take a listen:

My 14 year old is a HUGE Tori Kelly fan, so when this review opportunity became available, she was stalking the mailbox. A budding music aficionado, she couldn't wait to hear this departure from pop. Her reaction? In short, she loves it! Since I've had to search her CD collection to grab this album back just so I could listen for awhile, I would say that she approves. It's a beautiful, soulful, relaxing album, and I enjoyed simply playing it throughout the day. Her voice is so clear and lovely, a definite standout in a world of screeching. I enjoyed them all, but my favorites were Masterpiece (with Lecrae), Soul's Anthem (It Is Well), and who can resist Never Alone, when it features Mr. Kirk Franklin?

These are the tracks:

1.) Masterpiece (feat. Lecrae)
2.) Help Us To Love (feat. The Hamiltons)
3.) Sunday
4.) Just As Sure (feat. Jonathon McReynolds)
5.) Psalm 42
6.) Questions
7.) Never Alone (feat. Kirk Franklin)
8.) Soul's Anthem (It Is Well)

Two thumbs up from our family, go grab a copy!

Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255:  “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”):  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.