Andrea Stevens
AFRO Staff Writer
astevens@afro.com
Gospel artist Maurette Brown Clark is no stranger to the spotlight, but she remains grounded in purpose, humility and a clear sense of calling. With a career that has spanned decades, she continues to evolve while staying rooted in the faith that launched her into music ministry.
It’s a career with a strong foundation laid in the early years of her childhood.
“Music met me at my house when I got home from the hospital after I was born,” Brown Clark said. “My dad was a singer. My mother had me take classical piano lessons. I did that for nine years. It wasn’t ever a part of the dream of what I wanted to do…little did I know that the plan God had for me was bigger than what I did.”
Before she ever stepped on a gospel stage, Brown Clark thought she had already mapped out her future. With the pieces of a traditional life falling into place, she felt a quiet but undeniable void that pushed her to seek deeper meaning.
“I had a college degree, a boyfriend that would become my husband… a job, I had a car, I had all the things that people pursue in terms of a good life, and yet I still felt like there was a hole in my heart,” she said.
That inner tug led to a heartfelt prayer for clarity, and an answer that would change the trajectory of her life and career.
“I prayed and asked God, ‘Tell me what it is that you put me on earth to do.’ And He told me, clear as day, ‘Since I saved you, I want you to help someone else get saved’ I said, ‘How?’ He said, ‘Use your voice and sing.’ I was like, ‘got it,’” she recalled.
That moment led her to become one of gospel’s most respected voices, with chart-topping hits like “I Just Want to Praise You” and “It Ain’t Over (Until God Says It’s Over).” One of her early career milestones was winning a Stellar Award for Best New Artist in 2000.
“That was always something that I thought would never happen for me. I never even dreamed that dream…it just assured me that God had me on his mind,” she said.
Brown Clark’s career reached another high point in 2023 when she performed at the Kennedy Center as a solo artist in tribute to Richard Smallwood.
“To be able to sing my music as a standalone artist in such a great venue…was really a great moment for me,” said Brown Clark. “It let me see that God still has me on His mind, and He’s still doing new things with me even though I’ve been at this a long time.”
Her 2023 album, “He Loves Me,” marked a turning point both musically and personally. The album received nominations for both Stellar and Dove Awards.
“I like to call it my freedom project. This was a project where I got to make all the decisions,” she said. “To be able to put out a new project was really a blessing,” she said.
Gospel music has long impacted those of all ages that listen to it. Ashia Bello, a member of Anthony Brown and Group Therapy and a Stellar Award winner herself, echoed that sentiment.
“Gospel music reaches young people in the space where culture can’t,” said Bello. “It connects them back to God and speaks on matters of the heart on a kingdom level.”
Looking ahead to 2026, Brown Clark is planning a tour, which could come at a good time for gospel music fans.
Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) has grown in listeners in recent years, “39 percent of CCM’s listenership in 2021 was made up of millennials or younger. Today, that number has risen up to 45 percent, with signs of growth,” according to the National Public Radio. “The dynamic shift of CCM’s customer base has necessitated a change in marketing strategies, with less priority on radio and physical products and more emphasis on streaming and social media.”
Brown Clark says now is the time for listeners to reconnect with her timeless hits and new material.
“I want to do a tour next year that connects the dots…singing more songs off of my projects and introducing new ones as well,” she said. “I’ve got big goals in 2026, but I’m definitely going to get them all.”