One-time dance hall artiste, Chevelle Franklyn, having experienced a rough life growing up in a country known mostly for its reggae rhythms and a culture grounded in music, used this as an outlet to overcome challenges.

"I always had a passion for music, I had a rough childhood and music was the only outlet for me and it is a medium that welcomed me and made me feel loved."

This is how Chevelle, a popular name on the dancehall scene described her journey into music. But who would believe that this artiste, whose name is synonymous with such hits as 'Dance Hall Queen' and 'Nice and Naughty' would make a turnaround so drastic and give her life to God, 'singing only for him' now.

Chevelle, a Jamaican born and bred artiste said music in Jamaica is hard to turn a back on and harder to run away from. "I was looking for love and I found it in music, cause through music people appreciate what you do and also encourage you, Chevelle recounted in an interview with The Scene.

She said she recorded her first reggae single at the tender age of 14, "Here I Am" after well known reggae producer Rohan Harrison realized her potential and invested in her talent. However this single was not released until she was almost 18 years old. "Since then some other top producers recognized that I had potential and from then on I started to make my mark on the dancehall scene in Jamaica and then I had a hit called, 'Nice and Naughty' then 'No Pushover' both of which came out in 1992".

Thirty-two-year-old Chevelle, who grew up in Tawes Pen, St Catherine, Jamaica in 1974 visited Guyana for the first time since her drastic shift from dancehall to Christianity on November 25 and between herself and reggae gospel singer Papa San and Prodigal Son, hosted a grand concert along with many local artistes. She told The Scene she knew that the Lord had a calling on her life but she ignored it for so long. "I used to tell the Lord 'mi soon come, mi soon come'. "When I was seven I heard a voice calling me, over and over and I would run to the lady I lived with because I though she was the one calling me but it's when I got older I realised it was God, but I didn't know at the time. It's only when I got older and read Samuel that I knew it was God calling me."

Now Chevelle has become an ardent Christian and her collaboration with popular allies like Papa San and Prodigal Son has enabled her to stay faithful to her music while changing lyrics and the message.

But where did this begin? "My switch came at a time that caught me by surprise." She remembered, "At the time when it happened in 1998 I was on stage and about to sing 'Dance Hall Queen and the power of God just hit me and this was one of the biggest shows and it was being broadcast live and so I had it all planned weeks in advance. So when the band started playing …and the musicians play the introduction … I just could not sing." She continued, I was in front of more than 10,000 people and I started to break down and I said to them, "you know what, I am not doing this anymore, as of tonight I will give my life to Christ."

This happened in 1998 and today, Chevelle is proud to say that God has kept her in more ways than she could imagine.

"You see when you getting the fame and you getting the money people think all is well and good with you , but guess what, I still felt lonely and I was still scared because a lot of people want you, but it is not the best place to be, when I was there I knew many people and I saw many people who felt the same way I did and we all were going through tough times and not only me but all of us knew that God was the only answer," the transformed Chevelle recounted.

Chevelle wrote her first page in the history in her proclaimed 'new lifestyle' when she appeared with Papa San on his album 'Victory', an award winner and then started another when she debuted in her first album 'Joy' which was released in 2001. This song gave Chevelle the response she never anticipated.

She did not stop there. In 2004 she released the single "Come" on her own label 'No Other Way'. Chevelle has also ministered at numerous events including The International Gathering Of Champions organised by London mega church KICC. The entire album ' N.O.W'- No other way was released in April this year.

In her own words, 'I chose to live my life his way and no other way.'

Challenges

"For years me and my friends, Lady Saw, Macadaima and I would sit down and all of us considered giving our life to God, but we always would ask ourselves,' how do we know that if we give our life to the Lord, 'we nah go dead fi hungry, we know where we go live?"

Chevelle said she and her friends had placed God in such a box and could not conceive that things could have worked out for them outside dancehall music.

"It has not been challenging for me in dealing with my old friends though, because they know my past and now they see Chevelle now, they see transformation and I don't have to go around preaching and open the Bible and reason with them, I just sit with them and they see the evidence of "Salvation through my life.'

Chevelle has also come in for criticism from lovers of contemporary gospel who condemn the use of dancehall music rhythms in the church.

Responding to this Chevelle said: "As the famous T.D Jakes said, God does not change but his purpose does and so I feel too that people in the church, all their lives have just stood by and criticize and have never won a soul for the Kingdom, they are just plain religious."

"I know this is my call and everywhere I go I will use this to help push me to my purpose."

Since becoming saved Chevelle has been married for 3½ years but said she is waiting some more before she brings children into the union.

(crazycoolhep@yahoo.com)