FRANKLYN... The Bible says that we are all fishers of men, and not all fish can be caught with the same hook

It has been three years since Chevelle Franklyn's gospel debut, Joy.

Three of the most disappointing years for fans who had remained faithful even after she had suddenly changed lanes mid-career, in 1998, from secular to gospel.

Joy, like the name implied, signalled a euphoric transition. Although she had given up the lyrics which made her famous, like those of her monster -selling hardcore duet with Beenie Man, Dancehall Queen, for far more meaningful ones like Magnify His Name, her music was still sanguine. But for the past three years the response was blank, although there was talk of a sophomore effort soon.

How could she do that to fans who had remained so loyal despite the change?

"I've been doing a lot of travelling, spending a lot of time in England with my husband, as well as his family," Franklyn explained.

She is now married to Englishman, Colin Watts, whose parents are Jamaicans living in Gloucestershire.

And if that sounds like a mea culpa, it wasn't meant to be.
"It's not about getting hit songs now, nor trying to run down anything," she pointed out.

Incidentally, she has begun working on a new album which she is desperately trying to get released by December. She has named the album, His Way.

"Because I am at a place in my Christian life now where I do what God wants me to do. I am not concerned about material things. These tracks explain personal experiences I have had in my life and how God helped me work them out," Franklyn said.

"For me it has to be an album with a message that will create change in people's lives. It is really about what he wants me to do and where he wants me to go."

Funny, the new album will not include much of an input from dancehall/gospel music pioneer Danny Browne who produced Joy.

In fact Browne, her fellow worshipper at the Swallowfield Chapel in Kingston, has very little to do with the project. However, Chevelle insists that there is no animosity involved.

She has recorded tracks at Cell Block, Anchor, Grafton and other top studios. She has relied on engineers with whom she was associated in the secular days, including "Bulby" and "Fatta" and musicians from the same era including Sly and Robbie, members of the Gumption band and Third World's Cat Coore, supported by leading gospel musicians Othneil Lewis and Alex Martin.

She is producing the CD for her own NOW (No Other Way) label. Franklyn says it is not the first time she is producing, but she has never taken the task seriously before.

"I did it before without even realising that I was actually producing," she laughed.

Among the songs she has included is Would You Go, which poses a very searching question for Christians.

"We always say we will do anything for God or go anywhere for God, but when there is no stretch limousine waiting to take us there, we are not sure. The question is will you really go? For example, I was saying, Lord, I will go anywhere you want me to go. But, the question was, would I really go?"

She says that she has overcome criticisms about taking dancehall rhythms into the church.

"The Bible says that we are all fishers of men, and not all fish can be caught with the same hook," she responds. But does she think that the church is doing enough to curb rising crime and violence?

"You can't blame the church too much, they can only do so much, and you can't force truth down people's throats. But there is a radicalness that is needed. Christians need to come out of their comfort zone and share the gospel with others. We need to step out in faith, not in fear. Some of us who are in the body of Christ are not really brave enough.
Where there is fear, we need faith."

She returned home a week ago to mix the new album, just missing Hurricane Ivan by about a week.

"I was concerned about the people, when I heard that it was heading for Jamaica. There was a lot of praying in London. They opened the church doors and people just went in and prayed on the night of the hurricane. You know, Jamaica is really a blessed country," she suggested.

Chevelle leaves the island this week-end for a brief ministry stint in St Kitts. She will be going back to London in mid-October.

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