ORVILLE Sutherland is on a mission to make his name be listed among Jamaica’s gospel music royalty. The singer is banking his hopes on a seven-track EP called Sweet Feelings.

The set— slated for release on Sunday, August 16— is produced by Gospel International.

“Gospel music is not only my calling, but it is my passion. It’s a very potent avenue and, within the Jamaican context, gospel reggae is a great way for the message to reach the masses. The songs in the EP all encourage righteousness, militancy in terms of Christianity and standing up for the gospel. Instead of being like a lamb to the slaughter, you go out with force in terms of letting the elements know that we are no easy task to be swayed but we are standing up for the gospel or for righteousness,” he said.

In addition to title track of the same name, Sweet Feelings comprises Touch Not, Jesus Alone, God Only featuring Malachi Taylor, MAC11, Victory Belongs to Jesus, and Nah Worry.

All the songs on the project were written by Sutherland, who was first runner-up in the 2016 staging of the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission’s Jamaica Gospel Song Competition.

“I have a varied writing approach. A song could come by divine interpretation where it is, in it’s entirety, downloaded in my spirit such as Cool Shade where I just looked at the wonders of God, coupled with His Word and I understand that he’s the Good Shepherd and, as such, that He keeps me in a ‘cool shade on green pastures’. I also write from tracks given to me by engineers. I am grateful to God because it’s never a hard task to write,” he said.

“We are heading into a new era of gospel music and music in general where the airwaves carry a sound which will either deliver healing or brokenness; sorrow or joy; the good news or something else. As a Christian artiste doing reggae gospel, it is my ultimate aim to get to the highest level where my reach is vast. This way I can minister to souls in a way that people are blessed, healed, delivered, entertained and revived. Through all of this, my determination is to glorify God and to take the good news to the four corners of the earth in the way that He has so enabled me and with the words that He has placed within my spirit,” he added.