Trinidadian gospel singer Sherwin Gardner has scored a viral hit with Find Me Here (Blessings Find Me).

The song, which has received endorsements from celebrities, with both American music producer Teddy Riley and Prime Minister Andrew Holness posting snippets on Instagram.

On the Hot Gospel Songs chart, Find Me Here (Blessings Find Me) débuts at #23, while over on the Gospel Digital Song Sales chart it stays put at #2, where it debuted a week ago.

On the US Afrobeats Songs chart, the song steps up from #22 to #18 in its second week and on the World Digital Song Sales chart it enters at #7.

Gardner has been trending across several territories. A snippet of the song has sparked an astounding 383+ million streams and nearly a million user-generated content creations on TikTok in three weeks.

But how has Gardner been handling this recent fame?

“I’ve been taking this new-found success in stride by staying grounded and grateful. I believe I was prepared for this moment through all the hard work and dedication I’ve put into my journey so far. It’s been a long road, and this success is unlike anything I’ve experienced before. I approach it with a sense of humility and faith, remaining watchful and prayerful as I’m ready for wherever this journey takes me, knowing that God has a plan for it,” Gardner explained in an interview with the Jamaica Observer last week.

Gardner, who has collaborated with Jamaican acts such as Prodigal Son, Papa San, and DJ Nicholas over the years, said he was not surprised at the success of his latest single.

“I wasn’t particularly surprised when I learned that the song had entered the Billboard charts. We had been closely monitoring the streams and seeing the views steadily increase daily, so it felt like a natural progression. Additionally, the song reached #48 on the TikTok Billboard charts, which was truly unexpected. The fact that it has garnered over 600 million views on TikTok is astonishing, and I can only attribute this success to God because it was the most unexpected and incredible blessing,” he said.

Gardner explained the inspiration behind the song.

“At the end of 2023, I was all set to release a new track with some prominent figures in the gospel and Christian music industry. However, we encountered a delay due to clearance issues, and the word was to wait until January. Not wanting to leave my followers hanging, I decided to put together something else in the meantime. This is when everything fell into place. A melody that had been playing in my mind for a while finally came together. I immediately got to work in my home studio, laid down the foundation, and then sent it to a producer in Kenya. To my delight, he captured the vibe perfectly, adding a beat that resonated with the warm December vibes back home,” said Gardner.

He continued, “On Christmas Day, inspiration struck again, and I spontaneously added lines about blessings, favour, and prosperity. It was a heartfelt and genuine expression. I felt that the song was more than just a tune; it was a personal prayer and declaration for the new year. So, I decided to share a snippet of the song online on New Year’s Eve. The real surprise came the next morning when I woke up to my phone buzzing with more notifications than I’d ever seen before, especially from
TikTok — a platform I was relatively new to. The song had exploded overnight, jumping from 14,000 to a staggering 433 million views. Each listen, each share, felt like a powerful connection, reaching people all over the world. It wasn’t just about going viral; it was about individuals everywhere connecting with the heartfelt prayer and finding a shared sense of hope.”

Said Gardner: “This entire journey has been a profound reminder of life’s unexpected twists and the power of prayer. What started as a personal conversation with God and an affirmation for the year has turned into a prayer answered, touching the hearts of people far and wide.”

According to Gardner, the success of
Find Me Here (Blessings Find Me) has fast-tracked the release of a full body of work later this year.

“Yes, there’s definitely more to come. While the album is currently in the works, there are several exciting developments happening. We have plans for a music video, a Spanish version of the song, and a few other elements to put in place. So, later on this year, you can expect the release of the album, which will feature this song among other exciting tracks and collaborations. It’s an ongoing journey, and I’m looking forward to sharing more with my fans as everything comes together,” he promised.

Gardner spoke to his influences:

“I come from a lineage of evangelists, deeply rooted in the world of faith. My mother, Rev Merle Gardner, is a pastor, my uncle, Kennedy Patterson, is a gospel artiste, and his grandfather, Ivan Patterson, was a revered bishop in the New Testament Church. My journey into gospel music started at a young age, singing in churches at just five years old. My début album,
Power in the Name, was released when he was only 17, marking the beginning of an extraordinary musical odyssey,” Gardner shared.

He continued: “The turning point came in 1999 when Papa San, Chevelle Franklyn, and Lt Stitchie embraced Christianity. Their conversions injected new life and authenticity into what we, as young artistes, were doing within the genre… resonating with a much broader audience and shattering barriers that had existed for so long.”

Interestingly, his style of gospel music blends reggae, soca and dancehall rhythms.

“My music has become a catalyst, inspiring youth to transform their lives and embrace Christianity,” Gardner said.