During the process of writing her latest single Every Day, gospel and inspirational music singer Charmian Marie wanted to inspire others.

She had been through a rough patch in her life, and she sought healing from the Lord.

Every Day was written in late 2023 following a deep battle with depression after a very dark two years. I found myself wanting to press the reset button due to all the shame, hurt, disappointment, and anger that I had experienced. I felt like a failure and like I had disobeyed and embarrassed God.

“Then, one day, the Lord sat me down and reminded me that it’s literally progress over perfection. We’re not always going to get it right, but luckily we don’t have to learn it all or go through it all alone. Jesus walks with us, and as we journey, we grow, we heal, and we have new opportunities to do and be better,” Charmian Marie shared in an interview with the Jamaica Observer on Thursday.

Released a few months ago, the single is self-produced.

“I actually produced the song. I began exploring self-production because it has always been difficult to communicate what I hear to musicians when I write my songs, which has led to a few challenges in the past,” she said.

Charmian Marie, who got baptised at the age of 16, shared that she finds God showing up in every situtaion.

“Honestly, it’s a very unique and authentic relationship. I have learned to understand that God is literally everything, and so I feel no barriers in experiencing Him as friend, father, peace, protector, comforter… He’s my rock through every single season, and even when I am angry and frustrated in a specific season, I rest assured that my God is greater; not because it sounds cute, but because my life is literally a testimony of His might and redemptive power. Because of this relationship, it has become a natural response for me to desire to serve Him and walk according to His will in literally all that I do.”

Born and raised in Kingston, Charmian Marie attended Immaculate Conception High School and then pursued tertiary education at The University of the West Indies’ Caribbean Institute of Media and Communication (CARIMAC).

A former member of the Saxthorpe Methodist Church, she supports her husband in his church, Twickenham Open Bible.

Still, Charmian Marie disclosed that her journey in gospel music has not been a perfect one.

“My musical journey has been textured; far from perfect because I spent a very long time trying to figure out where I fit in… I also struggled tremendously with comparison and seeking validation from others because I honestly didn’t look or sound like what I deemed to be the in-crowd in gospel music. At one point I was with a label and, upon our parting, I was told that Jamaicans won’t like my music, and that really hit my ego, as I wondered: If my own people wouldn’t like my music, how could I expect the world to also like it? Truth is, it took some time for me to decide that they meant no ill intent, but it still deeply impacted me,” she said.

“Then, the Lord sat me down and asked me who I was living to please, reminding me that this gift is to bring Him glory, and so whether or not one person or the world likes the music, the goal should be to please Him. Since then, the Lord really has been doing a deep work in me, giving me clarity on the path that I’m on… So, when I sing now, I sing from that place of clarity and confidence, eager to move according to God’s will,” the artiste told the
Observer.

Three years ago, Charmian Marie released songs for a project dubbed
Jericho: The Live Experience, which were later pulled from streaming services.

“I have since pulled the songs as the quality of the release and other factors don’t align with the standard that best represents the ministry. With that said, I am actually planning to release an album before the year ends that will incorporate some studio versions of some of those songs, and others,” she stated.

She continued: “Persons have been bullied, hurt, rejected, abused, and ostracised, but have somehow risen above and are pursuing Jesus and a better life, through the odds. If that takes me to a stage in front of 100,000 or a room with one audience member who needed that specific message and is transformed upon hearing it, then that’ll be a huge accomplishment for me.”

Charmian Marie’s next major assignment will be performing at gospel deejay Minister Blessed’s EP launch on July 27.

“I’m excited to show up in support of Minister Blessed, who has been working really hard over the years. That said, now that I am in a new season I’m excited to see what the Lord does in terms of collaborations and actual songs,” she disclosed.