GOSPEL recording artiste O’Shane McHugh says he is hoping to reach a wider audience outside of the church with his latest single, the inspirational Great Day.

Released on September 12, the track is he first release from an EP that McHugh currently has in production.

“Great Day was inspired by everyday life. I see people facing challenges every day and I wanted to create something that reminds them and myself that no matter what happened yesterday, today is a new opportunity. It’s that moment when you wake up and decide that it’s going to be a great day, regardless of the circumstances,” McHugh told the Jamaica Observer on Friday.

Asked why he decided to release an inspirational song, as opposed to a gospel recording, McHugh explained: “For me, gospel is the foundation, but inspirational [songs] reach wider. I didn’t want to limit the message to just the church, I wanted it to reach the classroom, the street, the taxi, the office.

“ Great Day is still rooted in faith, but it’s a universal message. Everyone needs encouragement, whether you go to church or not.”

Jovan Webb of JW Productions is credited with the producer on the project.

McHugh has been buoyed by feedback since the song was released.

“The feedback has been amazing and humbling. Students, parents, teachers, people online, they’ve been sharing how the song has been somewhat of an upliftment to them in the morning before work or school. That’s exactly what I wanted. When someone tells you, ‘Your song made my day better,’ that’s bigger than any chart,” he said.

Great Day, McHugh shared, is the beginning of work that has commenced on his forthcoming EP.

“It’s the intro to a bigger body of work. I’m putting together an EP that will continue along this inspirational path, with some gospel elements as well. I’m taking my time with it, because I want every song to have a purpose,” McHugh disclosed.

An industrial techniques teacher at Kingston College for the past 14 years, McHugh emerged on the gospel music scene 20 years ago.

A born-again Christian for the past 26 years, he was nominated in the category Breakout Artiste of the Year in the 2022 Sterling Gospel Music Awards.