If there is any Nigerian gospel artiste whose songs I find soothing and reassuring after those of American Don Moen, it has to be Frank Edward. It was a sheer delight watching him performed during Emzor Pharmaceuticals’ annual thanksgiving held at the popular City Hall in Lagos Island in 2015. His mastery of the guitar and silky voice combine well to give room for both meditation and a sort of connection with the heavenlies. Aside having a collection of his inspirational songs, that was the very first time I saw him play live at any event.
Nicknamed “Rich Boy,” Frank Ugochukwu Edwards was born on July 22, 1990 into a family of seven in Enugu state. He learned to play the piano from his father and began singing at the age of ten. In what appeared to many as unusual, young Edward became a born-again Christian quite early in his teenage years.
A staunch member and keyboardist in Pastor Chris Oyakhilome-led Christ Embassy Church and Love World Music Ministry, the contemporary gospel singer, songwriter and recording artist is presently the founder and owner of Rocktown Records, which is home to enterprising young recording artists such as Gil, Divine, King BAS, Nkay, and David among others.
The artiste personally relieved his rise from a street boy to stardom to participants at the inauguration of the Calvary Bible Church in Lekki recently. It was so inspiring!
Hear him!
“Ten years ago, I was hawking on the streets of Enugu for my mother. We were so poor that we could hardly afford to eat. But, my mother always took me to church. She always told me to serve GOD, and that is how I have lived my life. Even when it was difficult to eat, I have always lived a life of worship. That is me. That is my life!
When I started singing, and my songs were being played everywhere, I had all kinds of offers. At a point in my life, I was in South Africa for a program and some promoters came to me and said, ‘Frank, your songs are so good, and we would like to promote you, take you all over the world. However, you mention the name JESUS too much in your songs. But if you can try and replace JESUS with GOD, we can do business together’.
Brethren, that offer was very tempting. You would think, ‘What is the big deal about replacing JESUS with GOD?’ So, I called my mother, and told her about the offer. She said, ‘Don’t mind them O! Don’t do it! Holy Ghost Fire will burn all of them.’ So, I told them NO!
Today, GOD has taken my music all over! It is a beautiful thing to see white people, Americans, singing my song, Igbo songs that they don’t even know the meaning! GOD did it.
Sometime ago, we were concluding a programme, and I was looking for a camera man to snap my picture with a renowned praise and worship leader Don Moen. Eventually I got someone to take it. As I posed with Don, he looked at me and said, ‘Oh, Frank Edwards! It is you! I need to take this picture with you!’ And he took his phone and showed me, ‘See, I have all your songs on my phone’.
We took the snapshot. After then, he said, ‘Frank, I saw online that you have a studio in your home. I would like us to do collaboration together. I’m gonna come to your house for the first recording, and you will come over to mine in U.S. for the finishing.’
At that time, I thought to myself, ‘Me, the same street boy in Enugu, to do collaboration with a Gospel legend like Don Moen? Only GOD could have made it happen. Live for GOD. Praise Him and thank Him even when things are not as you would have loved them to be. Do this, and the change will come! Live a life of worship”
That was the testimony of Frank Edward at the Church that day. Awesome, isn’t it?
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That is not all! Needless to say the proposed one of a kind album duet between Moen and Edward has been wrapped up to produce a five-track extended play recently in the United States. One of such hit track is “Ka Anyi Bulie” (Let Us Lift Him).
It would be recalled that Edward’s debut album, a 14-track album, ‘The Definition’ was released in 2008. This was followed shortly by ‘Angels on the Runway’ his second album in 2010. ‘Unlimited’ album arrived a year after that and Tagjam was released in November 2011.
The former Enugu Street boy has been described as Nigeria's hottest Gospel Rock artiste of the moment. His rising profile also came to the fore when he appeared on the live performance of Sinach's classic "I know who I am" video in 2013.
In May 2011, Rich Boy was nominated as the GOSPEL ARTISTE OF THE YEAR at the 6th Annual Nigeria Entertainment Awards (NEA). He won the award of the BEST GOSPEL ROCK ARTISTE in the first annual awards and also won West Africa Best Male Vocalist in 2012, Best Hit Single at the love world awards 2012 as well as three awards at the Nigeria Gospel Music Awards (Male Artiste of The Year, Song of The Year and Best Male Vocal).
His last album before the collaboration with Don Moen, “Frankincense,” caught everyone unaware when it topped Beyonce and Adele's albums within few hours of release on itunes album chart.
And with all that said, allow me the honor of introducing to you his latest work and which also happens to be my personal favorite gospel song titled, "Under The Canopy" which was premiered as part of the celebration of Rocktown's 7th anniversary.
The video for this highly acclaimed single was released in December 2016..
Enjoy it !
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