print: Joi Marshall - Interview (December 2007) | BlackGospel.com, Your Gospel Music Ministry Source!

Interview with Joi Marshall
December 2007, BlackGospel.com by Christopher Heron

The road to salvation and redemption is wide and varied for each soul. Some find the path to deliverance very quickly, without wandering far from the arms of God. For others, the journey to release comes after experiencing many mountains and viewing many more valleys. The pilgrimage for multi-talented, recording artist, Joi Marshall was one that could best be described as full-circle.

Raised in a healthy Midwest Christian household, Ms. Marshall would later find the bright lights and beautiful people of California all to tempting to resist, as a teenager. As a vocalist with infinite talent and earnest ambition, Joi Marshall would soon try her hand in popular music, in Los Angeles, California.

But like the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden, its taste was bittersweet. Success was imminent but fleeting. As a member of the chart-topping recording group, Jade, Joi Marshall experienced a taste of celebrity status and industry acclaim but not without its drawbacks. Mismanagement and mistrust set the seeds for dysfunction within the nucleus and an eventual breakup among the group.

But it was in this darkest period of her life, Joi would experience an epiphany, a clear and indisputable calling to serve Christ. Today, many years removed from that turbulent season, Joi Marshall is now committed to a higher calling that’s firmly anchored on that Solid Rock.

A few weeks ago, Ms. Marshall walked us through her journey to spiritual emancipation, a journey she now declares in her testimony and praise, a journey that’s full-circle in-the-making, a journey all too many Christians never undertake or complete in their quest for salvation.

Christopher Heron: Joi, I’d like to begin back in Chicago, where everything for first started for you. I can only imagine how special it was to see, first-hand, some of the most influential artists of our time sing in those famous Chicago churches. But please share with us your childhood experience with music that inspired you to see music as an expression you could explore and as a gift from God?

Joi Marshall: I did not grow up in the church per se. I went to a catholic grade school because it was the best school in the area where I grew up, the Ida B. Wells projects on 39th and Cottage Grove. My parents always played music in the house. I learned how to listen to songwriting when I heard popular music and I played around with it when my dad would play Miles Davis and such. I would make up songs to instrumentals and somehow I picked up the different sections to songs. When I was 5 years old, I could tell the difference between a verse and chorus.

My sister Nikki, who is two years my senior, and I would sing in the neighborhood and at my cousins houses when we’d visit them. And people would pay us…candy money. J We’d sing what she learned in choir rehearsal at Holy Angels. Although it was catholic, it was a black catholic school, so the songs weren’t all Latin. Also, whenever my parents would have company, my sister and I, and any other kids present, would put on a show. Nikki was always the organizer. She was a 7-year-old genius!

CH: You actually saw one of the pioneers of Gospel music, Mahalia Jackson, a Chicago resident in her latter years, sharing her divine vocal gift. How special was her talent? And how much of an influence was she and other Gospel singers on your life decision to sing professionally?

JM: When I first saw how beautiful Mahalia Jackson was to look at it moved me. I believed that because I was a child I could read her spirit. Then when she sang I felt the richness of her voice and saw how the people were reacting to her. They were entranced. She was singing the truth from the depths of her soul and we could all feel it. It was then, that I knew I wanted to sing.

At the time my mind was on being a star more so than being a minister of song. I had to grow into understanding the weight that singers carry and the responsibility that it demands.

CH: Your God-given talent ironically pulled you away from family and the church and led you to the City of Angels ( Los Angeles ) and into a popular 90’s R&B group called Jade. When you think back on that experience and time, how strange was that change of scenery and music? And how personally difficult was it for you to balance your faith with the fast world of Los Angeles and the music industry?

JM: Well, my talent did take me away from my family and my church, but never God. I have always had an intimate relationship with Him, even before I got saved. When I moved to Los Angeles, God’s grace was with me. I sometimes had up to 5 female roommates. But they were all from Illinois and all wonderful women from great families. So, I didn’t get too out of control. We were all like sisters, instant family. We still keep in touch as much as possible.

When I met Tonya and Di, of Jade, they were very spiritually grounded women. We did allow others to influence our clothing choices, etc. But we did not live the Rock & Roll lifestyle. My grandmother, who is still alive and 94 years old, is the biggest reason why I wouldn’t allow myself to get too lost. She is still the matriarch of the family and we all have respect for her and her wishes.

CH: Your group – Jade – experienced popularity in the 90’s. However, mismanagement of funds and personnel brought a close to that era. Do you believe that it was important for that season in your professional career to end, in order to rediscover God more intimately and sing about His unconditional love?

JM: Well, initially our career ended because of mismanagement, but we did get back together in the late 90’s. However, in the midst of getting our 3rd studio album together, God spoke to me at about 3:00 in the morning and told me that it was time to leave Jade and pursue teaching. I didn’t know exactly what he wanted me to teach at the time. He has taken me on a long journey of discovering what I am to teach. First, I wrote a book on the music business, which I’ve taught in various seminars and classes. Then I started teaching gifts and purpose class in church, then Sunday school, New Members Classes, Children’s Sunday school, you name it. I still believe God has something else for me in the area of teaching and that those were just training grounds. When he showed me the vision for the record, he told me that it too is a teaching tool.

CH: You’ve learned a lot of important lessons early on, as an artist. You’ve even written a book to inform others entitled, Answers To The 20 Most Asked Questions About The Music Business. What are the important life lessons learned from that experience that’s prepared you for next stage in life and ministry?

JM: Yes, I’ve learned many hard lessons about the music business and about trusting myself as an artist. Being in a group with singers that you admire can be somewhat intimidating. And it took me a while to feel confident to sing solo. Di and Tonya always encouraged me, but for some reason I felt like I didn’t really have it. It was just the Devil. When I started singing about the Lord, however, I found myself. I love my voice now! J

The other lessons have to do with business. I learned how to read and interpret contracts and how to ask for what I want. I also learned how to do business with God. That is, I ask…wait to hear His direction…then do what I hear Him say. With this new album being on my own label, I believe it’s a great step in the right direction to owning or co-owning my work.

CH: And finally Joi, your new album is entitled, Testimony & Praise. What is your true testimony and fervent praise today, as a woman, a Christian and an artist?

JM: My Testimony is this: I used to feel less than, second-class and not good enough, maybe it’s was because I’m dark girl, maybe because as a younger sibling the older one always got what she wanted first, maybe because my father wasn’t there for me when I was in my formative years and I looked for love in so many places I shouldn’t have.

When I really found out just how good and unconditional God’s love is, it freed me. I can praise Him today, because I am free. Free from my past, and my self-doubt. I thank God for becoming Jesus and setting me free! I’m free as a women, Christian, artist and everything else that I am. I’m free!

To discover the ministry of Joi Marshall, visit her website www.joimarshall.com which includes a complete bio, information on Testimony & Praise, photos, videos and much more. For more information on Joi, you can also visit www.myspace.com/joimarshall. To contact Joi Marshall, call 770-439-4903 or email foster@pepservices.net.