From the Stellars & More: Kirk Franklin's Candid Sit-Down
From the Stellars to the Studio: Kirk Franklin’s Candid Sit-Down With the Willie Moore Jr. Show
- Honesty and vulnerability are key to gospel music's future success.
- Franklin's new double album blends old-school church tracks and modern studio cuts.
- At 56, Franklin remains humble and grateful for his continued impact.
Gospel legend Kirk Franklin, sat down with Willie Moore Jr. Show co-host Dwight Stone for a candid conversation covering new music, faith, and a season that has the iconic artist more grounded than ever.
Fresh off hosting the Stellar Awards in Charlotte, Franklin couldn’t hide his excitement. “Charlotte pulled up, man. Over 10,000 people,” he said. “They filled the arena. It was incredible.” He described a night that reminded everyone in the building just how powerful gospel music remains. “From quartet to hip hop to traditional gospel, everybody that hit the stage was beautiful.”
Keeping It Real: Franklin on Authenticity and the Future of Gospel
Talk soon turned to the heart of the genre. For Franklin, the future of gospel comes down to one thing: honesty. “As long as people are telling true and vulnerable stories,” he explained, “gospel music, like any other art form, will always resonate with people.” His advice for the next generation? Never dial it in. “People are pulled into the truth of the narrative.”
That same truth shapes his new music. When Dwight Stone asked how vulnerable the new project gets, Franklin kept it simple. “I’m Kirk, and I don’t know how to be anything but Kirk. I feel more comfortable being this Kirk than I’ve ever been before in my life.”
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Fans have plenty to look forward to. His new single, “Thank You for Everything,” featuring Karen Clark Sheard, dropped Friday the 28th. Franklin calls it a return to his roots. “This is vintage, vintage, vintage Kirk. People have been telling me they want an old Kirk. So this is it. This is what God gave me.”
The single sets the stage for a double album arriving at the end of October: seven live old school church tracks paired with seven studio cuts. Two sides, one Kirk.
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Making History and Staying Humble
Dwight Stone also celebrated a major milestone. Franklin is now tied with Tamela Mann for the most number-one hits in gospel history. Ever humble, Franklin turned the spotlight to his friend. “Tamela Mann is a once-in-a-lifetime artist. I’m very proud of her.”
At 56, Franklin remains grounded and grateful. “To still get a phone call and be invited to talk and do new music is very rare. I don’t take it for granted.”
The interview closed on a lighter note when Franklin offered fitness advice for the fellas over 50: load up on protein and cut the grits. Why the grits? “Somebody jumped on me this morning,” he laughed. “They said, ‘You’re a Black man that don’t eat grits?’ And I said, ‘Your mama.'”
