Gospel songstress Leandria Johnson returns with her sophomore set, “The Evolution of Leandria Johnson”. The ep opens with the vibrant “It’s Gonna Be Alright”. I love the key and arrangement of “He Was There”. The song allows Ms. Johnson’s voice to really shine because you can hear all of the tones in her voice. She has a voice that is both traditional and contemporary all at the same time. You can tell that she is fully grounded in the old school sound, but she can still work an edgy tune if she needs to.

Many listeners will find comfort in “Let It Go”, as it addresses how to get past real life issues. “He First Loved Me” weaves the classic “O How I Love Jesus” lyrics in with a smoothed, out soulful melody. “I Shall Leap” was already a fan favorite prior to the release of “Evolution”, and it’s easy to see why. The song can fit in with quiet storm radio just as well as it fits in with gospel radio, without losing its inspirational message. The set closes with “Overtaken”, an upbeat track that is reminiscent of an updated version of the Clark Sister’s classic hit, “You Brought the Sunshine”.

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