Gospel music will play in support of the mind during the How Sweet the Sound competition on June 4, 2022 in Greenville, South Carolina.
After a 10-year hiatus, How Sweet the Sound returns to the Bon Secours Wellness Arena stage and will feature gospel choirs, soloists and dance performances. It will also mark the launch of the Sound it Out initiative, which is designed to help parents and caregivers talk about mental health with their children.
How Sweet The Sound is partnering with The Ad Council “to encourage and equip people in the Black community to have more conversations about their emotional well-being, which has been further impacted by the pandemic,” according to a joint statement.
“The association helps empower parents through music, using it as a powerful tool to start conversations with children about their emotional well-being.”
The Sound It Out campaign will show how music can be used to explore difficult emotions and experiences with high school students (ages 10-14), with a particular emphasis on reaching students through parents and carers.
“In the faith-based community, we often avoid talking about or dealing with mental health issues, and I hope this partnership allows us to begin to normalize discussions around the topic,” said Nathanael Brown, an award-winning choral conductor, saxophonist and CEO. of Gentle Giant Music Ministries, owner of the How Sweet The Sound brand.
“Gospel music is a wonderful example of what the Sound It Out campaign is all about: the power of music to connect with our emotions and with each other,” said Sherry Thompson, director of the Ad Council Mental Health Campaign Coalition.
“We’re thrilled to partner with How Sweet The Sound to help raise awareness of the importance of mental wellness in the Black community, while also providing valuable tools and resources to help families have more open and honest conversations about wellness.” emotional”.
In addition to announcing the new collaboration, How Sweet The Sound has released their list of celebrity judges.
They include Grammy Award-winning pastor Hezekiah Walker; Dove Award-winning and Grammy-nominated artist, actor and author Jekalyn Carr; renowned gospel choir director and Stellar Award winner Ricky Dillard; and Billboard National Choir Director and syndicated radio host JJ Hairston.
The judges, along with How Sweet The Sound host, Grammy Award-winning songwriter and record producer Donald Lawrence, will perform live at the event.
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