Mary Mary Goes and Gets It
Perhaps the most successful “gospel crossover” act since Kirk Franklin, the award-winning duo Mary Mary is having a banner year. Erica Campbell recently gave birth to her third child, Tina is pregnant with her fourth, their WE TV reality show was just picked up for a second season, and their eighth album, Go Get It, dropped last month. They were also nominated for two Grammys, hired new management, and were invited to perform at the Essence Music Festival for the first time next month.
It’s fitting, then, that the lead single from their new album is called “Go Get It.” They’re definitely out here seizing opportunities. And many of those opportunities would not have been available to them, had they not “crossed over” and earned spots on mainstream R&B/urban radio. Though most gospel listeners don’t get as up in arms about that as they used to, say, thirty years ago, when the Clark Sisters released “You Brought the Sunshine,” with its reggae-lite beat inspired by Stevie Wonder’s “Master Blaster,” Mary Mary still experiences the occasional old-fashioned churchy side-eye when their melodies or wardrobes seem to skirt a little too close to the secular edge.
Their reality series has provided more insight into their personal lives. Their bickering and endorsement of pole-dance workouts left some churchgoers cold, while others found their candor and concern for their body image, their health, and their sexiness to be refreshing. Regardless of your thoughts on Mary Mary, it’s interesting how discussions about them highlight some Christians’ ideas about what is and is not an “acceptable public image.” The sisters Campbell often said as much, whenever their sister and stylist Goo pulled outfits for their appearances. They had to dress with an eye to modesty, because it was expected.
Are you a Mary Mary fan? How do you feel about hearing gospel music in “non-traditional places” (like the club)? Should gospel artists have to look a certain way to be considered an “acceptable representation” of church or Christian life–and if so, what should that “gospel artist look” entail? And finally, what do you think of Mary Mary’s new single, “Go Get It?” If you haven’t heard it, check it out below:
Thanks for the article! I love the show and I’m so glad to get more insight into their lives. I really wish they would live for themselves though and stop wondering what other people will think… who cares that sister Linda is disgusted by the pole? Bish you better work that pole!
When you walk with Christ your life is not your own, it’s not so much what people think at all but what is upstanding in the sight of GOD as his children.
@ OSHH
Can you make that a PSA?? We just don’t know, and we need to.
I absolutely love Mary Mary. I absolutely love Erica Campbell and Tina Campbell as women. I’m so glad that finally a gospel duo is able to have a tv show that is successful without having to curse or throw drinks every two seconds.
I do think sometimes these artists can distract from the message viatheir attire, as long as their clothes are leading people to Christ and not away, who are we to judge. I liked how the show highlighted how one sister felt a certain way about the pole class while the other didn’t and they just agreed to disagree..such is life!
I’m not a Gospel fan really, but I looove the song “Go get it”. Love it.
I never bought them as a gospel act.I look at acts like them as people who know they would have never made it as RNB or rap artists parading around as gospel singers.
I personally don’t like their music.Except the songs Yesterday and Heaven.i watch their show and found it a little odd that they care about looking SEXY on stage when they sing gospel music.No one has to wear a shawl and glasses but it just sounded weird to hear someone say they want to look sexy on stage to sing gospel music
They sound way better than r&b singers. Warren, their producer, worked with the best in both r&b and gospel, and he said it himself. Being a producer and writer, i agree with him. They are women, they want to look fly on stage. Fly is the terminology that they used, and cute. They said sexy when referring to their hubbys. And ps, stop hating. You sound sooo bitter.
Why should someone not want to feel sexy just because they are singing gospel? We are all human and want to feel a certain way, just because we are christians’ does not mean that we have to be drab and feel or even look old. Christ is not that way, we are to reach others as Christ reached out to us.