Glory Shalom talks Faith, Music, & Shares Her Testimony to Becoming a Believer in Jesus Christ (Full Interview)
Glory Shalom talks Faith, Music, & Shares Her Testimony to Becoming a Believer in Jesus Christ (Full Interview)
"As I started seeking God, He started to reveal to me that my purpose was only found in Him and that by fulfilling my purpose in Him, I would find true meaning in this life." -Glory Shalom
Glory Shalom: I’m doing great and I’m honored to be interviewing with you. Thanks for having me.
Mistah Wilson: For our audience reading this, could you give us a quick background on yourself?
Glory Shalom: Yes, I am a Gospel artist born and raised in Miami, FL. I am a singer, songwriter, worship leader, and entrepreneur. I currently serve as the worship leader for my church, Glory to God Global Ministries. As a child, I was always really into the Arts. My parents noticed my gift to sing at a young age and placed me in pageants and different competitions. I also attended really great schools with specialized Arts Programs. I studied Spanish and took up chorus and learned to play the violin in Elementary school. In Middle School, High School, and College I studied Dance and also trained at the Alvin Ailey American Theater Dance School for a summer. So, I’ve always been naturally talented, which led me on the journey of becoming the woman that I am today. I’m just a woman that God has blessed with gifts and talents and I use them to glorify Him.
Mistah Wilson: You are undoubtedly talented with a vocal range that gives me chills every time. But, before we get into music, I'd like to discuss your Faith a little bit. What is your testimony to becoming a believer in Jesus Christ?
Glory Shalom: I was actually raised in the church. My parents, who are both Believers and are now the Pastors of the church I attend, trained my family up in the Word of God and taught us about Jesus Christ. It wasn’t until I went off to college, that I realized I had to develop my own relationship with God because just living off of what my parents had taught me wasn’t enough. It had to become personal for me. When I moved away from home to attend college, it was during this season that I began to stray from some of the things I had been taught and was living a sinful life. It didn’t take me long to realize that these things only led to destruction and that I wasn’t making the right choices. Also, doing things that weren’t pleasing to God, left me feeling empty and pushed me further from God. There was no joy in that life because everything was temporary and lasted only for a moment. I had a void inside, and I knew that something was missing. I knew that I needed to get my life back on track with my Creator. After this, I started to get serious about getting my life right with God. I gradually stopped doing the sinful things that I knew weren’t pleasing to Him and then He began to reveal to me my purpose. I read a book during that season titled, The Purpose Driven Life, by Rick Warren, which explained that our purpose in life is to glorify God. As I started seeking God, He started to reveal to me that my purpose was only found in Him and that by fulfilling my purpose in Him, I would find true meaning in this life. From there it’s been a journey of walking with God day by day.
Mistah Wilson: What were some situations you went thru in your life that called for you to muster up Faith?
Glory Shalom: It takes faith to come to God and to trust Him with your life. The bible says that without faith it is impossible to please God, but whoever comes to God must believe that God exists and that he is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6). It took faith for me to trust that God’s plans for me were much better than I could ever imagine and it took faith to pursue the dreams that he had placed in my heart. The more that I trusted Him and stepped out on faith, the more He began to open doors and just do extraordinary things with my life.
Mistah Wilson: What are some strategies you use to help eliminate sin in your life?
Glory Shalom: For me personally, I have to guard my heart. I don’t watch or listen to certain things because whatever I put into my spirit plants a seed and that seed will eventually grow. I am also careful with the people I hang around and the places that I go because bad company corrupts good character. If I know that listening to certain music will cause me to think about certain things and make me want to do sinful things then I avoid listening to that type of music or song. That also goes for the tv shows and movies that I watch. There was a season in my life when I was doing things that I knew weren’t pleasing to God. I was living a sinful life. But once I recognized that I needed God in my life and that my life was meaningless without Him, I made the decision to stop doing certain things because they were keeping me from being in a close relationship with God. Sin separates us from God; but once I made the decision, God began to show me what things I had to eliminate from my life in order to live a life that was pleasing to Him. We cannot overcome sin in our own strength, but Jesus already overcame sin for us by dying on the cross for our sins. We have to rely on Jesus and the work that He already did for us. People who follow their own natural instincts do not have God’s Spirit in them. But when you give your life to Jesus, God puts His Spirit in you, and His Spirit, also known as the Holy Spirit, will lead you. The Holy Spirit will help you in the battle against sin and when we are tempted, God will always provide a way of escape. God loves us so much and He wants for us to be in close relationship with Him; but living a life full of sin will keep us from that and from all of the blessings He has in store or us. When we do slip and fall into sin, God does not condemn us. We can repent of our sin, turn from our sin, and come back to God.
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Mistah Wilson: How important is prayer in our lives and how can we develop good habits of reading the Bible?
Glory Shalom: Without prayer, it’s like you don’t have any spiritual power. When Jesus spent his time on the Earth, he spent so much time in prayer because he knew that without communicating with the Father, he wouldn’t have clear direction. The Bible says to pray without ceasing. We are always to pray. I pray all the time. I pray when I wake up in the morning, when I’m driving in the car, when I’m at the grocery store… You can pray at any time of the day because God is always listening. I like to talk to God throughout the day and I ask Him for wisdom and for Him to lead me on the right path. We should never go a day without prayer. If you don’t know what to pray, you can start by praying the Lord’s prayer. In the bible, the disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to pray and you can find that scripture in Luke 11:1-4. Prayer is simply talking to God. If you think about someone you are in a close relationship with, you always want to talk with them. That’s how prayer is. It is simply just talking to God. To develop good habits of reading the bible you first have to start! I personally like to use the Bible app, formerly the Youversion app, on my phone or tablet. This app is great because there are times when I am on the go, but there is an audio function on the app that allows you to listen to the bible being read to you. They also have awesome “devotionals”, which are reading plans on the app, which are based upon different topics. For example, if you’re dealing with grief, or depression, or anxiety, you can search the specific topics. Each day of the plan offers a reading passage and bible verses to go along with it. There are many plans to choose from. I definitely recommend downloading the Bible app.
Mistah Wilson: What are some things you want people to know about Christianity?
Glory Shalom: I want people to know that Jesus Christ came to the Earth to die for the sins of the world. After three days he rose from the dead and overcame death, hell, and the grave. God loves you and wants to be in relationship with you. The only way to be made right with God is to accept the free gift of Salvation, repent of your sins, and accept Jesus into your heart. We cannot save ourselves and our good deeds won’t get us into heaven. There is no other way to the Father but through Jesus Christ. And you won’t be able to do it just by being a good person and doing good deeds. We are sinful, fallen creatures, and we need a Saviour, His name is Jesus Christ. We have to confess our sins and believe in our hearts this truth that God raised Jesus from the dead. When we accept Jesus as our Lord and repent of our sins, He makes us new creatures in Christ. All of our sins are cleared and the slate is made clean. We can then begin a new life in him, and each day allow Him to transform our lives as we get closer to Him. The only way to be made right with God and spend eternity in Heaven is to confess your sins and ask Jesus to come into your heart. It’s really simple, just say Lord Jesus, please forgive me of my sins. Come into my heart. I believe that you are the Son of God and I accept you as Lord and Savior of my life. Make me new, make me whole, and make me complete. In Jesus Name, Amen.
Mistah Wilson: What led you to become a singer? Where and when did it all start?
Glory Shalom: Well like I mentioned earlier I’ve always had the gift to sing. But what led me to really pursue music as a career was during a season where I was really seeking God for purpose in my life. I didn’t know what I was really supposed to be doing with my life and I knew that I wanted to live a life of purpose. So I started to get closer to God and he started to reveal to me the dreams that I had in my heart for being a professional singer. It was after reading a devotional about becoming the person God created you to be is when I wrote Altar Ego, which is the first song on the EP. God continued to pour songs into me and showed me how to play the piano and put different chord progressions together. Becoming a singer wasn’t something that I had planned but it happened as I sought God for my purpose.
Mistah Wilson: Of course, we have to mention. We came across your song "Eyes of Faith" and it is nothing short of spectacular! I am definitely a fan now! Can you tell us about tha motivation that led to you writing this song?
Glory Shalom: Eyes of Faith came to me when I was experiencing a really hard time in my life and I was very discouraged. My Mother approached me one day and she said that I needed to use my situation to write a song. When she said this to me, I was very depressed and didn’t see how I could possibly write a song in my state. That same day, as I went to lay down and get some rest, a thought came to me which was, “Look through the eyes of faith.” I know now that it was God speaking to me. I immediately jotted that phrase down in my phone, “Look through the eyes of faith”. I had been looking at my situation and how bad it was, instead of speaking life into it and I had been allowing the enemy to discourage me. I took the phrase that God spoke to me that day and began to write the song.
Mistah Wilson: What inspires your creativity when writing new songs?
Glory Shalom: I’m normally inspired by something I may have read in the bible or an idea I may have come across while reading a devotional. Sometimes God speaks a word into me like He did for Eyes of Faith, and then there are times when I may hear the Pastor say something during church service which sparks an idea in my head. There are other times that the ideas come randomly, like when improvising on the piano. Sometimes just dealing with life situations in general. As a songwriter, I am always attentive to ideas I may come across throughout my daily life.
Mistah Wilson: Do you have any memorable moments in tha studio? Perhaps anything that may have inspired a song?
Glory Shalom: Yes, while working on this project, this was actually my first time recording in a professional manner and I was a little nervous to begin the process. I was blessed to have an amazing producer and we would start every recording session with prayer. It was those moments that allowed me to take the focus off of myself and to put my focus back on God. It allowed me to see the bigger picture of what we were doing and to believe in the gifts that God had placed on the inside of me. Starting the sessions off with prayer created such a vibe and we created some great songs as a result.
Mistah Wilson: Who are some of your biggest musical influences and why?
Glory Shalom: While growing up we only listened to gospel music in our home. I believe that much of the music I listened to as a child has had a big influence on me. This was music from Gospel artists like Bebe & Cece Winans, Yolanda Adams, Kirk Franklin, Mary Mary, and Out of Eden, just to name a few. When I became older and started to listen to other styles of music, I would sing songs by Mariah Carey, Beyonce, Alicia Keys, Whitney Houston, and Selena, singers with amazing voices. I believe those artists have all had some influence on my sound.
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Glory Shalom: Yes, I do believe that influence does have an effect on our consciousness, and that’s why “Influencers” are so popular in today’s society. Whatever we see plants an idea in our minds, either good or bad. I want to always be a positive influence on those who I come into contact with and those that follow me.
Mistah Wilson: When I discovered your YouTube channel, I found myself wanting more with tha "shorts" videos. What do you ultimately want to accomplish with music?
Glory Shalom: Thank you. I want to spread the love, hope, and message of Jesus Christ through my music. Music can be healing. I hope that when people hear my voice and my songs, that their lives are changed for the better.
Mistah Wilson: What are your thoughts on secular music?
Glory Shalom: In my opinion, we have to be really careful about what we feed ourselves spiritually. If you are feeding yourself with music with profanity, vulgar, or sexually explicit lyrics, then that is going to plant those seeds in your heart and eventually, those seeds will start to grow. I don’t listen to secular music because I try to feed myself with things that will help me to grow spiritually and bring me closer to God. Music is powerful because music can be used to usher in the presence of God. In the bible, there is a story about King Saul who was troubled by an evil spirit, but when David would play the harp for him, the evil spirit would leave. If you are trying to live for Christ, then there is a constant battle between your spirit and your flesh. The bible says that the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. I am going to do everything that I can to keep my spirit pure. Music is one of the avenues that the enemy uses to corrupt people’s minds and plant his own evil agendas in them. That being said, secular music is not what I prefer to listen to. I find myself listening mostly to worship music because I like to be in the presence of God.
Mistah Wilson: What current and upcoming projects do you have in tha works?
Glory Shalom: I am currently writing and recording new music which I am super excited about and planning to release this year. I am also working on releasing some music videos and I have a few features with some dope Christian artists that will be releasing soon. If you would like to keep up with me, definitely follow me on social media so that you can stay updated on upcoming releases.
Mistah Wilson: If you can recommend only two songs of yours to a new potential fan, which ones would they be and why?
Glory Shalom: The first song that I would recommend would be “Eyes of Faith”. This song means a lot to me because I was at a really low place in my life when I wrote it. I believe that “Eyes of Faith” will touch anyone that hears it. The second song I would recommend would be “Altar Ego”. This song has more of a pop feel and has also been a fan favorite! This song represents the path that led me to becoming an artist. I had to break free from my past in order to become the person that God created me to be. Both of these songs have deep meaning and I believe that any new listener will enjoy them.
Mistah Wilson: What positive, encouraging words do you have for aspiring musicians?
Glory Shalom: I would like to encourage the aspiring musicians by saying believe in yourself and don’t give up on your dreams. Be true to who you are and be consistent. Don’t let the world dictate to you what you should and should not do. Each one of us is unique and we each have something to offer to this world. Be bold and follow your dreams. With God all things are possible.
Mistah Wilson: Where can people find and follow you online?
Glory Shalom: You can connect with me @gloryshalom on Instagram, Facebook and check out my YouTube Channel at Glory Shalom. You can also visit my website www.gloryshalom.com to find out more info about me. My EP “Altar Ego” is out now, you can download it on all digital platforms!
Mistah Wilson: Hey, Glory Shalom! Thank you so much for coming thru for this exclusive interview with ThaWilsonBlock Magazine! It's been awesome having you! If you'd like to send any shout outs, let's hear it...
Glory Shalom: Thank you so much for having me. Well, special shout out to Jesus, because without Him I wouldn’t be here interviewing with you today. Also, special shout out to my parents who are always there to support me, my friends, and my family members. Thank you for all of your support! I would also like to give a special shout-out to one of my partners, Eliseo Torrez of the KS Radio Show. Please check him out at @KSRadioShow on Instagram and Facebook and check out his show which airs every Friday at 8pm ET on Blog Talk Radio. And last but not least, special shoutout to everyone who played a part in putting this EP together- my Producer, Tracksion and Zorenzo who was a songwriter and did BGVs. I love you all! And special shoutout to you, Mistah Wilson and ThaWilsonBlock Magazine, thank you again for having me. God bless!
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