Chevelle Franklyn Turns 50: Her Ten Best Dancehall And Gospel Songs

Jamaican singer Chevelle Franklyn, one of the most illustrious voices to ever grace Reggae music, celebrates her 50th birthday today. 

The singer has devoted more than half of her life to music, making her recording debut as a teenager with Here I Am, produced by Rohan Harrison. Interestingly, Franklyn, an adopted child from St. Catherine, didn’t always recognize her inner star. Music came after a period of odd jobs and bouncing around after she was displaced by her stepmother.

“I did not do music because I loved it; I did it because I could make money and that was the only skill I had to survive,” Franklyn once told The Jamaica Observer. “Initially, I used to doubt my voice based – to some extent – on my upbringing. I was never encouraged as a child and this had a negative impact on me. I grew up with many insecurities and when I just started out, there was one media house that wrote a report that said I could not sing; that I sounded like an old cow.”

But producers like Harrison and Mikey Bennett thought otherwise and mentored her into pop and Dancehall stardom. Most known for her powerhouse vocals on Dancehall Queen with Beenie Man, Franklyn hung up her secular shoes for Christendom at the height of her fame. 

Now a well-decorated artist, psalmist and public speaker, DancehallMag celebrates her golden birthday with ten of her most popular songs. 

1.Mr. Loverman (with Shabba Ranks)

Franklyn first tasted international success with Mr. Loverman, Shabba Ranks’ most commercially successful record, released in 1991. The song was inspired by Champion Lover, a 1989 track performed by British singer Deborahe Glasgow, which was recut by Ranks as Mr. Loverman in 1990 with her vocals, then later re-released with Franklyn’s vocals. Her sultry, soft vocals complement the authoritative, sexually egotistic tone of Ranks, who occasionally delights with “Shabba!”. The track peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, No. 40 on the Billboard Hot 100, and No. 3 on the UK Singles chart.

Released: 1991
Producer: Clifton Dillon, Mikey Bennett

2.Nice and Naughty

Franklyn’s first solo hit, Nice and Naughty encapsulated the hybrid dancehall sound at the turn of the 90s, making her stand-out among the male leads like Ranks and Super Cat. Produced by Bennett, the track airs her desire for a “lovey-dovey” companion, and fires a warning that she can be his worst nightmare or sweetest dream depending on how she’s treated. The song has seen several remixes over the years, finding favor in Latin and American markets.

Released: 1992
Producer: Mikey Bennett

3.No Pushover

Franklyn’s follow-up – another boundary-setting record – also came through Bennett and Patrick Lindsay. On this one, the singer is all grown up, defending her premier position in her man’s life over a bullyish woman and her posse. It’s a classy delivery that also shows her growth and confidence as a vocalist in delivering even the boldest of topics. 

Released: 1992
Producer: Mikey Bennett, Patrick Lindsay

4.Thank You (with Lady G)

Nestled on The Xterminator’s popular In This Together riddim, Thank You was surely a foreshadowing of Franklyn’s walk with Christ. It premiered in 1995, three years ahead of her split from secular music. The reggae gospel track boasts of God’s goodness and mercies across Franklyn’s velvety vocals and Lady G’s testimonial toasting.

Released: 1995
Producer: Philip “Fatis” Burrell

5.A-1 Lover (with Spragga Benz)

A salute to Benz’s sexual prowess, A-1 Lover fit in the mid-90s era of male-female hybrid dancehall classics like the Snow and Nadine Sutherland-led Anything For You. Produced by Danny Browne (who would later convert to Christianity), the song stands out with a flirty back-and-forth between the artists. Franklyn’s strength as a supporting vocalist shines throughout the record, peaking during her multi-range bridge solo.

Released: 1995
Producer: Danny Browne

6.Dancehall Queen (with Beenie Man)

Franklyn teamed up with Beenie Man to release Dancehall Queen – both a single and original soundtrack album – for Island Records in 1997. The production was the vision of producers Tony Kelly and Steven Marsden, which became a crossover machine with rhythm-duo masters Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare. With Franklyn’s powerhouse vocals belting “yeeeeaaahheaaah” and “mmmmmmmm”, the single narrates the it-girl life of a dancehall queen, though it’s not all glamour in the accompanying movie of the same name. The track peaked at No. 90 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and at No. 64 on the Hot R&B/Hip Hop Singles chart. 

Released: 1997
Producer: Tony Kelly, Steven Marsden

7.Joy

After feeling empty while doing secular music, Franklyn had finally found joy in Jesus Christ, chronicled on her debut gospel album Joy. A full-circle moment of her conviction was Danny Browne producing the 2001 release, as he, too, had joined her in Christendom. The title track perfectly marries the world of gospel and dancehall music, though it received backlash from some church folks. Nonetheless, the album won five of the 12 nods earned at the annual Caribbean Gospel Music Marlin Awards, and showed how the secular and sacred can rhythmically coexist.

Released: 2001
Producer: Danny Browne

8.Winning Side (with Israel Houghton)

Taken from Houghton’s 2018 Road to Demaskus album, Winning Side is a flashback to the days of Franklyn serving as the ideal supporting vocalist, except for this track, she swaps the dynamite sounds for spicy, patois ad libs. The upbeat, reggae-inspired track speaks to God’s coverage in any situation, and is one of several collabs Franklyn has had with an international gospel artist. 

Released: 2018
Producer: Israel Houghton

9.iPrevail

A more contemporary gospel song, iPrevail comes from her South Wind (Vol. 1) album which was released during the doom and gloom of the COVID-19 pandemic. Lyrically reminiscent of Winning Side, the song’s message coincides with the years of ministry Franklyn has undertaken at international conferences for prominent names like Bishop TD Jakes. 

Released: 2020
Producer: Chevelle Franklyn, Mojalefa There

10.Go in Your Strength

The lead single from South Wind (Vol. 1), Go in Your Strength showcases the growth of Franklyn’s ministry two-plus decades later. Recorded in South Africa, the track packs all the feels of new-age worship songs, with string elements from country music. Franklyn drives it home with dainty, graceful vocals – not bad for a girl who was once told she sounds like an old cow.

Released: 2020
Producer: Lens Optics