Gospel, Pop, and R&B Artist Tuzee Receives JUNO Award Nomination for Contemporary Christian/Gospel Album of the Year
Gospel, pop, and R&B singer-songwriter Tuzee was recently nominated for a JUNO Award for Contemporary Christian/Gospel Album of the Year for her debut album Alive.
Alive is an 11-track collection of deeply personal and emotionally resonant songs that reflect Tuzee’s journey, struggles, and triumphs. It serves as a testament to her resilience and unwavering faith with profound expressions of praise towards God.
The album includes Tuzee’s single, “Change is on the Way,” which hit #1 on the Canadian Christian radio charts last year, striking a chord with audiences across the globe.
First off, care to introduce yourself to our readers?
Hello everybody, my name is Tuzee! I am an African-Canadian Gospel (pop, r and b) singer-songwriter, GMA Canada ‘Female Vocalist of the Year’, and 2024 Juno Nominee! ☺I was born and raised in Liberia, West Africa, and currently reside in Ontario, I am a full-time nurse, a mom, and a voice of hope.
Congratulations on your recent JUNO Award nomination for Contemporary Christian/Gospel Album of the Year for your debut album “Alive”! How does it feel to receive such recognition for your work, especially considering the deeply personal nature of the album’s content?
Honestly, words cannot express the feeling, I am screaming one minute and crying the next. I am so grateful and feel very privileged to have my debut album recognized in such a way. Truly, ‘There Must be a God’. ‘Alive’ means so much to me and to have others hear and feel what I am trying to say means a lot.
Your single “Change is on the Way” reached #1 on the Canadian Christian radio charts, resonating with audiences globally. What inspired this song, and what message do you hope listeners take away from it?
‘Change is on the Way’ was inspired by the pandemic and the desire to give hope when all hope seems lost. I worked as a full-time Float Nurse at my local hospital during the pandemic and it was such a sad time, full of anxiety, fear, and hopelessness. I remember everyone including coworkers, patients, and even my kids asking the same questions, when will this be over? I found myself becoming overwhelmed, this one day while praying at work I asked God, and I heard “Change is on the Way”. I hope listeners will be inspired to have hope and remember God is always in control, and as the song says, ‘He’s always on time, never late, and never loses a single battle’, no matter what.
As an artist who bridges genres like gospel, pop, and R&B, how do you navigate the intersectionality of these styles in your music, and what do you believe sets your sound apart in the industry?
It’s really cool and a lot of fun bridging the genres cause though they are different, together they truly are beautiful, it’s like being a DJ… haha☺. Also, I am just a vessel doing what God wants me to do whether it be Gospel, pop, or r&b, the goal is to inspire, give hope, and give life. I feel my love and passion for what I do, my background and experiences make my sound unique, authentic, and relatable.
As someone who was born and raised in Liberia, West Africa, and now resides in Ontario, Canada, how has your multicultural background influenced your music and artistic expression?
My multicultural background brings so much to my music, I love that I can pull from my experiences, as a Liberian, whether it be my childhood, beats, and as a Canadian finding my own strength with no parents or siblings around, etc., it truly is unique and I am really blessed to have that and embedding that in my music really makes it unique and personal.
In addition to your musical talents, you’re also known for your engaging live performances. How do you approach live shows, and what do you hope audiences take away from your performances?
Every performance is an opportunity to inspire, give hope, and give life. I really love what I do, it’s really part of who I am, and seeing people be blessed by something God’s put in my heart for them is a real honour. It’s my prayer always that my audiences will experience God’s presence, rebirth of hope, and have fun but also my songs will become more than just a song but a lifestyle.