Arden, North Carolina (May 24, 2024) — For their fourth single, the powerhouse Southern Gospel trio of Lauren, Amber & Kenna (Lauren Talley, 11th Hour’s Amber Eppinette Saunders, and Kenna Turner West) serve up “Won’t Be Me,” a joyously up-tempo affirmation of faith written by the same team — the three singers and collaborator Michael Farren — responsible for last year’s “A Little Bit of Heaven.”
“This world is filled with negativity and chaos,” observes Eppinette Saunders, who employs a seemingly boundless vocal range to lead the trio through its paces. “This song declares the choice we make every day to walk in the joy of the Lord and in the abundant life that we’re promised as believers, no matter what is around us.”
Sure enough, “Won’t Be Me” wastes no time in diving into its uplifting message. With a snappy opening lick that reveals producer Roger Talley’s choice to highlight guitar, keyboard and horns in the high-energy arrangement, the song moves swiftly into the rapid-fire revelation of verse and chorus:
There’s a choice that we make every day
When we roll out of bed
To believe what’s on the morning news
Or believe the good news instead
Some run and hide, all they do is cry
Filled with fear and doubt
Thinking the worst is yet to come
But I’m telling you right now
That won’t be me, that won’t be me
I’ve got overwhelming joy, and I’ve got everlasting peace
You can be down, down, down and out
As long as you want to be
But that won’t be me, that won’t be me
And while the trio return frequently to that exhilarating chorus, the arrangement is capacious enough to include a clever near-ending, leading to an expansive passage that features the trio digging into the title phrase with an abundance of spirit and airtight harmonies before recapping the chorus in a final burst of energy. From start to finish, “Won’t Be Me” is an engaging reminder of the musical and spiritual zest that brought Lauren, Amber, & Kenna together in the first place.
Listen to “Won’t Be Me” HERE.
About Lauren, Amber & Kenna
In a project rooted in one glorious moment of spontaneous music-making, Horizon & Sonlite Records artists Lauren Talley, known from her time with award-winning gospel group The Talleys and as a powerful soloist; Amber Eppinette Saunders, dynamic vocalist of 11th Hour, one of today’s leading Southern Gospel groups; and Kenna Turner West, a celebrated and award-winning songwriter and vocalist, are now bringing their personal talents and experiences together for a unique collaborative endeavor: Writing, recording and releasing music as a trio simply known as Lauren, Amber & Kenna.
With a vocal blend comparable to great collaborations both within and beyond the world of Gospel music — from the legendary Trio of Emmylou Harris, Dolly Parton and Linda Ronstadt to Sisters and Point of Grace — Lauren, Amber and Kenna have taken an expansive approach to their work, combining their individual and joint influences and interests to create music that ranges from Gospel to Worship, and CCM to Southern Gospel, yet always retaining both their distinctive individual voices and the common roots they share.