Tye Tribbett Makes ‘Fresh’ Start: Discusses New Album, Sin and Forgiveness, and Bishop Long

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Every time Tye Tribbett and his fresh-dressed crew, G.A., hit the stage, they would completely rock out for God. They took gospel performance to a whole new level.   Their shows seemed more like frenzied – albeit harmonious – pep rallies more than gospel concerts. 

But after all the heavenly-hype on stage, there was carnality. Regardless of stature, no man or woman can escape it.

Three albums in, Tye Tribbett met face to face with his flesh when the 34-year-old found himself embroiled in an adulterous scandal.  A gospel singer…what? The details are complicated, but it almost cost him his family. But as church fok would say: “Oh, but the grace.”  Making it through such a gut wrenching time with, miraculously, his relationship with both God and his wife intact taught the singer a few valuable lessons.


“Its crazy that its harder to get yourself right with people,” he said.  God is like, ‘I died for this already, we cool. Make sure your heart is right, but we good, get back up and go.’ I love that I was humiliated [by adultery]. I was self righteous and prideful in a lot of ways that I had no idea … simply because I was brought up very strict Apostolic Christian.”


altA dogmatic “church boy” who was very vocal about other’s transgressions until he stumbled over his own, the singer needed a fresh start – hence the title of his new album, Fresh:


“Fresh came from God. I’m doing a new thing in Tye’s life. No matter what I did, I can start fresh in God’s eyes,” he said.

He feels it’s his best work.

Life is different now for Tribbett and the new album marks the start of a now heart-led journery with God and with people.  As part of his renewal, he now has tolerance and compassion in his spiritual arsenal and fully understands that no matter how great or small, sin crouches at everyone’s door awaiting even the slightest opening … including high profile leaders like Bishop Eddie Long:

“I know Bishop Long. He was here for me during my transgressional public hoopla last year,” he said. “He really embraced me in spite of. My experience with him has been loving and accepting…I hit him up when I heard [about his scandal] and I was like, ‘hey man I love you and I’m here for you.’ Whether that’s his transgression or whether it’s something else, none of us are perfect. Even Moses came with the ten commandments talking about thou shall not kill, this is after he had already killed somebody.”

Fresh will be in stores October 19th.  Pre-orders are available now.

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