VaShawn Mitchell, a born and bred Chicagoan and former worship leader at Sweet Holy Spirit Church there, now lives in Atlanta and is the artist behind the chart-topping hit “Nobody Greater” from his Triumphant CD. The single, which skyrocketed to #1 months ago and now still holds #3 on Billboard’s gospel charts, remains, by all accounts, sizzling hot and garners constant sales and airplay.
The career of this 34-year-old, self-described “regular dude who goes through things like everybody else” and who loves chicken pizza, “Family Guy” and “Law & Order” has been anything but “regular” recently, and rolling out had the pleasure of chatting with this gospel hitmaker. –arnell pharr
You are fast becoming a household name. What do you think of your new success?
You know what, I’m excited. I worked for many years behind the scenes, writing for other artists, singing behind other artists, watching them excel and [tracking] their progress. Now, I’m very excited because it’s not only my time, but it’s my turn to experience spreading such a big song that is not only within the four walls of the church, but it’s coming outside of the church, and people are being inspired and uplifted everywhere.
I love “Nobody Greater.” Why do you think it’s a hit?
Every now and then, one of those songs comes out that just embraces everyone … People are facing foreclosure, some people are going through, some people are having a hard time getting their loans for school … People just need to realize that there’s nobody greater [than God] and be inspired. This song is a simple song with a simple message, but it’s so catchy that you keep singing it, and you start inspiring yourself and others as well.
People are struggling spiritually and morally and seem to feel inadequate and unimportant. What do you say to these people?
I want to encourage everyone, like I always do, to rely on the Source, which is God, and not on resource because resources dry up. That’s what makes us get depressed, that’s what makes us feel discouraged and feel inadequate. When we focus on the Source, we’ll realize that greater is He that is in us than he who is in the world. We are overcomers. We are triumphant, and what we see right now is just a delay to get to where God has for us, to get to where we’re going. So, I just encourage everyone to stay reading your Bible, get in the Word and be reminded that there’s nobody greater. We serve a God that’s bigger than anything we see.
For more information on VaShawn Mitchell, visit his website or Facebook and Twitter under his name.
