VaShawn Mitchell was born and raised in Chicago, IL. The city known as the birthplace of Gospel music quickly made its imprint on him. When he was barely a teenager, VaShawn became the assistant music director of St. Mark Baptist Church, working closely with nationally renowned choir leader Lonnie Hunter. For nearly a decade he served as Minister of Music at Bishop Larry D. Trotter’s Sweet Holy Spirit Church, setting the musical tone both within the church walls and on the ministry’s top-selling recording projects. The youngest Minister of Music in that church’s history, he successfully merged the contemporary themes he composed with the traditional choir vibe that marked the church’s worship services. Throughout the years, VaShawn’s artistic vision has grown, shaping him into a mature worship leader and a recognized Gospel songwriter. His songs have been recorded by some of Gospel’s most celebrated artists, including Smokie Norful (“Just Can’t Stop”), Vanessa Bell Armstrong (“Help”), and Bishop Paul Morton (“Cry Your Last Tear”). It is now his role as a music minister that brings him the greatest fulfillment. “I am most passionate about my church ministry,” he shares. “As ministers of music we birth new worshippers and new praisers on a weekly basis. A lot of that is not necessarily singing, but ministering the music that is being sung. “ His fervor for worship and praise can be felt throughout Triumphant; from the enthusiastic high praise opener and the powerful title track, to the deeply personal choir ballad “Nobody Greater” and the prophetic hymn “Be Fruitful.” More than a collection of hits, the project stands as a fully developed theme. “Most of the time when I record, I conceptualize the project as a total piece,” VaShawn reveals. “With this album God gave me the concept and I started thinking about why we are triumphant people.” Every song on the project is a reflection of that revelation, including the show-stopping, instant classic “His Blood Still Works,” which features the distinctive sound of former Witness lead vocalist Lisa Page Brooks. “Over the last season, as people have been struggling financially, it seems we’ve been losing our faith. Our faith was misplaced in resources and not in the Source,” says VaShawn. “I wanted to remind people that the blood never stopped working. It enables us to live above what we see.” With a passion for worship, the heart of an encourager and the story of an overcomer, VaShawn Mitchell is truly an artist for this age.
