Biography
Hailing from London, England, the contemporary Christian ensemble True Solace brings together five accomplished female vocalists. Formed during the 1990s, the members at that time ranged in age from their teens to roughly twice that number. The gospel quintet consists of Yolanda Antonio, Susane Patterson-Smith, Sheree Pinheiro, Marcia Walder, and its youngest member and lead singer, Loretta Akpan.
By the mid-1990s Antonio, Patterson-Smith, Pinheiro, and Walder had already been active together in South London, appearing with both choirs and chamber groups. Songwriter and producer Errol Henry connected the four with Akpan, after which the ensemble adopted the name True Solace. Drawing on Henry’s songwriting, the singers developed a sound that blends R&B, reggae, hip-hop, pop, and funk into their gospel foundation, allowing the Christian message to reach listeners through those varied influences.
True Solace completed its debut single, “Thank You,” in 1999, and the full-length album A New Beginning appeared that summer on Atlantic Records. Among the tracks featured on the release are “That’s the Kind of Love,” “Someone Like You,” “Let Him In,” “It Feels Good,” “How Did You Know?,” and “Heaven’s Glory.”
By the mid-1990s Antonio, Patterson-Smith, Pinheiro, and Walder had already been active together in South London, appearing with both choirs and chamber groups. Songwriter and producer Errol Henry connected the four with Akpan, after which the ensemble adopted the name True Solace. Drawing on Henry’s songwriting, the singers developed a sound that blends R&B, reggae, hip-hop, pop, and funk into their gospel foundation, allowing the Christian message to reach listeners through those varied influences.
True Solace completed its debut single, “Thank You,” in 1999, and the full-length album A New Beginning appeared that summer on Atlantic Records. Among the tracks featured on the release are “That’s the Kind of Love,” “Someone Like You,” “Let Him In,” “It Feels Good,” “How Did You Know?,” and “Heaven’s Glory.”
Albums
