Grammy Award winning duo Mary Mary will perform live at the Mall at Stonecrest on Thursday, April 21, at 7 p.m. in celebration of their new CD, “Something Big.”
Following the live performance, fans are invited to meet Mary Mary with a purchase of their new CD, “Something Big” from DTLR at Stonecrest. Proof of purchase required.
Ever since siblings Erica Campbell and Tina Campbell broke through in 2000 with the pioneering crossover hit “Shackles (Praise You),” the chart-topping duo has never wavered from defying convention to fulfill its mission: sending uplifting messages through music and words that are relatable to everyone.
“It’s about making music that touches both adults and young people,” said Erica. Tina added, “It’s about spreading good news for the world but doing it in the Mary Mary way: banging beats and melodies, intertwined voices and messages of hope.”
Like Mary Mary’s previous albums, “Something Big” resonates with a fusion of sound (R&B, hip-hop, dance, pop, gospel and jazz) and empowering messages. But unlike earlier efforts, this album also features more collaborations with several new writers, such as Jazz Nixon, who crafted the title track. Interpolating the Jackson 5’s 1971 hit “Mama’s Pearl” with an edgy bass and drum mix and spirited hand claps, the track puts a contemporary spin on the traditional call and response song.
“We always go into the studio with the intention of, ‘Hey, why not try this out?’,” said Tina. “When we heard ‘Something Big’ the first time, it just screamed out to us. It worked tremendously with our chemistry.”
Born in Inglewood, Calif. to an evangelist/choir director mother and a youth minister father, sisters Erica and Tina Atkins —and their six other siblings — grew up singing in church choirs. After a stint studying vocal performance at local El Camino College, Erica and Tina joined the lineup of traveling gospel shows and toured as backup singers for several R&B acts.
Three years later, songwriter/producer Warryn Campbell played a pivotal role in the sisters’ career, helping them secure a song publishing deal with EMI. With their platinum-selling, Grammy-winning debut album, “Thankful,” Mary Mary hit a homerun, due in large part to the broad success of its first single, “Shackles (Praise You),” in 2000. Their sophomore follow-up, “Incredible,” was released in 2002 and was certified gold, before the group released such hits as “Heaven,” “The Real Party,” and “Yesterday” on their self-titled album, Mary Mary (2005), which peaked at No. 8 on the Billboard 200. Mary Mary’s The Sound (2008) reached No. 7 on the Billboard 200 and No. 2 on the publication’s R&B/hip-hop chart, as well as garnering numerous awards for the album, and for its record-breaking single “God In Me.”
The Mall at Stonecrest is located off I-20, exit 75 Turner Hill Road in Lithonia, Georgia. For more information visit www.mallatstonecrest.com or www.facebook.com/mallatstonecrest.
