Detroit diva KIERRA SHEARD moves into reality TV. Tony Cummings reports.

Kierra Sheard

It's been an eventful few years for Kierra Sheard since Cross Rhythms last reported on gospel star. On the plus side she enjoyed a critically acclaimed album in 2008 with 'Bold Right Life' while her appearance duetting with Mary Mary on "God In Me" from 'The Sound' album gave Kierra her biggest single to date. Also, in 2010 Kierra made her acting debut in Preacher's Kid. But there have been challenges too. Kierra has had considerable problems with her weight and has even considered gastric bypass surgery. She made headlines after getting engaged to a Detroit-based young pastor but the wedding was subsequently cancelled without explanation. And Kierra's 2011 album 'Free', the first on her family's gospel label Karew Records, was considered something of a disappointment by many critics. So the announcement that the Stellar Award-winning singer was one of the stars of a new reality TV show, along with her Grammy-winning gospel star mother Karen Clark Sheard, (Kierra's brother) R&B singer J Drew Sheard and Sheard patriarch Pastor John Drew Sheard, made some gospel fans rather apprehensive in light of the questionable content of many reality TV exposés.

So how did BET's The Sheards TV series come into being? Kierra explained, "A friend of ours, Lemuel Plummer, suggested the idea and he had some connections. We're glad for the opportunity and honoured and humbled to be on BET, which is such a great network. It will give us an opportunity to expand our brand but, most of all, expand our audience as it pertains to ministry."

Kierra is at pains to assure gospel fans that there will be nothing untoward in The Sheards. She said, "There will be drama, but not us fighting and disrespecting ourselves and lowering our standards. We act as adults, as human beings, not animals."

The series will reflect the tension between the family members' concern about the lifestyle of J Drew. Said Kierra, "When you've been raised the same way, you are going to have disagreements. He will always be my brother, and I convey that, and express that to him, on the show. I'm not perfect, and I don't mean to come off as judgmental, but sometimes you want something better for someone you love so much. But at the same time, if this is a dream for my brother, or whoever is close to my heart, then I'm all for it, them living their dream, especially if they say God told them this is for them. But you'll see my mother going upside my brother's head, you'll see my father flipping out, like 'Cut them cameras off!' That was real!"

The blackgospelblog asked Kierra whether she felt people would identify with the issues raised in The Sheards. "Absolutely! My father was saying that it is an opportunity to minister to other leaders in the church, for them to not neglect or abandon their children when they are not going in the way they want them to go. For that time in their children's life, it may seem like they are going in a different way, but rest assured, they will come back around. On the show, you will see my father playing the role of Pastor and Bishop, but at the same time, he does not lose sight of being a father and a provider. You'll also see my mom playing all of these roles, wearing all of these hats. You'll see her as a legendary Clark Sister. You'll see her as the first lady and doing ministry. Another hat she wears is Mommy. And she can get down! A lot of people think she's too soft or too sweet, she's just this singing angel. No! She will let her children have it, even though the both of us are bigger than her!"

She continued, "I hope the show will allow people to see that not all church-going people are hypocrites. Some of us are aiming to live like Christ. You'll see both the natural side and the spiritual side of all of us. You can be hip, you can be fly, you can have fun, and you can see that having Christ in your life is the best thing that ever happened. I would also like people to see that not all leaders in the church are just like, whatever, with their families. There are some of us who still have strong marriages. There are some of us who still have a strong union within our family. I know the divorce rate is high, but there is still love in the Kingdom. I would also like the world to see that there are adults who are not compromising to live their dream but have standards and morals. There are some of us who are actually about peace and not just promoting things for our generation. You will also see me as a young adult wrestling with my weight. I would like young women to be encouraged to love themselves first, that it's not what society is pushing you to do for the sake of image, but you should actually want to be healthy, for yourself."