Every now and again you discover an artist whose work is so brilliant, it rocks your world. Mali is such an artist!

He was raised in Savannah, Georgia, and is the kind of musical prodigy who could easily grow up to be gospel’s answer to Stevie Wonder or Prince because his album is eclectic, diverse and creative.

For the moment he’s a 21- year-old genius who locks himself into his studio, plays all the instruments himself and has created one of the strongest albums of the year.

He was eight years old when he was made the music director of his church. He remembers: “My family went in to this church one Sunday and there was this crazy passion in praise and worship, there were no keyboards, there was just this guy on drums.

"They were just really really blessing God and there was a purity in it. After the service everyone was shaking the pastor’s hand and my family introduced themselves and I said ‘I want to play for your church, let me play.’

"My family were really embarrassed. The pastor said ’If you want to play you can play, bring the keyboard and we’ll make it happen.’

"We went back the next Sunday and he gave me the opportunity and that’s where it happened – right there.”

That opportunity became the foundation of his music and ministry and Mali has grown up in an environment where he has had complete creative freedom. Listening to the resulting album, the results are intoxicating.

“It’s awesome,” he explains. “I’m full of ideas and one thing that keeps me full is when it comes together and clashes in my brain, this crazy combination of sounds, feelings and textures. When I’m making the music, I have a song idea and I know what I want the song to say. So before I put the lyrics down the music has to e saying it.

"Like with the song 'I hate you' the track is so aggressive and angry, so luckily I bless God that I’m the producer of my music because my heart goes out to those artists that are creative and can’t play or interpret musically so they have to depend on the feelings or a track that they come across to get their message across and that’s a huge disadvantage.

"Once the music is saying it I don’t believe that any song should have to be forcefully written. Every time I listen to the music it’s literally pulling the words out of me and I do nothing but write about the God that I’m falling in love with and spend all my time with, so lyrics aren’t really an issue. I have hundreds of songs.”

Mali will be bringing those songs to the UK and playing live in February, so what can people expect when he performs live?

“It’s an encounter,” he says simply. “One of the best thing that’s happened in many cities is when someone has come to me and said ‘Where did you go? You disappear, you come up and I see you and then minutes after you disappear, and an hour later you come back but the whole time I experience God.’

"So I’m really grateful to God for the transparency and I really want God to be seen and heard and I want people who come to be changed. I’m going to bring you to my world and we’ll do whatever we have to do for you to leave changed and for you to leave better, with a sense of hope and direction given from God.”

You can see Mali Music @ GL Live VI: Evolution 18th – 20th February 2010 check out www.gllive.co.uk

Article by Mike Rimmer on behalf www.gospellink360.co.uk