dRenauld

Revelations within the Seventh Sign
Inside dRenauld’s Ministry of Muse

The number seven represents spiritual perfection. In the creative works of God, seven completes the colors of the spectrum and the notes of our musical scale.

Simply Seven
Seven is simply a number right? In fact, it is considerably more! It's a digit that symbolizes spiritual perfection. The Bible states it is a numeral inspired directly through the Holy Spirit. Only recently, Gospel artist Derrick Manning perceived the cipher and symbol of the number seven within his life. The number seven is guiding him through a ministry of muse as he taps his talent to spread The Gospel. In 2010, the revelations within “the seventh sign” are intertwined within the musical messages of Derrick Manning – also known as Gospel artist dRenauld.

The Seventh Sibling
Derrick Renauld Manning was born weighing seven pounds, seven ounces. He was the youngest of seven children. To add to the irony; his first, his middle and last name each had seven letters! His parents chose to name him Derrick, because it means “power of the tribe.” This turned out to be somewhat true, as in his large family, he was the center of attention most of the time. “I’ve always had the performance gene,” says Manning, he continues, “As a toddler, I’d grab a broomstick as my microphone and pretend to be Michael Jackson.”

A Singer/Songwriter at Seven
Derrick’s family was close-knit, musically gifted and devoted to God. Because of this, church services would play an integral major role in his musical development. His first public performance would be in the church choir where he was exposed to the complex choral arrangements and harmonies of Gospel music. In addition, his family performed concerts, acting as a choir on its own. However, it would be at the age of seven when he would have his first performance televised on the local news show. By the 2nd and 3rd grade, he was already developing as a writer and songwriter, writing lyrics, essays and writing contests.

Tempted by ‘The Temptations’
The Motown explosion profoundly influenced Derrick during his teens. Although his parents were strict about what type of music he listened to, the sounds coming out of Detroit were enticing. He would sneak away to cue tunes from the Motown greats such as Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson and The Jackson Five. Derrick was tempted by The Temptations. However, Gospel music still held its grip on him; and another type of music was streaming out of Detroit. It was coming from the Contemporary Gospel movement of the late 70s and early 80s. The styles of Detroit Gospel groups such as The Winans and Commissioned spurred Derrick toward a dream to be a singer and a songwriter.

The Seven Seas
In 1983 Derrick joined the Navy. As he was “sailing the seven seas” he began to perform R&B while stationed in Italy. He loved being on stage and feeling the energy of the crowds. While he enjoyed the melodies and arrangements of the genre, he felt R&B was simply too risqué. His musical experiences in Italy, however, would be vital in developing his stage presence and songwriting skills. He left the Navy in 1987, but continued down the path of music. In 1999, he began performing with Gospel group Forgiven. He joined SetApart in 2001, and he continued to perform with them until 2009. Derrick has had the opportunity to perform twice at the National Gospel Music Workshop of America. His performances in New Orleans and Kansas City attracted attention from Light Records. This interest was profound for him, as it was the same label The Winans were signed to.

Sincere Praise
In 2010, Derrick launched his career as a solo artist using the stage name dRenauld. His debut album was entitled Sincere Praise. It exhibited his destiny in the music ministry to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Ironically, one review found the seventh track to be particularly poignant. “The track ‘Because of You’ gives off the feeling of a lonely man searching for something that could give him hope and protection.” Indeed, the song does expose dRenauld’s knack to be an instrument of God’s message. Sincere Praise is a smooth musical milieu of contemporary Christian, urban, and Gospel. However, the compositions also add a polished R&B mood within a melodic menagerie meant for the masses.

Psalms and Songs
Through the years, Derrick has developed and evolved into a well-crafted lyricist, and talented performer. His life has revolved around an important number- the number seven. Psalm 7 reads, “I will give thanks to the LORD according to His righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High.” The seventh psalm perfectly reflects Manning's goal as a songwriter and his goal as performer dRenauld. He is divinely inspired to compose. He explains, “I’m compelled to bring people to the knowledge of God – and spread the Word of Salvation.”

Sonic Salvation
The Creator has plans for this creator. dRenauld’s