Tamela Mann is an American gospel singer, born in 1966 in Fort Worth, Texas. She first came to notice in the choir of Kirk Franklin and the Family and has pursued a solo career since 2005. Her song Take Me to the King spent many weeks at the top of Billboard's gospel charts, and God Provides earned her a Grammy Award in 2017.
Tamela Mann grew up in Fort Worth, Texas, in the Church of God in Christ. By the age of twelve she was singing in her church's adult choir and often took the solos. She became known as part of Kirk Franklin and the Family, where she was one of the lead voices on several songs, and worked with Yolanda Adams, Fred Hammond and Mary J. Blige. In 2005 she launched her solo career with Gotta Keep Movin' on her own label, Tillymann Music Group.
Released in 2012, Best Days reached number one on the American gospel albums chart and went gold, driven by Take Me to the King, which was nominated for a Grammy Award. One Way (2016) brought her a Grammy Award for God Provides in 2017. Touch From You, released in 2020, became her seventh number one on Billboard Gospel Airplay. Overcomer (2021) and then Live Breathe Fight (2024) confirmed her standing, the latter being nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Gospel Album in 2026.
- Origin
- Fort Worth, Texas, USA
- Style
- Contemporary gospel
- Active since
- 2005 (solo career)
- Good to know
- Take Me to the King, number one on Billboard's gospel charts
How did Tamela Mann get started?
Tamela Mann was born on June 9, 1966, in Fort Worth, the youngest of fourteen children. Raised in the Church of God in Christ (COGIC), she learned to sing at church from an early age and joined the adult choir at twelve.
Her career began with Kirk Franklin and the Family, with whom she sang on Now Behold the Lamb and Lean on Me, among others. In 2005 she released Gotta Keep Movin', whose song Speak Lord reached number 4 on the American gospel chart, followed by her first live album, The Live Experience, in 2007.
What makes Tamela Mann distinctive?
She has collected a long list of honors: a Grammy Award, a BET Award for best gospel artist in 2014, Stellar Awards, NAACP Image Awards (including Outstanding Gospel/Christian Album in 2025 for Live Breathe Fight) and, in 2023, the record for most number ones on Billboard's Gospel Airplay chart, with ten songs at the time. She is also an actress, notably in Tyler Perry productions.
Where should you start with Tamela Mann?
Start with Take Me to the King, her best-known song, then listen to God Provides, which won a Grammy Award. Continue with Change Me, which reached number one on Billboard Gospel Airplay in 2017, and Touch From You, more recent, to see how consistent her path has been.
songs
Take Me to the King
The lead single from the album Best Days (2012), this song spent many weeks at the top of the Billboard gospel charts and was nominated for a Grammy Award; this live recording is posted on her official channel.
Change Me
From the album One Way (2016), this prayer to be transformed by God reached number one on Billboard Gospel Airplay in 2017.
God Provides
Written by Kirk Franklin and taken from the album One Way, this song earned her the Grammy Award for Best Gospel Performance/Song in 2017.
Touch From You
Released in 2020 ahead of the album Overcomer, this song reached the top of Billboard Gospel Airplay.
Discography
- 2024Live Breathe Fight
- 2021Overcomer
- 2018Us Against the World: The Love Project· with David Mann
- 2016One Way
- 2012Best Days
- 2009The Master Plan
- 2005Gotta Keep Movin'
Read also
Frequently asked questions
Who is Tamela Mann?
Tamela Mann is an American gospel singer born in 1966 in Fort Worth, Texas. She came up through Kirk Franklin and the Family, has pursued a solo career since 2005 and won a Grammy Award in 2017 with God Provides.
What is Tamela Mann's most famous song?
Her best-known song is Take Me to the King, the lead single from the album Best Days (2012). It spent many weeks at the top of Billboard's gospel charts and was nominated for a Grammy Award.
Has Tamela Mann won a Grammy Award?
Yes. She won the Grammy Award for Best Gospel Performance/Song in 2017 for God Provides. She had already been nominated for Take Me to the King, and her album Live Breathe Fight was nominated for Best Gospel Album in 2026.
Where can you listen to Tamela Mann?
Her songs are available on the usual streaming platforms (Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music) as well as on her official YouTube channel, which features videos, live recordings and clips of her songs.
What is Tamela Mann's latest album?
Her latest album is Live Breathe Fight, released on October 11, 2024. It won the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Gospel/Christian Album in 2025 and includes Working for Me, which reached number one on gospel radio.
What albums has Tamela Mann released?
Her studio albums are Gotta Keep Movin' (2005), The Master Plan (2009), Best Days (2012), One Way (2016), Overcomer (2021) and Live Breathe Fight (2024). She also released the duet album Us Against the World: The Love Project (2018).