Karlene Bartolo

By Cherisse Stephens

GospelCity caught up with Jamaican-born singer/songwriter, Karlene Bartolo. Karlene 's debut Father Of Light has just been released. You'll discover that Karlene's sound is fresh and anointed yet she is no newcomer to gospel music. Listen up as she shares her journey and experiences.

GospelCity.Com: Karlene, this must be an exciting time for you, gearing up for your debut release entitled Father of Light.

Karlene Bartolo: Yes, I am very excited about what God has in store for this project and for the ministry He has blessed me with.

GC: You were born in Jamaica, lived in Canada and now Atlanta! Tell us briefly your journey and how you ended up in the ATL?

KB: I grew up in Jamaica where my music ministry began and migrated to Canada in 1991. In 1993, I married my husband, Richard, of 11 years and resided in Nova Scotia, Canada. In 1998, we moved to the U.S. Virgin Island of St. Croix, due to my husband's job. In 2000, we took another position in Houston, Texas and in January of 2003, we took our current position in Atlanta, GA. Of course, everywhere we've lived, God has given me the opportunity to share my ministry.

GC: When you lived in the Caribbean, you sang with The Grace Thrillers for sometime before launching your solo career. Tell us about that experience.

KB: I joined the Grace Thrillers in the mid 80's and sang with them for a few years. During that time, I was featured on one of their recordings and traveled extensively. My time with the Grace Thrillers has played a significant part, defining who I am as a minister today. I gained tremendous versatility, not only in onstage performance but also as a vocalist. I am a vocalist first, and then a lead singer. Not many singers are flexible in their style as well as make the transition from background vocalists to lead singer. I am blessed with that ability.

GC: You've worked with choirs, worship teams and other vocalists during the history of your career. How did you know God was calling you to go solo?

KB: I have always known that God has called me to be a lead singer. This has been evident from the dynamic connection that I am able to make with my audiences over the years. Working with groups or choirs is O.K., but the question then becomes: "Am I maximizing the calling God has placed on my life?" The answer for me was "Not really, I can do more." Doing more for me meant going solo (stepping fully into the calling). As a soloist, there are other factors at play. My spiritual life has to be intact. That is, I've got to stay connected. When I get onstage to minister, I have to rely on the Holy Spirit to carry me. If anything appears to be going wrong, I've got to lean back on the Holy Spirit. In a group, a particular participant may not pull his/her weight but at the end of the day the group may do fairly well. With a soloist, it is so different. The soloist messes up and that's it! Also, there is so much more flexibility in allowing the Holy Spirit to guide your performance. I thrive on that. I am one who believes that I plan my performance, wondering how, where and when is God going to change it.

GC: That brings us to your CD, Father of Light. It was produced by Jeff Rogers of B.RogersMusic in Atlanta. How did you both end up collaborating on this project?

KB: When I felt lead to work on this project, I really did not know what path it would take. My husband is my music director and we both started working on the songs at home, trying to get a sense of how we would like the songs to sound. At some point we decided that we would look for a producer to work with us. I did not know of anyone to contact directly. All I knew was that I was pretty sure that I would only be working with a Christian producer. I started surfing the Internet looking for Christian producers in Atlanta. I searched for a few weeks and came up with nothing. I found a few in other states, chatted with them and even had some thought of working with one. Then I decided to keep searching. I came across Jeff's site. I saw that he has done some work for Babbie Mason and some other known local artist. That got me excited. But what really got me excited was when I listened to a few of his audio samples. Both my husband and I were convinced that he was the one. We contacted him and the rest is history.

GC: Can you share an example of an experience behind one of the songs on the CD?

KB: Most of the songs I write come during time spent in meditation with the Lord. I remember there was a time that I felt so dark. The ministry felt like it was halted, nothing was happening - I could not get a breakthrough. I was not sure whether or not I was going or coming. I felt like the Lord was not fulfilling all His promises to me concerning the ministry. I questioned whether or not I should continue to believe that He called me to this ministry. Yet in that dark time, I felt such a compelling need to let Him know I knew He was in control. That was when He gave me Father Of Light. I just found myself begging Him to surround me with His glory, knowing that He is the "source and the air that I breathe" . As I meditated on the song, I found myself not focusing on how I felt or the circumstance but on the fact that God is God and deserves all of me.

GC: You wrote all the songs on this particular project. Have you written music for other artists as well?

KB: No. To date I have not submitted any of my material to other artists. I will tell you why. I really did not regard myself as a songwriter. I considered a songwriter as one who has the ability to listen to someone's vocal range and style, sit down and pen a song (quite simple). I did not consider myself as having that ability. The songs I've written, God just drops them in my spirit. The words and melody of the song all come at the same time. If I don't sit and write it down or tape it, I forget it. But over the past months, I've come to the realization that the art of songwriting is a new gift that God has birthed in me. Now I am more confident to take on the challenge of writing for other artists.

GC: What are your expectations for your music ministry?

KB: I am expecting great things from God for this ministry. My ultimate goal is to fulfill the purpose God has for me and to use the gifts He has entrusted me with to bring glory to His Name and to build His Kingdom. The sky is the limit for me. I am just a vessel waiting to be used by God. Wherever He sends me and whomever He sends me to, it is my obedience to Him that will determine the extent of this ministry.

GC: Where do you feel gospel music is headed in the times we live in now?

KB: I am not sure if I know where gospel music is heading. One thing I am sure about is that the Word of God never changes. Hopefully, music ministers, embracing this truth will ensure that whatever the style or medium, the message will remain the same and bear fruit.

GC: How will your music impact our youth and the world?

KB: My music is very scripturally based while at the same time addressing the practical life. At the heart of knowing God and seeing Him work in our life is Praise. There is a song that we use to sing in church that says "When the praises go up…then the blessings come down...hallelujah". I truly believe that. We can sing about what people are directly experiencing, we can lead them to the Word to help them deal with their problems, and that's all good. But I believe that at the end of the day, it is our reverence, our adoration, our acknowledgement and our praise to the Almighty God that brings the breakthrough. Our young people and the world need to know that. Praise Him through every circumstance and we will see that our circumstances cannot compare to the joy we feel through those praises.

GC: Where can people find out more about your music ministry?

KB: You can visit my website at www.karlenebartolo.com. We will continue to update you on the happenings and feel free to send us a note at anytime. I pray that God will give me the time to always be available to His people. I don't ever want to feel or come across as inaccessible. After all, I am only a servant waiting to serve God's people.