Bay Turner is grateful for the person on their knees, interceding on his behalf, on his debut K-LOVE single, “Somebody’s Praying.” A good reminder of the power of prayer, the brooding confession was penned by Turner, Dwan Hill and Kyle Williams.
Channeling a sound reminiscent of buzzworthy mainstream artist Teddy Swims, the newcomer mixes soul, gospel and R&B on the theatrical mid-tempo original. One listen to his incredible falsetto, and it’s not hard to believe Turner is a classically trained opera singer with a remarkable range, as evidenced by his vocal trills. Meanwhile, a soft rhythmic cadence modernizes his delivery.
“Momma on her knees at night, hoping God’ll save my life,” he sings. “Preacher looked me in the eye saying, ‘Son, you’re gon’ be alright.’ This ain’t ’bout flesh and blood. Help me, Lord, help me, Lord.”
From there, Turner creatively interpolates the Lord’s Prayer right into the depths of the fiery moment of gratitude.
“Somebody’s Praying” appears on the Texas native’s seven-track EP, “Better Days,” which dropped in February and also features guest turns from labelmate Jordan Feliz and rising songstress Terrian. In addition to his own music, Turner gives a jaw-dropping performance of a mashup of “It Is Well” and “Because He Lives” on Tommee Profitt’s recently released “The Resurrection Of A King.”
Growing up, Turner was influenced by old souls with unforgettable voices, such as Donny Hathaway, Luther Vandross and Stevie Wonder. Discovered by his record label via a YouTube clip of him covering CeCe Winans’ classic song, “Alabaster Box,” Turner also previously competed on “America’s Got Talent” and BET’s “Sunday Best.” In addition, he performed with the world-renowned Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir while living in New York, where he initially pursued dreams of classical music.
The emerging talent now resides in Nashville.
