Erica Monique Campbell(née,Atkins;born April 29, 1972) is an AmericanGospelsinger and songwriter. Specializing in theurban contemporary gospel,Christian R&B,andcontemporary R&Bgenres, she started her music career in the late 1990s with her younger sister,Tina Campbell,as part of the groupMary Mary.

Erica Campbell
Campbell in October 2019
Campbell in October 2019
Background information
Birth nameErica Monique Atkins
Also known asErica Atkins-Campbell
Born(1972-04-29)April 29, 1972(age 52)
Inglewood, California,U.S.
Genres
Occupations
  • Singer
  • songwriter
Years active1998–present
LabelsMyBlock Inc, under exclusive license to SRG-ILS Group, distributed byUniversal Music Group
Member of
Spouse
(m.2001)

Her debut solo albumHelp(2014), reached the top ten on theBillboard200chart, and won theGrammy Award for Best Gospel Albumat the57th Grammy Awards.In 2015, she released her follow up albumHelp 2.0.The album included thegospel trapsingle "I Luh God",which reached number one on thegospel chart.She released her third albumI Love Youin 2023.

In addition to her music career, Campbell appeared in the 1993 filmSister Act 2: Back in the Habit.She also made an appearance in the filmThe Fighting Temptations(2003). Since May 2016, she has been the host ofGet Up! Mornings with Erica Campbellwith comedian Griff, currently distributed by Reach Media, the syndication arm ofUrban One.[1]

Early life

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Campbell was born Erica Monique Atkins, on April 29, 1972, inInglewood, California,[2][3]the daughter of Eddie Aaron Atkins Jr. (1948–2013), originally fromMerced, California,a pastor and minister, and Thomasina Andrea "Honey" Atkins (néeDaniels), who is originally fromStamford, Connecticut.[4]Her paternal grandparents are Eddie Aaron Atkins, Sr. and Lavada Cruthird, and her maternal grandparents are Tommy and Ruth Daniels.[4]She had two older brothers, Andre Lavelle Atkins, who died at six years old from a combination of Down Syndrome, spinal meningitis, and a hole in his heart, while her other brother is living inArizona,Darrell Antoine Atkins.[4]She has one older sister, Maliea Dionne Atkins, and five younger sisters, Trecina Evette "Tina" Atkins, Delisa Marie "Lisa" or "Wittle Wees" Atkins, Thomasina Andrea "Goo Goo" Atkins, Alana Ellesse "Lainz" or "Luv Luv" Atkins, and Shanta Nena Lavea Atkins.[4]

Music career

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Her music career started in 1998, with her younger sister,Tina Campbell,who formed half of thegospel musicduo,Mary Mary.[3]As part ofMary Mary,Campbell earned numerous Stellar Music andDove Awards,fourGrammy Awards,threeNAACP Image Awards,twoAmerican Music Awards,aSoul Train Awardand aBET Award.In 2008, Campbell recorded a solo track called "Stand" for the soundtrack to the independent filmA Good Man Is Hard to Find.In 2011, Mary Mary received theASCAPGolden Note Award for their extraordinary songwriting. Erica commenced her solo music recording career in 2013, by recording her firststudio album,Help,that released on March 25, 2014, withEntertainment One Music.This album was her breakthrough release upon theBillboardmagazinecharts, while it charted onTheBillboard200,Top Gospel Albums,andIndependent Albumscharts, where it peaked at Nos. 6, 1, and 2, correspondingly.[5]Campbell won aGrammy AwardforBest Gospel Albumat the57th editionof the event. The subsequent studio album,Help 2.0,was released on March 31, 2015, from Entertainment One Music.[6]This album charted on the same charts, but at Nos. 120, 1, and 12, respectively.[5]

In early April 2018, Erica and her husbandWarryn Campbellare to star in their own reality show onTV One.The show will highlight Erica going back in the studio to record her new album. Also in 2018, Erica and her husband released a music video titled, "All of My Life".[7]

On September 23, 2022, Erica released “Positive” and she released “Feel Alright (Blessed)” on January 13, 2023 for her upcoming albumI Love You,which was released September 15, 2023.[1]

Personal life

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She is married toWarryn Campbell,with whom she resides inLos Angeles,together with their three children.[8][9]

Campbell is an honorary member ofAlpha Kappa Alpha;she was initiated on January 15, 2023.[10]

Discography

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Studio albums

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List of studio albums, with selected chart positions
Title Album details Peak chart positions[5]
US US
Gos
US
Ind
Help 6 1 2
Help 2.0 120 1 12
I Love You 10

Singles

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Year Title Chart position Album
US
Gospel

[11]
2013 "A Little More Jesus" 7 Help
2014 "Help"(featuringLecrae) 2[12]
"You Are" 17
"P.O.G." 24
2015 "More Love" 18 Help 2.0
"I Luh God"(featuring Big Shizz) 1
2017 "Well Done" 10[12] Non-album single
2018 "All of My Life"(withWarryn Campbell) 3[12]
2022 "Positive" 13[12] I Love You
2023 "Feel Alright (Blessed)" 9[12]

References

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  1. ^"Reach Media".Urban One.RetrievedJanuary 22,2021.
  2. ^Mary Mary."About".GeoCities. Archived fromthe originalon April 15, 2009.RetrievedJanuary 28,2016.
  3. ^abKellman, Andy."Erica Campbell: Biography".AllMusic.RetrievedJanuary 28,2016.
  4. ^abcdMitchell, Sheeri (2003).Mary Mary: Transparent.Bonus Books. pp. 89–93.ISBN9781566251921.RetrievedJanuary 24,2016– viaGoogle Books.
  5. ^abcBillboard."Erica Campbell: Awards".AllMusic.RetrievedJanuary 28,2016.
  6. ^Monger, Timothy."Help 2.0– Erica Campbell ".AllMusic.RetrievedJanuary 28,2016.
  7. ^"Erica and Warryn Campbell to star in new docs-series on TV One".April 4, 2018.RetrievedApril 4,2018.
  8. ^"Mr. and Mrs".Jet:27. June 18, 2001.RetrievedJanuary 3,2015.
  9. ^WE tv."Erica Campbell".WE tv.RetrievedJanuary 3,2016.
  10. ^Erica Campbell, Patti Labelle Among New Honorary Members of Alpha Kappa Alpha
  11. ^"Erica Campbell - Chart history | Billboard".www.billboard.com.Archived fromthe originalon March 4, 2016.RetrievedJanuary 17,2022.
  12. ^abcde"Erica Campbell Chart History".Billboard.RetrievedOctober 5,2017.
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