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Melinda Watts, a 29-year-old leader of two foundations that help support troubled young girls and their families from Fair Oaks, California, was crowned the winner of the American Idol®-inspired talent search series Gospel Dream 2008 on the Gospel Music Channel television network.
Watts shared the stage of the Gospel Dream 2008 finals with Kymm Lowery of Beach Park, Ill. and John McKoy, Jr. of Monroe, N.C. in the dramatic season finale of GMC's American Idol®-inspired talent search series, with all three performers offering outstanding and uplifting performances. Yet it was Watts who receives the grand prizes of Gospel Dream 2008 - a record and music video deal and a Royal Caribbean Cruise - and the potential for a career that she has dreamed since she began singing at the age of six.
"Every ten years or so you have an anointed superstar artist who graces us with the word of God in song, as CeCe Winans and Yolanda Adams have done. Now we have Melinda Watts," said Alvin Williams, Senior Director of Music Development for the Gospel Music Channel.
Watts' personal story is as compelling as her singing ability. She and her husband William are new parents to six-month old Lyric and live in the Sacramento area where Watts has been pursuing her other dream - that of helping teens and young women.
An English teacher by vocation, she has established a foundation called Project Sunday because of the great need for mentoring and ministering to young women in her community. She has also set-up Heaven's House for Girls, created to provide research-based solutions for troubled teen girls and their families. Watts' hope for both foundations is to develop the self- reliant attitude among girls and young women that manifests in their ambitions, assertiveness and individualism, she says.
Winning her Gospel Dream should only help to elevate both charities. A singer and songwriter, Watts hopes to write a substantial amount on her upcoming CD to be released through Gospel Music Channel in early 2009, and hopes people will feel compelled to the heart of God.
"I want people to listen to my music and want to draw closer to God," she says. "I also want them to want to grow in the grace of God and to be bold in their faith, like a revival through music."
Watts, who grew a large fan base as the series went on, was crowned as the new Gospel Dream winner by gospel/Christian music's version of Simon, Paula and Randy: GRAMMY award-winning record producer/songwriter Big Jim Wright, Dove and Stellar award-winning cross-cultural worship music artist/songwriter Martha Munizzi and one of gospel music's most prolific talents and part of one of music's hottest production companies (PJAM) J Moss.
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