By RHONDOR DOWLAT Monday, August 13 2007

FIVE-TIME Grammy award winner Yolanda Adams will soon launch her own clothing line — “Yolanda’s Clozet”.

This was revealed by the gospel diva during her recent visit for the “The Awakening” concert which was held at the Queen’s Park Oval.

Adams said her clothing line which will include a men’s line and a kid’s line will be one with a difference.

“The designs would definitely be fashionable with the times we are in, decent but yet with a glamour,” Adams said.

She also revealed that local fans would be accommodated as she is currently looking at opening up a franchise in TT after the launch.

Adams, who is also an ordained and licensed minister of the Gospel, is currently working on her Christmas Album Something More Than a Day. It is expected to be released on October 17.

An elated Adams, who is based in Houston, Texas, said it was her second time in three years in TT. She said she was very excited to perform at the concert, and used it as a special occasion to minister to hurting single mothers and individuals who are part of broken homes.

More than 12,000 people dressed in white showed up at the Oval for the July 29 event.

The concert, which was promoted by Konsepts International and Associates, which kicked off in grand style promptly at 5 pm, opened with featured Caribbean Gospel Awards New Female Artiste of the Year and Sugar and Energy Soca-Chutney Monarch (secondary schools) Winsie Ann Cuffie.

Cuffie surely broke the ice with her white uniformed military-style energetic performance accompanied by dancers. Her performance, which was highly rated by Minister in the Ministry of Community Development Eulalie James, who attended the concert, was enhanced with eye-opening effects, including low-lying fog, prism coloured flames and a pyro -ring (fire ring). Also during her performance, in welcoming Adams to the country, 200 white pigeons and 600 helium balloons were released. There was also a small aircraft carrying the banner “At the Oval Winsie Ann and Yolanda”.

Patrons then got a taste of gospel-chutney performed by Larry Pierre, and performances from Sean Daniel, Russel Leons, Jadee, Vanessa Briggs, Christopher Tambu Herbert and Krystle Aboud.

Gospel diva Yolanda Adams took to the stage with her full band at 8.30 pm. It was the moment everyone had been waiting for.

Dressed in a white dress and a black belt decorated with colourful precious stones, Adams was greeted with a thunderous applaud and screams of delight from the concert-goers.

She sang several of her biggest hits including “The Prayer”, “Never Give Up”, “Someone Watching Over You”, “Through the Storm” and “Open My Heart.”

In between her deep and “hair-raising” spiritual performance, Adams ministered to patrons in attendance. She urged them to go down on their knees and pray.

“God gives reminders. Even the best of us have to go down on our knees and pray. If I can do it, you can too. If I can follow the word of God, you can too. You can do the same,” Adams urged.

“With God, nothing is impossible. He will help you through whatever situation or difficulties that you are facing right now. Just yield yourselves to Him and let him do the fighting for you. In the end, with God, you shall overcome and become victorious,” Adams added.

Adams urged young artistes not to try to rush to be famous but to be grounded in the Lord at all times. She also urged them to sink themselves into the will of God and ensure that they have peace within their spirits which will bring about a genuine God-given success.

Also in attendance was Culture Minister Joan Yuille-Williams and Chief Immigration Officer Herman Brown.