2010 Marlin Gospel Award nominee Cholinga (pronounced Cho-lin-ga) Praise is comprised of individuals from South Florida, Tallahassee & Jacksonville, FL, and Villa Rica, Georgia. It was founded by 2010 South Florida Gospel Music Award nominee Kevin Desire (pronounced De-zeer) during the inaugural year of V.A.D. Music Group (2006), and is the first group of the record label. It was named during Kevin's visit to Africa in 2006. Wanting an African name, it was in Malawi that upon discussion with some new friends there, "Praise with a Purpose" received its official name! Cholinga means purpose in Chichewa (one of many languages spoken in the central Africa country of Malawi).
The group shared in V.A.D. Music Group's first full CD, "Today, we Represent Change." The compilation CD was nominated for "Compilation CD of the Year" for the international Marlin Award ("Grammys of the Caribbean").
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476 songs & counting!!!
Composer/arranger of 430 songs
Kevin Desire (pronounced Dee-zeer)
Producer, arranger, composer, musician, & vocalist.
432 musical compositions/arrangements in 25 genres, 15 songs recorded on five projects.
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March, 2006- launched V.A.D. Music Group. December, 2009- released first full project, "Today, We Represent Change", receiving music awards nominations- international Caribbean Gospel Marlin Award "Compilation CD of the Year" & South Florida Gospel Music Award "Male Vocalist of the Year". 2012- The Song of the Year songwriting contest "Suggested Artist Placement" for "Today, We Represent Change". 2015- Kevin Desire has his first contracted song for film/TV. The urban TV drama, "The Book of Nimrod", will include the track "Feeling Latina" in the show; the Song of the Year songwriting contest "Semi-Finalists Placement" for "Get to it cue". He also has three music placement deals and about 25 songs in consideration for film/TV, video game opportunities. Mr. Desire has just signed with Outbound Music & his Christmas jazz song "Let Christmas be" will be included in the Christmas rotation of Gravity Radio (internet radio), & jazz track "Old Man Swing" included in rotation of another of their stations!
He has traveled across the United States, Nassau (Bahamas), Toronto (Canada), Europe, & Lilongwe, Malawi (southern Africa) with his music. He was voted most musical by his senior class at Miami Carol City in 1984.
Miami Carol City Senior High School Honor Graduate (1984), attended the University of Miami School of Music- (1984-88); studied piano with the late Sybil Farquson, Kaye Reed, & the late Frank Reed (jazz) prior to attending college. During & after college with Prof. Paul Posnak, Kevin's accompaniment professor & favorite one from UM!
Age 49, the son of the late Richard & Vera Desire; adopted son of Paula Wallace, Zola Moses, Christine Bryant, and the late Ruth Cannon. A grandson of the late Cleo and Ruby Williams, Sr., and adopted grand-son of the late Lily Fulton. God-father of seven & three adopted daughters.
Outside of music, Kevin is a motivational speaker. He taught Church School (Sunday School) for 17 years, was the first director (two years) & first overseer (10 years) of the New Members Ministry. Rev. Desire has been a member of the ministerial staff for 27 years. In the community, he is a member of UP-PAC (a North Dade community civic group for 8 years).
Since 2008 to the present, Kevin serves on the Equal Justice Roundtable, faith-based coalition partnership with the Miami-Dade Public Defender's Office, and the 11th District A.M.E. Church Social Action Committee (2015).
Formerly, he was a staff writer for the African Methodist Episcopal (A.M.E.) Church Secret Chamber (devotional for the denomination-4 years) and The Alternative Program's Black on Black Crime Initiative Coalition (4 years) where he was on call to assist local law enforcement in community problems, and was the social action czar for the Central District, A.M.E. Churches (southern Florida AME Churches in several counties).
For recreation, he enjoys reading, traveling, horse-back riding, swimming, bowling, history, playing spades, playing Wii, shooting pool, nature, sports, movies, & politics.