Music has always been a constant in Cheryl Thomas Fortune’s life. From taking piano lessons as a child to singing in the high school as a teen to continuing her passion into a booming professional career as an adult, music is her friend. And this friend, coupled with her love for God and her faith in Him, has allowed her to weather through some pretty tough storms and come out as a fighter winning the battle of life.

Hearing Fortune sing with such power and conviction one would never know that singing was not her first love in the area of music, instruments were. Growing up in the Thomas family household, the rule was all children had to take piano lessons. Not a problem for Fortune because she loved the piano. “I just loved all types of instruments,” admitted Fortune, who also played the handbells and sung in the children’s choir at church. She didn’t really get into singing until she got to high school under the direction of her choir director Ina Zellers. Fortune’s love for the piano was so great that she figured that she would join her high school’s choir to accompany them on the piano. The catch was in order to join the choir she had to audition by singing to be in the choir. Fortune sung Whitney Houston’s I Believe the Children Are Our Future and blew Zellers away. “Oh my gosh, you have an amazing gift,” Fortune recalls Zellers saying to which Fortune replied, “Oh, ok really.” Laughing now, Fortune said, “I could sing and yes it was in my family I just loved the piano. So yeah Ms. Zellers was apart of my singing thing. It was hard but it was good for me.”

Good for her indeed. Singing at Ross S. Sterling High School did allow Fortune to do what she loved like playing the piano in UIL competitions and helping the choir with warm-up drills but it also birth other gifts like songwriting. “Not too many people knew that when I was growing up because I didn’t really do it a lot but in high school, I started writing little things and writing little songs. I ended up doing it a lot more after that. And I love it. It’s a passion of mine.” The passion led her to write songs for and sing background for artists like Kirk Franklin, Fred Hammond, Zacardi Cortez, Shirley Caesar, Bishop T. D. Jakes, Isaac Carree, Monica, and the list goes on. “I don’t think I ever imagine me being in this place,” said Fortune but what a place to be in. However, it wasn’t an easy journey to get there. She doesn’t look at her past with regret but with a grateful heart since her journey is what has prepared her for this point in her life now.

As a childhood friend of Cheryl Thomas Fortune, I have had the privilege of hearing her voice develop over the years. I sang next to her in our church's children’s choir. I walked the halls with her in high school. I shared many hugs, laughs and good times with her parents (who will celebrate 57 years of marriage next year) and her entire family. I sat in the audience and cheered her on at her concerts. Even though I had that front row seat to moments in her life, I never knew all that she has had to endure. I slowly found out like everyone else.

The world is all too familiar with her domestic violence abuse at the hands of ex-husband James Fortune. But that was only part of her battle. Cheryl had to fight for the innocence and safety of precious children and the value of her own self-worth. It is the love of God and her family; especially her children that helped sustain her. “God has blessed me with some strong incredible children,” said the proud mom. “I am so grateful for my children because a lot of days, besides drawing strength from God and my faith, I drew strength from them,” as she added that she also drew strength from past victories.

Now on the other side of the battle, she is celebrating her survival and not giving up attitude with the release of her very first solo project, Simply Cheryl. The Houston native who is widely known as being part of others’ background accompaniment said that she always knew she wanted to at least try doing a solo project but was always nervous about how people would accept it. But she brushed off those fears and boosted up her faith to follow the direction God was leading her in. “I was very, very nervous at first because it is always different when you are transitioning from the background to the forefront. But God was opening up so many doors and He was literally pushing me out there saying. ‘Hey, I’ve got you, I’ve got you, I’ve got you,’” said Fortune. “And all the other times I was trying to do it before was not the right timing.”

Following God’s direction and timing has allowed Fortune to emerge from her battle as a real fighter, an image that she embraces with the title track of her new album. “Fighter, you never give up and you always fight for what’s right,” wrote her oldest daughter in a Mother’s Day card. That message touched Fortune more than her young daughter knew at the time. “It was so amazing to me that my kids could acknowledge that I was fighting for a better us,” she said with pride. “And so I was able to create that song out of a broken place that I was in and a place that I was trying to heal through.” The ending result was her debut single Fighters, which has become an anthem to which everyone can relate. “I wanted to create something not only for women or men who may have gone through what I have gone through but for all people.” Fortune continued, “We deal with obstacles and challenges and rough things on a daily basis. It’s a constant fight. It’s a constant fight to not give up; it’s a constant fight to not quit. It’s a constant fight to stand up for what you believe in. So I wanted to create something that was going to touch everybody in whatever aspect of life that they are going through or dealing with.”

Fighters is just one of many songs on her debut album, Simply Cheryl, that has a lasting message. Call it a musical autobiography. Fortune starts from the very beginning of her life with a nod to ‘80s and ‘90s R&B, her favorite era of music, then progressives as she shares her heart, faith, and love for God. “I wanted to create something that was uplifting, that was encouraging. Something to help you make it through the day, help you make it through whatever tough situation you are going through. Just everyday life music is what I call it.”

Each song has a message to strengthen and empower. Another track titled, For A Night, reminds listeners tough seasons are not eternal but for moments. Victory is on the other side. Towards the end of the album Fortune really puts her whole heart on display as she shares her testimony and comes to the realization of accepting God’s love. And that’s the same love that she wants listeners to know that they can obtain from God as well.

Stepping out into the spotlight was scary for Fortune and made her nervous because she didn’t know how people would accept her music. “I was scared because my music is different. It is not a traditional gospel. Its not a CTM worship. It’s not anything like that,” said Fortune. And that difference it what also makes it so good. Her single, Fighters, has put Fortune in a familiar place, the Billboard top songs’ list. However, it is her first time there as a solo artist. “My goal was never to reach the top of charts and all that. I am grateful for that. I am thankful for that, ” said Fortune who simply wanted people to know how important their life is and how much they are loved by God. “I want them to feel really good about themselves and to walk in their purpose.” Fortune always wears a ring as a reminder of her purpose with the inscription of Jeremiah 29:11 that speaks of the plans that God has for all His children to prosper, give hope and a future and not to harm.

Similar to God’s love, Simply Cheryl is a gift that gets better and better every day. It encourages, uplifts, and strengths with every note, lyric, and sound. Get your copy of Simply Cheryl wherever music is sold. Stay up-to-date on upcoming projects and new music from Cheryl Thomas Fortune online at iamsimplycheryl.com.