The Tribune

The year 2020 might have been a tumultuous one for everyone due to the global pandemic, lockdowns and financial losses, but a mother and her two daughters from Freeport, Grand Bahama made good use of the time to put the Bahamas on the world stage once again.

Award-winning gospel singer Vanessa Clarke will be soon appearing on a show watched by millions of people around the world, and her two daughters, V'ajha, 13, and V'lori, 8, are also representing the Bahamas on two international platforms – at the Expo 2020 in Dubai and on a YouTube show that is broadcast to churches throughout the United States, Canada and the Caribbean.

Vanessa will be appearing on the Dr Bobby Jones Show on Impact TV in the coming weeks, making her way into over 180 million homes. Her music video, “Faith Walk”, will be making its debut on the show featuring Dr Jones, who has for decades captured the hearts of Bahamian audiences by featuring the some of the best gospel singers in the world.

“I have loved his show from I was a little girl. I never had dreams of being a singer because I never thought I was that good. But God had other plans for me and made me a singer. Ever since I accepted the call, it was always my dream to be featured on his show. Over 30 years later, my dreams have come true,” said Vanessa.

For the past two years, the mother-of-two has been unable to walk because of a degenerative neurological disorder. But rather than let her physical limitations break her, she says her faith has only grown deeper and she continues spread the gospel through music.

On New Year's Day, Jesus in the City, a Christian organisation out of Canada released its major music video production “The Blessing: Caribbean”. Vanessa represented the Bahamas in this project, along with fellow musicians Tony Lowe and Nehemiah Hield of Baha Men fame.

To date, the music video has nearly 150,000 views.

A journalist by profession, Vanessa expressed pride in making an impact in this Caribbean music project, as she also had the opportunity to cover CARICOM for a local newspaper when it was held in Cuba in the early 2000s.

“The Bible says that praise will come from the islands and it has always been my desire to be a part of that movement – no matter how God would get it done,” said Vanessa.

“It tells us that our praise must go forth into the world and be launched from home – the islands. God inhabits the praise of His people and so we share the very essence of Him in our praise and the way we worship.”

Vanessa was also nominated for the Texas Gospel Music Excellence Awards in multiple categories, including Producer of the Year and Song of the Year for the song “Going Through”. Additionally, she was nominated in the 2021 Gospel Choice Music Awards in six categories, including Best International Female Artist.

The Clarke household has much to celebrate as V'lori, a fourth-grade honour roll student at Walter Parker Primary School was invited to represent the Bahamas in an international children's television show called “Graceville”.

The show, which can be found on YouTube, is broadcast to many churches throughout the United States, Canada and the Caribbean.

“Graceville” founder, Pastor Anastacia Brandi, described V'lori as a little preacher in the making.

As for V’Lori, she expressed pride in being on this growing children's programme.

“I feel great. I want the Bahamas to be known – not just as a tropical country for people to visit, but this is a place where God is. Kids love God, too” she said.

Meanwhile, her sister V'ajha, an eighth grade honour roll student of Bishop Michael Eldon School, represented the Bahamas in the Expo 2020 Dubai as part of the “Children's Tales from Around the World” segment.

V'ajha was invited to illustrate the Bahamian folklore characters Ber Bookie and Ber Rabby in a book by Heather Thompson called “Ber Rabby’s Free Lunch”. The digital book can be found on the Bahamas Pavilion Facebook page.

If it weren't for the pandemic, V'ajha would have participated in the Dubai Book Expo in person.

“That’s my one regret,” she said. “Who doesn’t want to go to Dubai? I wish I could have made that trip, but I understand that we have to be safe and that’s a priority.”

She added: “At first I was scared to do this project because I am not used to drawing animals. Most of the characters I draw are in human form. So this was a challenge for me. I am so happy that I was able to do this and that they were pleased with my work.”

V'ajha is the also author and illustrator of “The Cats and the Mats: Bahamas Vacation” and her books will be featured as part of the Bahamas’ showcase in Dubai.

V'ajha is a former Student of the Year of Walter Parker Primary School and was named the Bahamas Primary School Student of the Year for Grand Bahama in 2019. She graduated as valedictorian of from primary school with a GPA of 3.94.

Her gift for art was discovered by her mother when she was six years old. She then became the youngest author and illustrator in the country at the age of seven when she published her first book, “The Cats and the Mats”. This was followed up by “The Cats and the Mats: Bahamas Vacation”, for which she drew 43 illustrations. Her book is available on Amazon.

She is currently working on her first novel.