Trin-i-tee 5:7

Trin-i-tee 5:7

Company type	Musical group
Industry	Music, gospel music
Founded	1997
Founder	Kenneth Grant (manager, organizer)
Defunct	2013 (disbandment announced)
Fate	Disbanded; members pursued solo careers
Headquarters	New Orleans, Louisiana , United States
Area served	Worldwide
Key people	Chanelle Haynes, Angel Taylor, Terri Brown (original members); Adrian Anderson (member from 1999 to 2010)
Products	Albums, singles, gospel music recordings
Number of employees	3 (initial trio), later duo and trio configurations (Various years between 1997 and 2013)
Parent	GospoCentric Records (initial label), Spirit Rising/Music World Entertainment (later label)

Trin-i-tee 5:7 was a gospel female trio from the United States, established in 1997, initially composed of Chanelle Haynes, Angel Taylor, and Terri Brown. Their first studio album, Trin-i-tee 5:7 (1998), included the highly successful gospel track "God's Grace" and received gold status from the RIAA. After Brown exited the group in 1999, Adrian Anderson became a member.

Their sophomore release, Spiritual Love, arrived in 1999, followed by The Kiss in 2002. The group's fourth project, T57 (2007), garnered a Grammy nod for Best Contemporary R&B Gospel Album and featured popular singles such as "Listen" and "Get Away". When Anderson departed in 2010, Trin-i-tee 5:7 continued as a duo and launched Angel & Chanelle in 2011.

Having sold more than 2.5 million albums globally, Trin-i-tee 5:7 stands among the highest-selling gospel acts and was acknowledged as one of the leading contemporary gospel groups of their time. They achieved a tenth-place ranking on Billboard’s Top Gospel Artists list in both 2002 and 2011. Their honors include two Dove Music Awards, one Stellar Award, two Grammy nominations, and two nominations for BET Awards.

1997–1998: Formation and early years

Angel Taylor and Chanelle Haynes, who attended the same high school in New Orleans, Louisiana, initially participated in regional singing competitions before becoming part of a group organized by businessman Kenneth Grant. After hearing Haynes perform at Greater St. Stephen FGBC church, Grant recruited her along with Taylor and Terri Brown, another local vocalist. The trio chose the name "Trin-i-tee 5:7," drawn from the biblical verse 1 John 5:7 which references the Trinity. Under Grant’s management, they secured a contract with GospoCentric Records in 1997.

1998–2000: Trin-i-tee 5:7 and Spiritual Love

On July 14, 1998, Trin-i-tee 5:7 debuted their self-titled album featuring production from notable names such as R. Kelly, Kirk Franklin, and Soulshock & Karlin. The project reached number one on Billboard’s Top Gospel Albums chart and climbed to number twenty on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. It sold upwards of 700,000 units in the United States and was certified gold by the RIAA. The lead single "God's Grace" attained a peak position of six on Billboard’s Adult R&B Songs chart. Additionally, the group contributed to the soundtrack for The Prince of Egypt. In 1998, they were honored with the Stellar Award for New Artist of the Year.

Following their initial success, Terri Brown departed to focus on marriage and pursue solo endeavors; Adrian Anderson joined shortly thereafter in mid-1999. Their follow-up album, Spiritual Love, released on December 28, 1999, marked their commercial breakthrough by topping Billboard’s Gospel Albums chart and reaching number five on Top Christian Albums. Singles like "Put Your Hands" and "My Body" fueled strong sales; despite some controversy surrounding "My Body," it achieved a ranking of thirty-five on Adult R&B Songs. Globally, this album surpassed one million copies sold.

2002–2003: The Kiss

By the time The Kiss was launched in 2002, the group encountered difficulties with GospoCentric Records. The single "Holla," targeted at urban radio, did not receive the anticipated promotional support and failed to enter the R&B charts. Around this time, manager Kenneth Grant exited the group, who then attempted to terminate their contract with the label, a request that was ultimately refused.

Management duties were assumed by Brandy Norwood's mother, Sonja Norwood, who enhanced the group's visibility in mainstream markets by securing prominent television appearances beyond gospel programming. Subsequently, she transferred management responsibilities to Mathew Knowles.

2004–2009: T57

Following a break, the group parted ways with GospoCentric and inked a deal with Spirit Rising, a division of Music World Entertainment overseen by Knowles. In 2007, GospoCentric released their inaugural greatest hits compilation titled Holla: The Best of Trin-i-tee 5:7. Their fourth studio effort, T57, came next, achieving the No. 2 spot on Gospel charts and reaching #102 on the Billboard 200. The lead track "Listen" climbed to No. 9 on U.S. Gospel charts. During this era, they toured alongside The Sisters In Spirit. A deluxe edition of T57 appeared in 2008 featuring three additional songs including "Get Away," which was showcased at BET's Celebration of Gospel. This album garnered two Dove Awards and received a Grammy nomination.

After T57, individual members explored separate ventures: Chanelle pursued acting; Angel Taylor co-hosted BET's brief series 106 & Gospel; Adrian Anderson contributed vocals to Spirit Rising's Pastor Rudy Experience project. In 2009, they released their first holiday-themed album, Love, Peace, Joy at Christmas.

2010–2012: Anderson's exit and Angel & Chanelle

In October 2010, Anderson departed to establish Halo Tu Beauty, leaving Haynes and Taylor as a duo. February 2011 saw the release of "Over and Over," featuring PJ Morton, which reached No. 2 on Hot Gospel Songs charts. Their sixth studio album, Angel & Chanelle, was released on May 31, 2011, becoming their highest-ranking album on Billboard’s Top 200 at #20 and securing the top position on the Gospel Albums chart. Subsequent singles "Heaven Hear My Heart" and "Bring Your Praise" charted respectively on Gospel Digital Song Sales and Hot Gospel Songs.

Disbandment and aftermath

In 2013, Trin-i-tee 5:7 unveiled their second greatest hits collection titled Trin-i-tee 5:7 Hits and announced plans to pursue solo careers. Chanel’s solo single "Believe" peaked at No. 19 on Hot Gospel Songs. Between 2014 and 2017, Taylor independently released singles including "Weak," "Still God," "Everything," and "Nobody Better" under her own label Taylor Made Music. Chanel’s debut solo album Trin-i-tee 5:7 According to Chanel, released in 2014 through Obsidian Records, reached No. 25 on Billboard’s Top Gospel Albums; its single "Repay" attained No. 26 on Gospel Airplay.

On June 26, 2018, the group returned with an eight-track EP entitled Back Again. In March 2020, they issued a compilation album called Story of My Life, which included previously unreleased material. In September 2022, Taylor performed alongside former member Terri Brown at the Gospel Brunch Concert hosted at City Winery.

Musical style and themes

Trin-i-tee 5:7 combined elements of gospel music with urban contemporary styles, R&B rhythms, and hip-hop influences. Initially, lead vocal duties were distributed evenly among Haynes (contralto), Brown (mezzo-soprano), and Taylor (soprano). Following lineup changes, Haynes assumed primary lead vocals with Taylor as secondary lead; Anderson contributed soprano parts and ad-libbing. Their sound drew inspiration from Whitney Houston’s style. Their music is characterized as spiritually uplifting with lyrical themes centered around divine love, sisterhood bonds, and empowering women. Some tracks such as "My Body" generated debate despite their intended positive messages.

Public image

Frequently likened to Destiny's Child and En Vogue as gospel equivalents of prominent '90s female ensembles, lead vocalist Haynes has been compared to Toni Braxton due to her rich contralto tone. The trio presents themselves as stylish young women who act as representatives of Christ. Although their image is largely positive, they have encountered some disapproval within Christian communities concerning their fashion choices and overall look. Nonetheless, observers emphasize that their attire remains tasteful and elegant without relying on overt sensuality.

Philanthropy

In December 2000, Adrian Anderson established the Be an Angel: Wear Your Halo Foundation in Sacramento, aiming to support underprivileged families by providing care packages containing essentials such as gift cards and household necessities. Additionally, the foundation offers assistance to college students through its "Bag of Knowledge" initiative.

After Hurricane Katrina struck in 2005, Trin-i-tee 5:7 initiated the Ambassador of Hope and Triumph Campaign, which focused on delivering financial support to impacted educational institutions, medical centers, businesses, and churches, while also dedicating time to encourage those affected. By 2008, this effort had grown to include outreach in Sacramento, Los Angeles, and Houston.

Discography

• 1998: Trin-i-tee 5:7
• 1999: Spiritual Love
• 2002: The Kiss
• 2007: T57
• 2009: Love, Peace, Joy at Christmas
• 2011: Angel & Chanelle

See also

• List of awards and nominations received by Trin-i-tee 5:7