Breathing life into Cork city
Photo: Gerry D Music
Visit Patrick's Street in Ireland's Cork city once a month and you'll hear the testimony of a man that was tired of seeing his friends hang themselves with a rope.
Gerry Doyle, a native of England who grew up in Co. Wexford, is a 21 year old spoken word artist who is beginning to make his name known on the music scene.
Recently given the opportunity to open for acclaimed Christian rap artist Shopé at a church concert, Gerry posts weekly verses on Instagram and Facebook and is working on a February album release.
"I hope that I can clear misunderstandings that people have about being a Christian - that God is a real God, that He's concerned about the issues that people face," Gerry says.
"My music is always about real life stuff, but it always has the solution of Christ being at the centre of everything; he's always in the centre of everything. You can promise that he''ll bring victory in every circumstance," he adds.
Gerry grew up loving poetry, but didn't consider turning it into a future until he stumbled upon such spoken word artists as Clayton Jennings and Jefferson Becka.
"I never thought of creating my own music or being a part of that because I never thought I could until I tried and then I did and the rest is history," he says.
His first album will be full of a variety of hard-hitting topics, everything from identity and approval to past relationships and tackling suicide.
"I hope to reach 1,000 people with the album, a small step in the journey with their faith. People know what I believe, but it's time to start talking about why I believe what I believe," Gerry says.
He wants to use his spoken word to talk about the real issues of life, like coping with the pressures of work, church and community and being a single, young guy surrounded by people in relationships.
"I grew up in a home that didn't have a living relationship with the Lord and because of that, people tried to find acceptance in everything, family members caught up in drugs, drinking, arguments. I was born with a hearing disability which causes you to find your acceptance and approval by trying to fit in even when you know you can't," Gerry says.
Additionally, he is still learning how to live independently, which he says is helping him learn to depend on the Lord for everything.
Ultimately, Gerry would love to do a tour, starting in Ireland and then branching out to the UK and continental Europe.
Right now, however, "I'm not focused on that. I'm focused on putting out good material that people can enjoy."
He's also not focused on making spoken word his career of choice, but would instead like to keep doing it part-time.
"I wanna remain serving in the church, unless it grows to be something that I'm led to do full-time. I want to work part-time to support the career I have in mind," Gerry says.
Before releasing his weekly verses, he rewrites them at least six times, ripping it apart and making the sound and flow better to make it more precise, in addition to praying about everything he puts out.
"If I don't have a peace that it's gonna encourage somebody, I'll write something else," Gerry says.
He particularly enjoyed opening for Shopé.
"That was a good experience. I loved being able to perform, opening up for a guy who's got a bigger fanbase than the majority of people in Ireland," Gerry says.
He is beginning to know the Lord as a father, which is strengthening his previously difficult relationship with his own dad.
"Even when you don't have a firm grip on Him, He has a firm hold on you."
Follow Gerry at Gerry D Music on Facebook and Instagram.
