Rizen (gospel group)
Encyclopedia
Rizen is a two-time Stellar Award–winning gospel traditional and contemporary group consisting of sisters Adriann Rayshell Lewis and Aundrea Roeshell Lewis.
and Lady Kayron Lewis. The two Lewis sisters, both with a God-given talent to sing, carefully and lovingly nurtured and developed by their mother, Kayron Lewis, grew up in a home filled with the sounds of gospel greats like Shirley Caesar, Albertina Walker, Dorothy Norwood, and James Cleveland among others with a healthy smattering of R&B as well. Adriann is the eldest sister, known for powerful squalls, high-riffs and vocal range, while Aundrea is known for her powerful yet mellow sound and also her powerful vocal range.
Adriann sang her first solo at age three in her father's church, standing on a wooden box in the pulpit so she could be seen by all. Aundrea spent most of her young life as a member, and later director of the church choir, coming into her own as a soloist in the 1990s with the formation of RiZen.
Adriann, who with her sister is a founding member of RiZen, felt called to a career in music and ministry also at a young age. "I was 12, and singing in a community choir in Saginaw that made an independent record on which I sang solo," she recalls. "I was lying under the piano in the recording studio, sleepy because it was getting pretty late, and when I first heard my voice on the playback over the speakers, I thought, `Wow, that sounds pretty good!' I knew right then that singing was going to be my life."
Like most singers raised in the church, Aundrea and Adriann honed their craft singing in the children’s choir. Their mother, Kayron Lewis, directed all of the church choirs. Aundrea garnered her choir directing skills by following their mother. She says, "We started really early singing in every choir in the church. I was the director. Wherever my mom went and directed, I followed her. I have directed the youth choir, the mass choir and even the male chorus." While Aundrea was learning to direct choirs, Adriann was singing with all of them - even the male chorus. Aundrea laughs, "My sister Adriann starting singing at age three and she sang with every choir in the church, including the male chorus. Picture this little girl up there singing with all those men, that was a sight!" Adriann adds, "I did not want to stop, I demanded to sing… I’ve been singing since I was three years old!"
The energetic ladies from Saginaw, Michigan delivered 12 songs in their second CD, RiZen2, released in 2005 with flavorful ingredients that make for an undeniable recipe of R&B, gospel and soulful inspirational driven melodies. From the sensational, superb production of "Clap Your Hands" featuring the infamous percussionist Sheila E., and the R&B groove of "Praise Him Just A Little While" to the powerful four words of "Jesus You’re My Light" to straight up churchin’ with "Over There" their signature foot-stomping, hand clapping and harmony bring it all together for one big dish of joyful music.
According to Adriann, RiZen 2 is more of RiZen and has a lot to do with the girls' personal experiences. They also had a lot of input, and it felt more like an original piece from all of them because each lady leads a song on this project. Sometimes called "the Lewis Kids", co-founders Aundrea and Adriann along with their brother Ay’Ron all wrote "Over There" reminiscent of "View the City" off the debut project, while the entire group collaborated on "Hold On". They won a Stellar Award in 2006 for Best Traditional Group/Duo. However, in between that second CD and their latest, Free, the trio became a duo of two tight-knit sisters Adriann and Aundrea Lewis.
The third CD released in 2009, Free, was produced by urban gospel icon and label mate Fred Hammond, as well as Aaron Lindsey, Daniel Weatherspoon and RiZen’s younger brother and musical director, Ay’Ron Lewis. The CD includes the song "Live To Love," written by Fred Hammond, the 1970s throwback, "All I Need", the traditional track "Worked It Out", and there’s the beautiful ballad "Just For Me". Aundrea wrote during a church service at home. The praise and worship ballad, "I Owe It All To You", "My Praise Ridiculous" and the traditional gospel music lover’s delight, "Look Back".
Early life
Aundrea and Adriann Lewis are the daughters of Elder Luciose Lewis Jr., who is a pastor of the New Galilee Baptist Church in Saginaw, MichiganSaginaw, Michigan
Saginaw is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the seat of Saginaw County. The city of Saginaw was once a thriving lumber town and manufacturing center. Saginaw and Saginaw County lie in the Flint/Tri-Cities region of Michigan...
and Lady Kayron Lewis. The two Lewis sisters, both with a God-given talent to sing, carefully and lovingly nurtured and developed by their mother, Kayron Lewis, grew up in a home filled with the sounds of gospel greats like Shirley Caesar, Albertina Walker, Dorothy Norwood, and James Cleveland among others with a healthy smattering of R&B as well. Adriann is the eldest sister, known for powerful squalls, high-riffs and vocal range, while Aundrea is known for her powerful yet mellow sound and also her powerful vocal range.
Adriann sang her first solo at age three in her father's church, standing on a wooden box in the pulpit so she could be seen by all. Aundrea spent most of her young life as a member, and later director of the church choir, coming into her own as a soloist in the 1990s with the formation of RiZen.
Adriann, who with her sister is a founding member of RiZen, felt called to a career in music and ministry also at a young age. "I was 12, and singing in a community choir in Saginaw that made an independent record on which I sang solo," she recalls. "I was lying under the piano in the recording studio, sleepy because it was getting pretty late, and when I first heard my voice on the playback over the speakers, I thought, `Wow, that sounds pretty good!' I knew right then that singing was going to be my life."
Like most singers raised in the church, Aundrea and Adriann honed their craft singing in the children’s choir. Their mother, Kayron Lewis, directed all of the church choirs. Aundrea garnered her choir directing skills by following their mother. She says, "We started really early singing in every choir in the church. I was the director. Wherever my mom went and directed, I followed her. I have directed the youth choir, the mass choir and even the male chorus." While Aundrea was learning to direct choirs, Adriann was singing with all of them - even the male chorus. Aundrea laughs, "My sister Adriann starting singing at age three and she sang with every choir in the church, including the male chorus. Picture this little girl up there singing with all those men, that was a sight!" Adriann adds, "I did not want to stop, I demanded to sing… I’ve been singing since I was three years old!"
Recording career
RiZen - Adriann and Aundrea Lewis, Kanika Trigg, and Ashley Jones - burst onto the national gospel music scene in 2003 proudly and boldly on a foundation of great traditional and contemporary gospel music, rocking their stilettos to a praise beat, wowing audiences and satisfying thirsty souls without ever missing a step. Rizen rolled off an impressive memorable string of hits in their self-titled CD RiZen, including "View The City", "Lift Up Jesus" and "It Will Come To Pass." Their self-titled debut CD was released with much fanfare and praise and won a Stellar Award in 2004 for Best New Artist. Composed of real-life sisters Adriann and Aundrea Lewis, the Stellar Award–winning group was originally formed in 1995 by Adriann as an eight-member praise and worship team at New Galilee Baptist Church in Saginaw, Michigan. The all-girl praise and worship team has evolved from eight members to three and, now, to a duo signed to Verity Records.The energetic ladies from Saginaw, Michigan delivered 12 songs in their second CD, RiZen2, released in 2005 with flavorful ingredients that make for an undeniable recipe of R&B, gospel and soulful inspirational driven melodies. From the sensational, superb production of "Clap Your Hands" featuring the infamous percussionist Sheila E., and the R&B groove of "Praise Him Just A Little While" to the powerful four words of "Jesus You’re My Light" to straight up churchin’ with "Over There" their signature foot-stomping, hand clapping and harmony bring it all together for one big dish of joyful music.
According to Adriann, RiZen 2 is more of RiZen and has a lot to do with the girls' personal experiences. They also had a lot of input, and it felt more like an original piece from all of them because each lady leads a song on this project. Sometimes called "the Lewis Kids", co-founders Aundrea and Adriann along with their brother Ay’Ron all wrote "Over There" reminiscent of "View the City" off the debut project, while the entire group collaborated on "Hold On". They won a Stellar Award in 2006 for Best Traditional Group/Duo. However, in between that second CD and their latest, Free, the trio became a duo of two tight-knit sisters Adriann and Aundrea Lewis.
The third CD released in 2009, Free, was produced by urban gospel icon and label mate Fred Hammond, as well as Aaron Lindsey, Daniel Weatherspoon and RiZen’s younger brother and musical director, Ay’Ron Lewis. The CD includes the song "Live To Love," written by Fred Hammond, the 1970s throwback, "All I Need", the traditional track "Worked It Out", and there’s the beautiful ballad "Just For Me". Aundrea wrote during a church service at home. The praise and worship ballad, "I Owe It All To You", "My Praise Ridiculous" and the traditional gospel music lover’s delight, "Look Back".
Singles
- "View the City" (2003)
- "Trust and Never Doubt" (2004)
- "We've Come To Magnify the Lord" (2005)
- "Free" (2009)
- "He'll Make A Way" (2010)
- "Just For Me (He Did It)" (2010)
Songs in Other Projects
- "View the city - from (Stellar award hits) (Integrity Gospel/Sony Gospel/Epic, 2004)
- "Lift up Jesus" - from (Sistas in the spirit) (Integrity/Columbia, 2006)
- "Never Doubt Him (Live)" (From Sisters in the spirit) (Central South, 2008)
Videography
- Rizen (Live) (2004)
- Donna Richardson Joyner's Sweating In The Spirit 2 (2006)
- Sisters in the spirit (2008)