Pastor A.R. Bernard sat down with musical recording artists Marcus and Jean Baylor to discuss marriage, the music industry, and their latest project “Generations.”
Known professionally as The Baylor Project, the duo has been shaking up the music charts since the release of their Jazz album, “The Journey,” released in 2017. Though they are Christians, they have no problem using their gifts in the secular realm as well.
“For us, growing up as pastors kids, the genre that we’re in is the jazz genre, but the thing about it is the way that God has given it to us is that it’s really being able to tell his message through the gift that He has given us,” Marcus shared.
Jean, a former member of the R&B group Zhane known for their 1993 hit single, “Hey Mr. D.J.,” also believes in the expansive reach of music. “We’re in a global society, so we’re not so relegated or confined to a small area [or] small municipality inside of a community or block, so you get exposed to every point of life,” she said.
The couple revealed to Bernard that it wasn’t difficult for them to hold onto their faith in secular spaces because they had control of their platforms. However, Jean observed that pressures of the music industry cause younger celebrities to make decisions that compromise their faith.
“A lot of times when young people enter into the industry they may be in life situations where they feel like that’s their only situation and if I [young entertainers] want to make it, I have to do that,” Jean noted.
The seasoned couple, who has been married for over twenty years, is also able to thrive in the industry because they balance each other professionally. For example, Jean is administrative while Marcus is technological. “We’ve learned to work with our strengths and our weaknesses. We really try to support one another,” said Marcus.
Ultimately, with their new album “Generations,” their hope is trifold.
“We want the listeners to walk away from a real experience of all of those things of faith, culture, and community.”
Watch the full interview with Bernard and the Baylors of ARB.TV.
