Mervin Budram … Taking Soca Calypso Gospel To A New Level

Belizian gospel artiste Mervin Budram has every reason to praise the Lord. He knows more than anyone else about the goodness of God, as He has shown up on numerous occasions and showed off big time.

Budram, who describes his singing style as authentic and passionate with culturally-infused spiritual melodies with a contemporary cross-over appeal, said he brings a Caribbean praise and worship experience with a prophetic, spontaneous edge, that moves listeners to freedom and wholeness.

He has released songs such as Send Me I’ll Go, Giant Slayer, His Blood, and Take The Gospel. He said that for him, it is all about inspiring people to obtain freedom and wholeness.

Sharing on the many ways God has touched his life, he said it started since the day of his birth.

“When I was born, I had heart, lung, and liver problems, and my parents told me that doctors had given up on my ever surviving,” he informed.

The miracles continued in his early 20s, spanning from when he fell off a 20-foot cliff to supernaturally providing for his wedding, enabling the couple to feed 400 people with leftovers. The best part is that it didn’t cost them a cent!

 “Most recently, God healed my second child, who was diagnosed with a severe autoimmune disease. I’m grateful for the favour and goodness of God throughout my life and the lives of my family,” he shared with Freedom Come Rain.

All that gratitude is now poured into his music, with the Word of God as his inspiration, as well as his relationship with Christ.

“Secondly, inspiration is drawn from those I’m called to influence; through my music and ministry. I’m always seeing opportunities on how to better proclaim good news to the poor; proclaim freedom for the prisoners, and recovery of sight for the blind, to see those oppressed set free,” he notes.

Budram highlights that too often, people show up with only a fraction of who they really are, and it is his desire to help people come to greater levels of freedom in their lives, whether spiritually, mentally, or financially.

 “I want to help people mine the treasure within so they can be ALL God created them to be,” are his impassioned words.

Born in Belmopan, the capital city of Belize, Budram grew up in Dangriga, which is known as the cultural capital of Belize. He attended Ecumenical High School and went on to receive an associate degree in General Studies from St. John Junior College.

He started music at a young age, singing around the house and beating on bath-pans and graters in the house. But it wasn’t until he was nine years old that he was invited to learn the drums, and he immediately started to play on the church worship team as a drummer, then eventually the keyboard player.

Budram has been a worship minister in the church for 30 years. He is the worship pastor at Jubilee Fellowship, which is his home church.

Looking ahead, he is now working on several projects including new music, videos, artist development training, and a book.

Nadine Harris: