Erica Atkins

American gospel singer and songwriter Erica Campbell was born Erica Monique Atkins on April 29, 1972, in Inglewood, California. The daughter of a youth counselor and a choir director for the Church of God in Christ, she was raised in a large family of nine children. Together with her younger sister, Tina Campbell, they formed the gospel duo Mary Mary in 1998 and signed with Columbia Records. They released their debut album, "Thankful" (2000), which contained the crossover hit single "Shackles (Praise You)". The song reached number 28 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and was the first gospel song to make it on the R&B top ten. The album went on to win the sisters a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album. Mary Mary released six studio albums over the next ten years. The duo's success was marked by numerous awards, including Grammys, Doves, NAACP Image Awards and American Music Awards, highlighting their significant impact on the gospel music scene. In 2014, Erica embarked on a solo career, releasing her debut solo album "Help" (2014), which won a Grammy for Best Gospel Album. Expanding beyond her music career, Campbell was known for her role in the reality TV show "Mary Mary" (WE tv, 2012-17). Her television success continued with a reality show following her and her husband, Warryn Campbell: "We're the Campbells" (TV One, 2018- ). Erica Campbell released her third solo album, "I Love You" in September 2023.