Amber Brianna Lawrence-Bullock (born April 11, 1986) is an American
urban contemporary gospel
Urban/contemporary gospel is a modern subgenre of gospel music. Although the style developed gradually, early forms are generally dated to the 1970s, and the genre was well established by the end of the 1980s. The radio format is pitched prim ...
artist and musician. Bullock won the gospel singing competition, ''Sunday Best'', that airs on BET, during season four. She started her music career, in 2011, with the release of the
extended play
An extended play record, usually referred to as an EP, is a musical recording that contains more tracks than a single but fewer than an album or LP record.
Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...
Top Gospel Albums
The ''Billboard'' charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs and albums in the United States and elsewhere. The results are published in ''Billboard'' magazine. ''Billboard'' biz, the online extension of the ''Billboard'' charts, pr ...
, and the Independent Albums chart. She saw her first studio album, ''So in Love'', chart on two ''Billboard'' charts, the Top Gospel Albums and Independent Albums.
Early life
Bullock was born on April 11, 1986, in
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, whic ...
, as Amber Brianna Lawrence-Bullock. Before her music career blossomed, with her winning appearance on season four of ''Sunday Best'', she was living in
Dallas, Texas
Dallas () is the third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 million people. It is the largest city in and seat of Dallas County wi ...
at the time, but because of her mother's job promotion at work they moved to
Oakwood University
Oakwood University is a private, historically black Seventh-day Adventist university in Huntsville, Alabama. It is the only HBCU owned and operated by the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
Oakwood University is accredited by the Southern Associa ...
.
Music career
Her music career started on the gospel music reality singing competition television show ''Sunday Best'', in season four, that airs on BET. She won the competition, and got a record deal with Music World Gospel. This allowed her to release an
extended play
An extended play record, usually referred to as an EP, is a musical recording that contains more tracks than a single but fewer than an album or LP record.
, ''Thank You'', on November 29, 2011, shortly afterward being crowned the winner on the show. The extended play charted on three ''
Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...
Top Gospel Albums
The ''Billboard'' charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs and albums in the United States and elsewhere. The results are published in ''Billboard'' magazine. ''Billboard'' biz, the online extension of the ''Billboard'' charts, pr ...
chart, and No. 10 on the Independent Albums chart. It was rated three and a half stars by
AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the dat ...
's David Jeffries, and an eight out of ten by
Cross Rhythms
Cross Rhythms is a Christian media organisation based in Stoke-on-Trent, England. It operates an FM and online radio station, produces radio shows sent internationally, and its website has resources about contemporary Christian music.
His ...
' Lins Honeyman. This would be the precursor to her first studio album, ''So in Love'', which released on July 10, 2012, and it charted on two ''Billboard'' charts the Top Gospel albums at No. 3 and at the No. 30 position on the Independent Albums chart. The album received a nine out of ten by Cross Rhythms' Lins Honeyman, and E.J. Gaines of UP reports that "''So In Love'' is a solid collection of feel-good music, anchored in soulful melodies and accented by Bullock’s undeniable passion and impeccable vocal agility."
Personal life
Bullock resides in St. Louis, Missouri, with her daughter, and attends church at Fresh Anointing, where Michael Lampkin, a contestant on season five of ''Sunday Best'', is the pastor.