Spensha Baker

Texas-based contemporary gospel singer Spensha Baker was born in Hampton, VA, but due to her parents' military stints, she spent her childhood moving around the U.S. Her powerful voice was obvious by the age of seven, and Baker's mother encouraged the young singer to perfect and make use of her unique gift. Baker landed a spot on The Inspirational Network's Christian Artist Talent Search show, which in turn led to her being a contestant on CBS' Star Search when she was only 12 years old. Ron Fair, chairman of Geffen Records, was a judge on the show, and although Baker wasn't the eventually winner, Fair recognized her considerable talent and signed her to his label. A first single, a remake of the Clark Sisters song "Hallelujah" produced by Warryn Campbell, was released in 2008, followed by a full-length debut album, Outloud!, later that same year.