Sean C. Harrison releases debut album

Having been diagnosed at age 19 with paranoid schizophrenia, while pursuing a presentation and music degree at Edna Manley School of the Visual and Performing Arts, Sean C. Harrison released his debut album.

This Offering is a sacrifice of praise as a testament of overcoming adversities.

"The album is a gospel and inspirational project that contains both spoken word as well as musical compositions and presentations. I have learnt a number of the rudiments of music in my years of study as well techniques that I have self-taught and applied to my art to create these songs," he said.

Excited for the 16-track album, Harrison believes that the 13 songs and three poetic presentations are perfect when one is at home worshipping and wants to listen to praise songs.

"I am a diverse writer who writes on a number of topics, and for this album you can see that coming through as the variety and the cornucopia of presentations make for a very interesting mix. It's a laid back sound that gives contemporary gospel music," said the St Thomas native.

The first track on the album, Didn't Throw Me Away, is a significant reflection of Harrison's journey.

"It is an upbeat anthem of the love and grace of God that he didn't throw me away. So Many Years is the title of one of the songs on the album that speaks to my experience growing up in a broken home. It recognises marital strife, infidelity and dysfunction," he said.

Harrison shared that the album release is a triumph since his vocal abilities were affected by the antipsychotic medication that he was being administered. He worked with the doctors to keep him near optimum functioning ability to prepare the album.

"It was with a change of medication that an aperture of light came and enabled me at intervals to do vocal work, so this project took me around three years to come to manifest," he told THE STAR.

Harrison wants his listeners to recognise the phenomenon of being gracefully broken.

"You don't have to think that because of a particular set of adverse circumstances your life is over. The Lord is able to do the impossible and He has a lot more in store for your life," he said.