Kirk Franklin Announces New Album I Am What I Am
The gospel artist revealed his upcoming 14-track project during an intimate conversation in West Hollywood.
Updated on Oct. 29, 2026 in R&B
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Kirk Franklin performed a live conversation with Erica Campbell at the Sun Rose West Hollywood venue. During the event, the artist announced his forthcoming album, I Am What I Am.
Why it matters
The album serves as a creative outlet for Franklin to process complex emotions like fear and sadness. He utilizes songwriting as a way to navigate his personal history as an adoptee raised without his biological parents.
The upcoming album I Am What I Am will feature 14 tracks total. It includes contributions from artists such as GloRilla, Jelly Roll, Davido, and Karen Clark Sheard.
The players
Kirk Franklin
Kirk Franklin is an influential gospel artist and songwriter known for blending contemporary music styles with faith-based themes.
Erica Campbell
Erica Campbell is a prominent gospel singer and radio host who joined Franklin for a conversation at the Sun Rose West Hollywood.
Tobe Nwigwe
Tobe Nwigwe is a rapper and singer who collaborated with Franklin on the upcoming track It Gets Better.
The details
Franklin shared that he begins his creative process through prayer before moving to musical arrangements. He also highlighted a collaboration with Tobe Nwigwe titled It Gets Better, which will appear on the new record.
Timeline
October 30, 2026: Release of the new album I Am What I Am.
Industry Dynamics
The project follows the traditional 14-track standard album format while incorporating diverse genre-crossing collaborations. This release reflects the growing trend of gospel artists reaching broader audiences through cross-genre features.
Fans can expect the 14-track project to be available for streaming and purchase on October 30, 2026. This release provides listeners with new material featuring cross-genre collaborators including GloRilla and Jelly Roll.
The takeaway
Franklin uses prayer as a foundational step to move from emotional inspiration to technical arrangement. Listeners can emulate this approach by identifying the personal emotions they wish to process before beginning any creative task.
Further reading
Learn more about the latest developments in the music industry at the R&B section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by EURweb.
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