Ian Matthews reports on R&B dance diva ELAINE HANLEY.

Elaine Hanley

Elaine Hanley is a voice, if not a name, known to most listeners of CCM. Her singing graced the grooves of Manchester musicianaries the World Wide Message Tribe for six years, and now she has gone solo. I took the opportunity of speaking with Elaine to ask about her career and ministry so far. "I can only describe my ministry to date as incredible," she said. "It has been a whirlwind. It started when I started singing at seven years of age in our local church. I grew up in Manchester, singing in the church choir."

I asked Elaine how she moved from church choir to schools and gigs. "I came into contact with the Tribe in 1992, when Andy (Hawthorne) worked in the same shop as my husband. Andy mentioned that the Tribe was looking for a singer, and my husband suggested me. Andy's first reaction was 'No, but seriously...' He eventually invited me down to the studio to give it a go. All I had ever sung at church was 'pure' gospel, and the stuff I started doing later with the World Wide Message Tribe was quite different to this - it was quite a culture shock! They invited me to join the group although I was unsure at first, as it didn't seem my type of music. They suggested I go and pray about it -I did and went for it. I was with the Tribe for six years - you get to know people quite well in that time.

"I found the time with the Tribe so challenging. Everyone gave 101 per cent all the time. It was especially hard doing the same thing over and over, but still keeping it fresh for the kids who were hearing it for the first time."

I wondered if she felt a particular call to ministry. Elaine replied, "I particularly found it refreshing singing to non-Christians. Singing in the church meant I was singing to the converted - which is great, and we are called to build up the body of Christ. However, the opportunity to sing to kids who had never been to church really put a focus into my singing ministry."

The Church in the UK is notorious for the cultural divisions, so I asked Elaine if she felt a culture shock in coming into contact with a diverse section of the Church through the ministry of the Tribe. "The Church environment I came from was very rigid in their views of what was a Christian -how they should dress and so on. This was challenged through the exposure to other cultures that came from working with the Tribe. When we played the Flevo festival, I met this girl who was dressed like a punk. I just thought, 'She cannot be a Christian dressed like that.' I was shocked, and I pre-judged her. I was really humbled by meeting her - she taught me so much. I started questioning a lot of what I had been taught. I asked myself, 'Who am I to look at someone and say, "How can you be a Christian?.....

The new album, 'Don't Listen To The Voice, Listen To The Words', is out now, on import from Germany. I asked Elaine how she felt the album had gone. "It has been out since December in Germany, and I am very pleased with the results considering that it was done on a relatively low budget. Musically it contains a whole mix of styles. Different people see the album in different ways. In mainland Europe they see it much more as a dance album, whereas here it is considered to be R&B. There is a whole mix stylistically on there though - there is some R&B, some ballads and also a slight jazzy edge to some of it. It probably reflects my gospel background having been mixed with a whole range of sounds whilst out on the road with the Tribe, even including some rock music! I am touring at the moment and have just got back from Germany. I have some dancers who work with me over in Europe, and another set of girls who work with me here - I'm really enjoying it, although I am exhausted!"

I asked her how she felt about the CCM scene at the moment. "I feel that there is so much out there being missed by the record companies. Sometimes, judging a book by its cover is a mistake. Music can cross cultures - as I learnt. Just because a cover features a black face, it doesn't mean that this is only music for a black audience. If you have a listen you might be pleasantly surprised."

When asked about the future, Elaine is more contemplative though. "One of the questions I was asked on the Alpha Zone TV programme was whether I was going to aim for a secular recording deal. I wouldn't automatically say no if it came my way, but it's not something I would go after. I've had some positive feedback from those in the secular music business, but I believe that if God wants me to be there, he will make the way, as he has so far."