Smokie Norful Delivers Uplifting New Song 'I Still Have You'

Smokie Norful returns with his brand new song and it's iHeartRadio's latest World Premiere.

On Thursday, October 20, the Grammy award-winning gospel singer delivered "I Still Have You." His new song arrives ahead of Norful’s upcoming album. The project will be a 20-Year celebration of his debut LP I Need You Now and will also commemorates his journey and numerous hits spanning two decades. Over the years, Norful has characterized his music as "urban inspirational," an apt term that allows him to stretch the boundaries of traditional gospel while still remaining true to its purpose.

Smokie Norful is one of the brightest lights on the current gospel scene. The son of an African Methodist Episcopal minister, Norful spent his first 14 years in Muskogee, OK, where he absorbed music ranging from sacred gospel to the secular soul that was popular at the time. By the age of two he was picking out melodies on piano, by four he was actively playing and singing in his father's church, and by ten he was a featured artist on a custom album assembled by a regional music director. Although music was his enduring passion, Norful instead opted to study history at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, eventually working as a history instructor for four years before relocating to Chicago in 1998 in order to earn a Masters of Divinity degree from Garrett Theological Seminary.

After his graduation, Norful remained in Chicago as an assistant pastor at the Rock of Ages Baptist Church and stayed active in various church choirs, eventually catching the ear of Joe Anne Brunson, leader of the Thompson Community Choir, who asked him to sing one of his original songs for the choir's Real album, which essentially launched Norful's professional singing career. His debut solo album, I Need You Now, was released by Chordant in 2002 followed by a live album called I Need You Now: Limited Edition from EMI Gospel in 2003.

Since then, he's released seven other albums and various singles. He's also collaborated with legends like Jermaine Dupri for the So So Def founder's massive 2020 song "Change."

Look out for Smokie Norful's new album coming soon and listen to "I Still Have You" exclusively on iHeartRadio!