Caribbean Minister's 'Blessings Find Me' Song Goes Viral with 1 Billion Views: 'I Am Grateful'
A Caribbean minister and musician has become an overnight success after creating an inspirational anthem that has gone viral on social media as millions share the song's message about God's blessings.
Sherwin Gardner wanted 2024 to look different than previous years. So he decided to write a short affirmation at the end of 2023 called, "Find Me Here (Blessings Find Me)," to encourage himself that it would be a good year.
He thought of the words, "Something good gonna happen in this year. / And I am grateful that I made it here! / Yesterday's gone and a new day has appeared / And I am grateful that I made it here!"
The worship leader at Bahamas Harvest Church in Nassau told Religion News Service a melody came to him shortly after and he sent it off to a music arranger in Kenya.
A few days later, Gardner had a recorded version uploaded to Instagram and TikTok.
The song with its Afrobeats, reggae influence, and dancehall elements became an overnight sensation.
Just a few hours after posting, Gardner was stunned to find his follower count shot from 999 to 20,000.
"The morning when I woke up, I had 20,000 followers, and the views — started at 8 o'clock, it was 14,000; by 10 o'clock it was 50,000; by 12 (noon) it was over 100,000 views," he said.
A friend of Gardner told him, "Doctors, lawyers, gangsters, and teachers posted your song on WhatsApp.'"
On New Year's Day, the 45-year-old returned to the studio to turn the snippet into a song and contacted Tyscot Records to release it.
Tyscot Records in conjunction with Warner Music Group Company have released the song on all major digital music platforms, Trinidad Express reports.
The song has resonated with many including other music artists such as two-time American Grammy Award-winning producer Teddy Riley, R&B singer Alicia Keys, rapper Eve Jeffers, Destiny's Child's Michelle Williams, gospel artist Yolanda Adams, and comedian-turned-pastor Kel Mitchell.
"Brother Sherwin Gardner, you've created this amazing [song] that I have on repeat and play to remind me that there's nothing impossible when God got your back," wrote Riley on TikTok.
The song been played 1,001,158,000 times on TikTok and Bill Carpenter, Gardner's publicist, said their research indicates Gardner could be the first Black gospel artist to achieve that 1-billion-view landmark.
"This is now become or becoming the anthem for many people and their prayer throughout the whole world," Gardner said.
The worship leader says although he was intending to bless others, God has truly blessed him.
"It has been totally unexpected and I'm so grateful for the answered prayers," he said.
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