She's been a constant in the eyes of many, here in Jamaica, when it comes to musical excellence and a deep love for the Lord! We speak of none other than Alicia Taylor - wife, mother, Pastor & more! PAJE had the privilege of being able to hear from her and have her share her heart with us. We can't wait for you to get to know her some more, so lol we're not waiting anymore - let's jump in!
PAJE: So many people have seen 'Alicia Taylor' through the years and have experienced your dynamic personality and talents, but in your own words: WHO are you?
Alicia: I am a lover of Jesus, a woman of God, a wife to an amazing husband and mother to TWO beautiful children. My dynamic personality and talents are a big part of who I am as well, so I suppose if you’ve experienced that part of me then you’ve experienced me in my fulness.
PAJE: You've evidently had such a love affair with Jesus, as is poured out through the passion you sing with and your very purposeful steps in music and ministry overall. We'd love to hear about your journey with music ministry and overall service. What has that journey looked and felt like for you?
Alicia: I seriously believe that there is no greater way than to serve. I believe service gives you access, and keys and we don’t serve because we want access, and we want keys. They are things that come with service, but I believe that if you want to get somewhere then you serve into that thing. All my music ministry has been about service.
I served Jermaine Edwards and Rondell Positive for years as a background singer. Even in the church of which I’m a part (Worship and Faith International Fellowship), I served in that ministry and served my apostle for many years, and I’ve seen where God has really raised me up. So, if it is that you want to climb in the realms of the Spirit or be successful then become a servant. As it relates to the journey of my music ministry, I’ve had an amazing journey from working with Jermaine since 19, to iWorshipp, and then moving on to work solo and coming under the tutelage of Chevelle Franklyn. I’ve also had the honour of working with some of the best in the industry.
PAJE: It's clear that your journey is an actual example of your beliefs! Now you're a Pastor? Wow! When we saw that, we smiled, as so many of us have been watching you on your journey and this step somehow flows. Did it feel like it 'flowed' for you in giving God this very specific YES?
Alicia: I felt like it flowed but I also felt like God set me up because in the beginning I told Him that I didn’t want to marry a pastor because I didn’t wanna get up at 3am and pray for anyone. I just wanted to go to my bed and be free.
On that matter, He was silent and so I thought it meant consent and that we had an agreement that I didn’t want to marry a pastor man. No, thank you. So, when I saw my husband moving along that path I said, “alright, I can deal with an evangelist but I can’t bother wid di pastor ting.” God remained very silent but what He did was to start waking me up at 3am, telling me to pray and so 3am became our time.
Even when I didn’t want to be awake, He’d just open my eyes at that time and so we started having our time of fellowship. He was preparing me and my heart for this next step to really mature and accept the call that was on my life and on my husband’s life. So, when my pastor made the declaration that we were going to Kingston I just said, “Jesus, help LOL but yeah, let’s obey the Lord and prosper.”
PAJE: Lol, what a thing, eh - God has a massive sense of humor, don't it? So, we know you're a mom, a wife, a Pastor, a Vocal Coach - is there anything else that you do - and how do you balance everything?
Alicia: I feel like I do everything in this world. But yes, I do act and a lot of people don’t know that but I love to talk about my acting, because I went to school for acting. I went to Edna Manley and studied Drama. I did not do music.
I miss my acting so much that every time I get the chance to do it, I grab that opportunity. Michael Holgate has given me so many platforms in acting and I’m so grateful. So yes, I am an actress and I’m also an author.
In terms of balancing everything, as my husband would say, I have to schedule my priorities. I also have a great community of people who are there to help.
So, my family and friends and when I need a break I call them and they just show up and lend their support in any way that they can.
PAJE: Speaking of being a wife, congrats to you and your husband, Mykal Malachi, on being the newly instated Pastors of WAFIF Kingston! We're curious, how did that come into play and how has the journey been?
Alicia: I feel like for a while our pastor, Apostle Courtney McLean, being a visionary had wanted to establish branches and impact the world globally. Several years ago he came to us with the idea of branching out and I was like “nope, not gonna happen.” Fast forward years later he came back to us and was like “remember the last time enuh. You said no but if I were to ask you again, what would you say?” and I responded that I’d go this time and that I want what the Lord wants. I believed that God had been preparing my husband for his entire life and that he has the calling of a pastor on his life.
He is his best when he’s serving people and doing the work of the Kingdom. Especially being at WAFIF, God was really bringing him through a process of refinement for him to step into his calling and at the time we were asked again, he was ready. I get very emotional when I see people being set free because I know the bondage that I was in so when I see people coming to God, (especially those that have backslidden) and being delivered and set free tears come to my eyes and I rejoice in God and I can’t wait to see what more He is going to do through us.
PAJE: Both yourself and Mykal Malachi have been steady pillars in Jamaica's Gospel Music industry and beyond for years now. How would you say you both have managed to stay consistent, and grounded, now to the point of being Lead Pastors?
Alicia: My husband always says to me that I need to keep making music and I should probably listen to him more but he’s like, “You have to keep making that music Alicia and not just that, but you have to constantly be doing something and consistently be before the people, which is how you remain relevant.” Consistency and diligence are rough, but we have to do it. I know my husband is very diligent and he has a routine that works for him. He sticks to it, and it works. As for me, I really have to have him pushing me. The same goes for my community. Sometimes I get a bit discouraged, and I feel like I can’t be bothered and then they encourage me and tell me to do it and I just have to follow through.
I remember a time in my life when pride filled my heart to the point where I would not lift my hands to worship and my husband recognized and pointed it out to me. Pride really crept in and I didn’t know so from that point on I made it my duty to pray daily against the spirit of pride filling my heart. It’s a state where I’m constantly praying that God makes me aware of where I am and what I am. That and accountability – it’s important to have people around who will tell you to pull up your socks. My pastor and Chevelle Franklyn, who is my mentor will tell me “baby girl you can’t do this” or “you need to do that” etc. and you have to be teachable, pliable, mouldable so that you remain grounded.
PAJE: What would you say are 4 things you both look forward to most as you embark on this journey as Lead Pastors at WAFIF?
Alicia:
(1) I look forward to people being delivered and set free. As a deliverance minister as well, I know my husband is excited about seeing backsliders coming back to Christ and seeing people being saved. Salvation really is the greatest miracle, and we are excited about those who will come. We wanna populate heaven and empty hell.
(2) We’re excited about doing things a little bit differently to see how God is going to work through us with people.
(3) The young people. Years ago, the Lord gave us a word that young people would really follow us, and we look forward to moulding them and turning them into the best versions of themselves so that they can go out there and impact and help to set another generation free. Oh my God. You really live for a generation you will not see and so
(4) we just want to do the work.
PAJE: What would you say to the person who has been toiling, working to please the Lord and serve people, but they feel discouraged because they don't feel like they're seeing the fruit of their labour?
Alicia: Be not weary in well doing. God is no man’s debtor. I promise. He is not just going to have you toiling and working and you’re doing it from the right place and with the right heart posture and not reward you in this life and the next. You just have to keep doing it. Discouragement will come but we don’t work off of feelings but off revelations. It’s important when you’re going through seasons to always have a revelation from God to hear what He’s saying in that moment. What is the mystery that He’s revealing to you in this moment that will sustain you?
PAJE: Do you have any upcoming projects we can look out for?
Alicia: Yes. I actually have a few. In the spring of 2024, I will be hosting Vis a Vis: Spring Edition under the Alicia Taylor School of Music. This five-week course is designed to expose aspiring and seasoned singers to the technical side of singing in an effort to help them develop, sharpen, and use their instrument, their voice, effectively to reach its optimum potential. With that will also be the official soft launch of my book, Understanding Your Vocal Apparatus: A Practical Guide (Revised Edition).
PAJE: Do you have anything you'd like to say to encourage the PAJE Fam?
Alicia: I see the work that you’re doing, and God does too. It is a good work that you are doing and because it is a good work that you’re doing, God is faithful to complete it. God will reward you and I just want to encourage you guys to keep doing it because you’ll never know who you’re reaching and at what point you’re snatching somebody back. We minister in different ways.
We don’t always have to be behind a podium to minister. It’s cross generational and will impact lives and it’s very much in keeping with the word write the vision and make it plain and for years to come people will see this vision that you have written, and they will run with it. Be encouraged.
Alicia, thank you SO much for taking the time to share with us! We continue to look out for great things from you and your family and we pray for God's continued favour for you and yours. Blessings!
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