His raspy, powerful voice has become a signature sound that has earned him two GRAMMY® nominations, three Stellar Awards, two Dove Award nominations, a BMI Trailblazer Award, andmultiple Billboard Chart-topping hit singles.
He is Zacardi Cortez. His current 2-part IBHAR albums – HE THAT IS CHOSEN (Chapter 1), and THE JOURNEY (Chapter 2) continue to elevate the powerful singer to a dominating presence in Gospel music.
From Zacardi’s IBHAR: HE THAT IS CHOSEN (Chapter 1) album, the single “Work It Out For Me (Live Radio Edit),” written by Travis Malloy, hit #1 on the Billboard Gospel Airplay charts and earned a 2025 Pandora Medallion for 1 Million Streams. He now adds a 2026 Pandora 1 Million Streams medallion for “Working On Me” from IBHAR: THE JOURNEY (Chapter 2).
“I wrote Working On Me for Kerry Douglas, and he loves it,” says Zacardi. “Kerry says it’s his testimony, but it’s mine as well, and a lot of people are relating to it. People like to throw folks away, but I’m so grateful God doesn’t work that way. He’s working on me, and I trust I’ll only become better and better.”
Zacardi has released a new performance video of “Working On Me”. Watch HERE on Kerry Douglas/Blacksmoke Worldwide YouTube channel.
IBHAR: THE JOURNEY also features “Spirit Of The Living God” with guest vocals by Darrel Walls (of The Walls Group). Zarcardi calls on friends Doobie Powell, Cardell Booker, and The Williams Singers to collaborate with him on the soulful track “I Been Waiting.” Both IBHAR albums are released by music mogul Kerry Douglas’ Blacksmoke Music Worldwide, who has produced three Top ten albums on Zacardi – THE INTRODUCTION (2012), RELOADED (2014), IMPRINT: LIVE IN MEMPHIS (2022).
Zacardi’s IBHAR project name means “he that is chosen.” That title is appropriate for the singer who has the extraordinary anointing to deliver mind-blowing vocal acrobatics and never disappoints with his robust performances. For the young singer, every note is a prayer, and every lyric is crafted to lift listeners out of dark places into the light and hope of Christ.
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