TEHILLAH

A lover of music from the very beginning, Andrea René Williams' path to the music industry has been an unpredictable yet blessed one. Knowing the Lord had called her to music, she decided to apply for an administrative position with a music industry association, a position she saw listed in the Washington Post. Little did she know, the position she had applied for was at the GRAMMY Awards. Now a former 8-year employee of The Recording Academy (The GRAMMY Awards), she now knows that this one position alone changed the entire trajectory of her life.

While at NARAS (also known as the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences), she assisted in starting the D.C. Branch - from the ground up - and making it the fastest growing GRAMMY Chapter in the history of the GRAMMY Awards. During her time with the popular industry association, she organized events with such mainstream artists as U2, Natalie Cole, John Mayer, Anthony Hamilton, Erykah Badu, India.Arie, Amy Grant, Vince Gill, Usher, Billy Taylor, Chris Brown, Raheem Devaughn, Chuck Brown, Nile Rodgers, Gloria Estefan, George Clinton, Bruce Hornsby, Jimmy Jam and dozens of others.

She assisted in the coordination of the GRAMMY Salute To Gospel Music Event for several years and held her own GRAMMY Gospel music event in DC resulting in a record-setting number of people joining the Academy. Also during her tenure at the GRAMMY Awards, she brought legends of Gospel music into the Academy's membership ranks. Artists like Kim Burrell, Tonex, Tramaine Hawkins and Donald Lawrence & The Tri-City Singers became members at Williams' prompting. In addition, through her efforts, Donald Lawrence and Richard Smallwood not only became members of the Recording Academy, but ultimately, served on the national board giving Gospel music a louder voice with one of music's most influential organizations.

In 1999, she launched Tehillah Enterprises (pronounced teh-HEE-lah). She began the company because she felt a strong need to help publicize what was happening in the Christian community. "When I entered the gospel music industry, it was a learning process for me. In my desire to find out all I could about the industry, I located a wealth of information. But it seemed to me that it wasn't being shared. I felt there was so much information I knew was vital to many who felt the call of God on their lives to enter music ministry. It was at that point that I felt compelled to share what I had learned with others," says Williams. It was her desire to help artists reach their full potential and give back a little of what God had given her that she decided to start Tehillah Enterprises. In 2006, after resigning from her position at the GRAMMY Awards, she took on Tehillah Enterprises full-time. Since that time, the company has received national recognition by positioning ministries through securing countless media opportunities.

Tehillah Enterprises has created campaigns that have placed Gospel artists on magazine covers, Billboard charts and award stages. Tehillah’s efforts have opened doors for national appearances, endorsement deals, and opportunities to give back to the community through charitable causes. Through artist development sessions, the company has refined artists’ performances, giving tips to help them minister more effectively. Through artist management, Tehillah Enterprises has provided new opportunities including securing a coveted performance at the legendary Blues Alley. Tehillah has excelled in the field of marketing and publicity. The publicity firm has done work for notables such as Gladys Knight and Paul Anthony of Full Force (for their Gospel releases), Andrae’ Crouch, Byron Cage, Earnest Pugh, Bishop Derek Grier & Grace Worship Team, Bishop David G. Evans, Pastor Riva Tims & Majestic Praise, Pastor Bill Winston & Living Word Choir, Pastor Charles Jenkins, Anita Wilson, Apostle Kevin Davidson, Alvin Slaughter, Martha Munizzi, Steven Ford, DeWayne Woods, and many others. The company's clients have been recognized with award wins and nominations including GRAMMYs, Dove Awards, Stellar Awards, NAACP Image Awards and other accolades.

Tehillah Enterprises started as a newsletter. A precursor to the now popular Belle Report, Andrea created the Gospel News Update in 1999. News from the e-zine was included during its daily radio segment on the former Heaven 1580AM's Midday Show with Cheryl Jackson as well as during "Access Praise" on Radio One's Praise WPRS, Praise 104.1FM. She also was the author of the D.C. Gospel News Update, which hit thousands in the Washington, D.C./Baltimore, MD metropolitan area. DCGospelNewsUpdate.com, a complement to The D.C. Gospel News Update e-zine had extensive information in reference to Gospel music in the Nation's Capital. Williams has been cited in the Gospel Industry Roundup, The Bible of the Gospel Music Industry, as a "Mover & Shaker" in the Washington, D.C. area alongside gospel notables Richard Smallwood, Jacquie Gales-Webb, Patrick Ellis and Cheryl Jackson.

Andrea has been a guest panelist for many conferences and contests including the Kellogg's Gospel Sing-Off Competition, the National Gospel Artist Showcase, the Northeast Artists Guild East Coast Music & Worship Conference, the Ministers Of Music Summit, the Bobby Jones Gospel Industry Retreat and the United States Army Entertainment Division's Stars Of Tomorrow Contests. She was featured on Former NAACP Chair Kweisi Mfume's television show, "The Bottom Line", on their segment about the rising popularity of gospel music. In addition, she was a featured panelist for the 2006 Gospel Heritage Praise & Worship Conference in Washington, D.C. She was also included in former BET's Lift Every Voice Host Gerard Henry's book, Voices Of Inspiration, along with noted personalities like Yolanda Adams and Tonex. Tehillah Enterprises was featured in the August 2005 edition of Gospel Today Magazine in the magazine article, "Untangling The Web".

In 2000, she received the Yaw Buama Award for "Outstanding Contributions In The Gospel Music Industry" from Gospel News TV in Alexandria, Virginia. Tehillah Enterprises received 2013 & 2016 Rhythm of Gospel Award Nominations for Gospel Radio Promotions & Marketing Group of the Year. She was also named “Top Ten Hero In Gospel In Washington D.C. in 2013. In 2017, she released her first book, Live The Life You Sing About: How To Live With Integrity In The Gospel & Christian Music Industry and in 2021, she dropped the Live The Life You Sing About Workbook.

Both books highlight her faith and her unwavering commitment to the Lord. The daughter of the late Yvonne G. Williams, a Bible study teacher, and the late Rev. Dr. John T. Williams, an ordained minister, she has singers, pastors, preachers, evangelists, deacons and Sunday School teachers in her family. It was her grandmother who noticed the musical talent within her when at the age of four, she sat on her grandmother’s knee singing “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star”. Recognizing her granddaughter’s musical gift, she purchased a piano for her. Ultimately, that gift led her to the role as featured soloist in a number of Gospel choirs and to attendance at one of the best music schools on the planet.

In 2019, Andrea graduated Summa Cum Laude from the renowned Berklee College of Music with a Bachelors Degree in Music Business. A Contemporary Christian and Gospel recording artist, songwriter, musician, arranger, producer, engineer and record label owner, she won 2nd Place in the Make Music Award Contest for her song, "Count It As Done". She is a 7-time WAMMIE Award Nominee, the local "GRAMMY Award" presented to local talent in the DMV area. She has sung The National Anthem for the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena and for the Washington Mystics and Capital City Go-Go (NBA G League) at the Entertainment & Sports Arena, both in DC. Also, she has sung the National Anthem and the Black National Anthem for the Georgetown Hoyas and the National Anthem for the National Cherry Blossom Festival on the grounds of the Washington Monument.

It's her experience as an artist herself that helps her to relate and represent some of the best artists in Gospel music. Continuing her role in publicity along with her burgeoning music career, in 2025, she changed the name of Tehillah Enterprises to The Tehillah Company. Started as a premiere agency in public relations in music, the faith-based firm has a goal of celebrating God's song. The Kingdom-focused agency represents music creators and the sacred arts & entertainment community. Prepped to make an even greater impact in the world and in the Heavenlies, the goal of Tehillah is to shine a light for the Kingdom of God.

Photos: Top to Bottom, Left to Right - Andrea R. Williams, Williams with Donnie Simpson, Williams with Dr. Bobby Jones, Dorothy Norwood, Daryl P. Friedman (of the Recording Academy), V. Michael McKay and Jerry Mannery, Williams with client Gladys Knight, Williams with Hootie of Hootie & The Blowfish, Williams with Bono of U2 and Williams with Natalie Grant.