Kirk Franklin "Grateful" For Positive Reaction to Album

After hitting the Billboard 200 charts for the first time in six years with a new and highly successful gospel album, it’s not surprising that gospel music pioneer Kirk Franklin would feel quite gracious.

“I'm very thankful, man," Franklin said to Billboard.com about the positive response to his 11^th album, Hello Fear and his hit single, “I Smile.” "I think it's a beautiful album, a beautiful, incredible record. It's one of the most cohesive bodies of work that God has given me. There are about three or four albums I've done that are like that, that have that cohesiveness. It's really been a gift."

Franklin, whose song “I Smile” reached No. 5 on the Billboard charts, not only thanks the listeners who supported his album, but also God for providing the song’s genesis.

"You know, man, God just really dropped some incredible song ideas in my heart," he said. "Like, I was walking by the piano one day, and that's when the lyrics came to 'Hello Fear'...So I'm comfortable now, at this season in my life, letting God drive and sitting in the passenger seat. It's the best way; instead of trying to force it and contrive it, when the music flows like water, you never have to worry about what's coming next."

The gospel leader is thinking about next doing a project to honor The Family, the group he started in 1992.

Watch Franklin’s “I Smile” video here.