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In 2020, Virginia Police Officer Mervin Mayo went viral after posting a powerful performance of Marvin Sapp’s “The Best in Me” on Facebook. The video quickly surpassed a million views, earned him a segment on CNN Headline News, and led to a record deal with TYSCOT RECORDS.

Since then, Mayo has become one of gospel’s most-streamed new artists, thanks to his soulful blend of old-school R&B and gospel. Songs like “In This Place,” “I’m Healing,” and “God Did It” have resonated with millions, garnering over 44 million streams and 46 million TikTok views.

Mayo’s journey began in Richmond, Virginia’s Creighton Court housing projects. Surrounded by violence and poverty, he found a role model in Officer Curtis Simmons through the Police Athletic League. “Curtis kept me out of trouble,” Mayo recalls. “I told myself that if I ever became a police officer, I’d do for others what he did for me.”

After working as a forklift driver, Mayo joined the police force in 2005. He patrolled the streets before transitioning to work in schools, mentoring youth who, like him, faced tough odds. “It’s not a school for bad kids — just kids who made bad decisions. They relate to me because I’ve been where they are. I want to stop the school-to-prison pipeline.”

Music has always been Mayo’s second calling. From singing in church to performing with the R&B group CHARM in the ’90s, and later forming the gospel group CHANGED, he has long combined faith and music. In 2020, his viral video brought that passion to the world’s stage.

Now signed to TYSCOT RECORDS, Mayo’s debut album God Did It has made him a breakout name across streaming platforms including Apple Music, Spotify, Amazon Music, and YouTube. As he gears up to release his sophomore album in 2025, his next single, “The Air I Breathe,” is set to drop in summer. Mervin still resides in Richmond and is a happily married man of God and father of 3.