Gospel artiste Johnoy Davis rises from bottom of the class to achieving a 4.0 GPA

His life has been one of perseverance and dedication. In his quest to complete studies at university in the United States, gospel recording artiste Johnoy J Davis decided that nothing would stop him from achieving his goals.

Last month, having completed a Bachelor of Science in Communications with a concentration in Journalism, he graduated from Edward Walters University in Jacksonville, Florida, with top honours and a perfect 4.0 GPA. 

This is quite an achievement for Davis, who finished 42nd out of a class of 43 while in the tenth grade at Mona High School.

“There are so many lessons that can be found in my story, but I think I want to focus on boys, their education, and the fact that every male child has to be educated as an individual. I believe my story highlights the fact that a student who placed 42nd out of 43 in my class can still graduate college summa cum laude with a 4.0 GPA later. And while my story cannot explicitly state that this will be the exact outcome for every student who struggled initially, it is a call for parents to fight for their children, for them and not with them,” Davis shared.

Davis, who migrated to Jacksonville in 2023, is formerly known as Minister Godartiste. He ministered extensively across the island and has had the privilege of working alongside the likes of Johnmark Wiggan, Perpetual Sounds of Praise and Jamaica Youth for Christ, among others.

Juggling a career in gospel music while completing studies was not an easy task for Davis.

“I think the greatest lesson learnt is coined in my personal manifesto themed ‘Him-Possible’, which is taken from the Word of God: ‘I can do all things through Christ.’ Many of us are prideful in our own abilities, but I have learned that through Him all things are possible. And as it relates to balancing both, it goes back to the Him-Possible manifesto. It was through Him. I was not just balancing school and ministry, I was a resident assistant in the dorm, Vice President of Student Government, President of the school choir, doing an internship, playing keys at church, and taking 7+ classes. That could never have been in my own strength or abilities. That is all God,” Davis disclosed.

Davis is set to release a new single shortly, which is titled Follow You. It was produced by award-winning producer Orville Williams of DaJourney Productions, a Jamaica based in Canada.

“Follow You really came from a place of personal conviction. We live in a world where there are so many things fighting for our attention every single day, and I wanted to write a song that reflected my decision to keep Christ at the centre and follow Him no matter where He leads. But it is bigger than just me saying I want to follow God. The song also speaks to the responsibility we have as believers to share the Gospel, point people to the cross, and let our lives shine in a way that others see Him. I used my culture and testimony throughout the lyrics because I wanted it to feel authentic to who I am and the message God placed on my heart,” said Davis.

“Working with Orville was a great accomplishment. He is very knowledgeable about faith and the music industry. I think he sits at the intersection where the message of Jesus Christ is connected to craftsmanship. He is an excellent producer, and a great person in general, so it was a joy to work with him,” Davis said.

He added: “Music has been good to me. While I have not done much since I have been in America in comparison to when I was in Jamaica, I am grateful for the connections that I have made, and the platforms such as the Florida Gospel Music Awards, which has recognized the gift and grace on my life through back-to-back nominations at their annual award show in 2025 and 2026 in categories including Male Artist of the Year and Multicultural Artist of the Year.”

Davis, who is originally from Mavis Bank in rural St Andrew, attended Mona High and later the Edna Manley College for the Visual and Performing Arts, where he did an Associate of Arts in Music Performance.

Although he has spent most of his life in the church, it wasn’t until nine years ago that he gave his life to the Lord.

“I have had ups and downs since then, but the intentionality of my pursuit changed in 2017 when I became a born-again Christian. My relationship with Christ, I would refer to it as a work in progress.”

Davis has been accepted to Columbia University in New York, where he will pursue a Master of Science in Journalism.