Judy Irene Bailey Depuhl was born on 20 July 1968 in London, England, and grew up in Barbados where she sang in the church choir and began playing guitar at 17. Her first recordings emerged in Barbados, earning the title Gospel Album of the Year and establishing her early reputation in Christian pop. In 1990 she released the EP Not with the Weapon, followed by Misdemeanours After Midnight in 1993 and Between you and me in 1997, the latter produced by Eddy Grant. The breakthrough came with the 2003 album Found the Sun on J‑Star/BMG, where the single "Extraordinary Light" entered the German charts. Subsequent releases included the live album Surrounded (2006) and the liturgical collection Lift Up Your Hearts (2013). Bailey collaborated with Ralf Gustke on Run to You (2002) and Edzard Hüneke on One (2016). She toured over 30 countries, performing at major Christian events such as the World Youth Days (2005, 2008, 2013, 2019, 2023) and appeared for Pope Francis in Rio (2013) and Panama City (2019). In 2020 she and her husband Patrick Depuhl released Das Leben ist nicht schwarz‑weiß, a CD and book addressing racism and history. Her work continued to be recognized for its cultural impact and contributions to contemporary Christian music.
