Integrity Music’s and Running Club Records’ Citizens has reimagined their GMA Dove nominated album, The Joy of Being, as a live recorded album with today’s release, The Joy of Being Together. The new album features the original tracks as well as six additional tracks from previously released songs recorded live. Celebrating a decade together, Citizens recorded the album in a church near the University of Washington. See the video below for the “Only Jesus Christ” live performance from their colorful and creative recording.

“Ten years ago we all met in Seattle in an old church building near the University of Washington,” recalls Zach Bolen frontman for Citizens. “Now a decade later we’re back in that same place to film and record The Joy of Being Together. A lot has happened since we first met there, namely Citizens forming, but even bigger has been the gift of lifelong friendship. This project is a celebration of being loved by God and being loved by one another. The Joy of Being Together is about living-fully alive in the body of Christ; being known by one another and receiving the benefits and challenges of vulnerability in stride. The pandemic created a physical barrier that made for a lot of time apart so, in a practical sense, this record really is a lot about coming together again to do something we love.”

The original studio recording, The Joy of Being, captured the band’s thoughts about peeling back all the distractions to find our truest and most important affirmation in the joy of being loved by God. And now as more and more are getting back together after a long time separated, they want to share these songs in a new environment capturing the joy of being together.

“We were created to be together and to reflect back to one another the beauty and mystery of God as his image-bearers,” shares Bolen. “We actually learn more about God through our stories and experiences than we ever could if left to just our own thoughts. Friendship is an invaluable joy.”

The Joy of Being is nominated for “Best Rock/Contemporary Album of the Year” for the 52nd GMA Dove Awards. The awards will be held live and in-person on October 19th at Allen Arena in Nashville and will air exclusively on TBN on October 22nd.

Powerhouse vocalist, songwriter, and “The Voice” season 9 winner Jordan Smith announces today’s release of Be Still & Know (Provident Label Group/Reunion Records). As the top-selling artist ever to emerge from “The Voice,” this is Smith’s first project with the label since signing with them in 2020. His debut album, 2016’s Something Beautiful, entered the Billboard 200 at No. 2 and has since released two additional albums prior to Be Still & Know.

The new EP’s first track, “Battles,” dropped last month accompanied by a live performance video and offers the message of confidence, one of the key themes running throughout the seven-song project. Smith shares, “It’s at the heart of the song – not in who we are or what we can do – but in the faithfulness and power that God has shown throughout each of our stories.” Other performance videos to release are “Great You Are,” “Don’t Quit,” and “So Many Reasons,” while the EP’s title track can be viewed below. Also included are two never-before-heard tracks “Love Lives On” and “One Kiss From Heaven.”

“This project represents so much of who I am as an artist and a believer,” he explains. “Each song is like a page taken out of my journal, and I’m excited for the world to have them and experience them in the same personal, beautiful way I did.” Smith adds, “Music is meant to connect us to each other and to heaven, and I hope this project will be a bridge for anyone feeling separated or alone.”

Jordan Smith has a voice that needs no introduction and with faith that needs no explanation. From the moment the Kentucky native was first introduced to America through “The Voice,” it was evident that his faith was part of his DNA. His beliefs take center stage as he has stepped into the next natural chapter of his career with new music and live shows, which he will embark on this fall when he joins labelmate Rhett Walker on the road. Smith also works for his home church in Kentucky along with his wife, Kristen.

Switch announced the release of its new EP Better View, Part I(Sony Music/Provident’s Essential Worship). The six-song EP has a mix of fun tracks and more reflective tracks, both of which will help listeners get a clearer picture of who God is and how much He loves them.

“This EP has fun moments of celebrating and praising God, as well as raw moments of wrestling with questions and learning to trust God,” said Cassidy Estevez, Switch member and Ministry Leader of Worship Arts at Life.Church. “Each song has a unique sound and points to who God is, how He loves us, and the fact that He’ll never leave us.”

Included on the EP are hit singles “Better View” and “Good Friend,” which released Aug. 27 and Sept. 10, respectively. Switch will release Better View, Part II in Spring 2022.

“We can’t wait for everyone to experience Better View Part I from Switch,” says Holly Zabka, VP of Publishing and Head of Creative, Provident Label Group. “This collection of songs is just the beginning of an incredible partnership of ministry and music between Switch, Essential Worship, and Provident Entertainment.”

Listen to the new EP Better View, Part I here, and learn more about Switch at life.church/switchmusic.

Seven-time GRAMMY Award winner Carrie Underwood released My Gift (Special Edition) on CD/digital today (September 24th), and will release on vinyl November 5th, featuring three additional tracks.  Initially released September 25, 2020, Underwood’s first-ever Christmas album, My Gift, debuted #1 across multiple global charts, including Billboard’s Country, Christian and Holiday album charts.  The album remained at #1 on the Christian album chart 11 weeks after it was released and debuted #1 on the UK and Canadian Country album charts. It consistently remained in the Top 5 on the Billboard Holiday album chart throughout the 2020 holiday season, hitting #5 on the all-genre Billboard Top 200.

My Gift is a combination of beloved traditional songs celebrating the spiritual nature of Christmas and several originals, two of which were written by Underwood, frequent collaborator Brett James (“Jesus, Take the Wheel,” “Something In The Water”), and her Cry Pretty co-producer, David Garcia.  In addition to a special appearance by Underwood’s then 5-year-old son, Isaiah Fisher, on the holiday classic that inspired the album title, “Little Drummer Boy,” My Gift also features her first collaboration with Emmy, GRAMMY, Oscar, and Tony Award-winner John Legend, on the original track, “Hallelujah,” written by Legend and Toby Gad (“All of Me”).  The video for “Hallelujah,” directed by Randee St. Nicholas, recently won the CMT Music Award for Video of the Year, continuing Underwood’s record as the most-awarded artist in that show’s history.

My Gift (Special Edition) will feature three additional tracks:

• “Favorite Time Of Year” was previously released exclusively as an Amazon Original and featured in Ring’s 2020 Doorbell Season holiday campaign.  Written by Underwood, Hillary Lindsey, and Chris DeStefano and produced by Greg Wells, “Favorite Time Of Year” also opened the HBO Max Original, “My Gift: A Christmas Special From Carrie Underwood.”
• “All Is Well” (Michael W. Smith, Wayne Kirkpatrick) is an all-new studio recording of Smith’s classic, produced by Greg Wells.
• “Let There Be Peace/Something In The Water (LIVE From HBO Max’s MY GIFT: A Christmas Special From Carrie Underwood)” (Carrie Underwood, Brett James, David Garcia, Chris DeStefano), the live recording of the powerful medley that provided a stunning finale to the Max Original special.

“My Gift is an album I’ve wanted to make from the beginning of my career,” says Underwood.  “It’s been such a blessing to share this special music and I’m excited to share even more with the release of My Gift (Special Edition).”

GRAMMY Award-winning producer, mixer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Greg Wells produced and arranged My Gift, which features a world-class orchestra, led by the pre-eminent arranger, composer, and conductor David Campbell.   The album was mixed by 14-time GRAMMY Award winning mixer, Serban Ghenea.  Acclaimed gospel quartet The McCrary Sisters, who have performed backing vocals on previous Underwood songs including “Choctaw County Affair” and “The Champion,” can also be heard on the album’s “Let There Be Peace.”

 GRAMMY award winner Chris Tomlin released his new Christmas album, Emmanuel: Christmas Songs of Worship. The 12-song project produced by Ed Cash is available in stores and digitally today and will also be released on vinyl on November 19. Download or stream Emmanuel: Christmas Songs of Worship HERE.

“I have always been inspired by ‘Christmas classics.’ Songs like “O Come All Ye Faithful” and “O Holy Night” that have been passed down for generations. These were all songs that were not written to be Christmas classics but as worship songs for the church,” shared Chris. “When it came time to do this album, I wanted to capture songs that remind us of the true meaning of Christmas. Emmanuel, God with us. If there was ever a time that we needed to be reminded that God is with us, it is now and that is the spirit behind this third Christmas record. My prayer is that God uses these songs to touch lives for generations and reminds us that He is close to us.”

Emmanuel: Christmas Songs of Worship is the fifth release in Chris’ ‘Christmas Songs of Worship’ series: Miracle Of Love: Christmas Songs of Worship EP released in 2020, Christmas Day: Christmas Songs of Worship EP from 2019, 2015’s highly regarded Adore: Christmas Songs of Worship, and his gold-selling Glory In The Highest: Christmas Songs of Worship from 2009. Collectively his Christmas projects have tallied more than 111,000,000 streams.

The new Christmas album follows two highly successful collaborations projects, 2020’s #1 debuting Chris Tomlin & Friends which includes his second longest running #1 song “Who You Are To Me” with Lady A that topped the charts for six consecutive weeks, and Chris Tomlin & Friends: Summer EP released this July.

US based gospel singer, Lola Adedokun finally releases a brand new album tagged ‘IRE’ (GOODNESS).

The 6 tracks album is a compilation of different songs both in English and Yoruba, Professionally mix, deep and spirit filled lyrical content, culled and coined from not only life and personal experiences but also revelatory experiences too.

‘IRE’ (GOODNESS) seeks to reinstate Christians to be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” “Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.

As you listen to this album may God goodness and mercy follow in Jesus name.

The anticipation of the album is over with Minister Umoren’s new album titled “The Psalms of Minister Umoren”; a 14 track album that features top gospel acts like Mrs. Osinachi Nwachukwu, Naomi Classik, and Freke Umoh.

“I really want to thank God for the privilege to share and express what God is doing for me in this album; thus it comprises of these 14 singles. The last time I dropped an album was in 2016, ever since then, I have been dropping singles. The Holy Spirit gave me the go-ahead to release this particular album.

While working on this album, my wedding had to happen and several other challenges like working with an international producer; gathering materials and file sharing, voicing, and video and audio calls.

Psalms is a reflection of one’s heart to God. You can’t be a psalmist without a heart for God. Just like David said in the book of Psalm 51:17; The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit and contrite heart you, God, will not reject. I have prayed my heart, my experience, and my yearning in each single of this album.

My appreciation to Freke Umoh, Naomi Classik, and Mrs. Osinachi Nwachukwu for coming through in some of the singles in this album.

This is Christ preached. My earnest desire is to see someone saved via this album.” – Minister Umoren

Download, enjoy and share.
“The Psalms of Minister Umoren” album promises to inspire and bless you.

Be refreshed with this new album.

ITUNES | BOOMPLAY

CREDITS
Producers: Michael Thompson, Walker on the beat
Mixed and Mastered: Walker on the beat, Jay Lake, Pastor D
Backup Vocals: Ekanem Esu and Paul Ekwang
All songs were written by Minister Umoren except for Chapters 4, 8, 17 & 18 by Chyzle McKnight

Many other singles to Minister Umoren’s credit are: “You Are Beautiful” (2018), “You Are” (2018), “Jesus Christ” (2019) featuring Mrs. Osinachi Nwachukwu, “Jesus Reigns” (2019), “He Supplies” (2019), “Faithfulness” (2020) featuring Naomi Classik, “I Yearn” (2020) featuring Freke Umoh (2020), and many others.

CONNECT
Twitter: @MinisterUmoren
Instagram: Minister_Umoren
Facebook: Minister Umoren

Gospel singer and songwriter, Bandele Kehinde Victoria popularly known as Veeki Royce has released her debut EP tagged “The Call“.

Veeki Royce, who used to be a secular artiste but has newly found her vision into the production of Gospel music for the love of Christ, hence the release of her 5- track extended playlist.

The Call EP includes “Papa Thank You”, “Son of God” featuring Mike Abdul, ” Ikuku Amana Onya”, “On God” featuring A’dam and “Ire Mi De”.

According to Veeki, her songs are inspired by the happenings around her and it’s really a privilege to be a soldier for Christ.

God told me sometimes in March to leave circular music and sing for him. At that moment I know my life changed because I no longer operate in flesh but in the power of God, and I’m glad I obeyed because this is just the beginning. For I have come to stay not has an entertainer but as a minister of the Gospel of Christ — Veeki Royce

The Call EP is also available on all digital platforms, and all songs were produced by Tyanx

Click Link To Stream/Download Album: https://fanlink.to/the-call-veeki-royce

Christian-Pop singer/songwriter Natalie Layne announces the release of her long awaited EP “Castles” via Rixon Entertainment Group, available now on all streaming platforms, alongside the lyric video for the uptempo title track. The five song EP is a collaborative effort by co-writers Cooper Bascom, Ross King, Natalie Layne, Phoebe Scott, and Jay Speight, who also served as the project’s producer. The group fused different genres with powerful vocals and lyrics of devotion to create a unique style that Natalie Layne is steadily becoming known for. “Castles” includes fan favorites such as Layne’s popular singles “Steady,” “Better Than It’s Ever Been,” and “Constant” released earlier this year. 

“This project is really special to me, and I’ve loved working on it with so many incredible musicians and writers!” Layne says of the EP. “Some of these songs have been released as singles and it’s been so cool to see what they’ve meant to people as we’ve traversed this difficult year. ‘Castles’ is the culmination of all the time and hard work and lessons learned through that time. It’s about God’s ability to take our hearts and make them something amazing – He builds us into castles, fit for a King to live in.”

The new EP comes hot off the heels of her summer tour opening for Jeremy Camp,Chris Tomlin, and We the Kingdom, and festival dates sharing the stage with 5 time Grammy-winning artist Steven Curtis Chapman, Mandisa, and Crowder.

Natalie Layne is a rising worship musician who has been featured by leading playlists, including Spotify’s New Music Friday Christian. Her growing fanbase has generated a sizable social media following, especially on TikTok where her songs have earned over four million streams and have been liked by almost two million viewers. A Colorado native, Layne served with the worship ministry at Colorado Springs’ renowned New Life Church and is currently a worship leader at Ethos Church in Nashville. 

Nashville-based singer/songwriter Abby Robertson releases Abby Robertson (Remixes), which includes four re-imagined tracks.  

Last month, Robertson celebrated a milestone with the release of her debut, self-titled, EP. You can stream/download Abby Robertson now. 

Accompanying mech is available for purchase on her official website.