Internationally recognized praise band Planetshakers globally releases its first radio single of the year, “I Know You Can,” today (July 8) from Venture3Media (V3M). Available now at all major digital and streaming outlets via https://link.brddg.co/iknowyoucan, this is a song of remembering who God is, and declaring that He can do anything.
“What great confidence we can have, knowing that God is able to do anything!” exclaims worship leader Joth Hunt, who wrote and leads the song inspired by Romans 8:28. “If we look back over history, we can see the amazing miracles and displays of His power. Even when it seemed like all hope was lost, God came through!”
Produced by GRAMMY-nominated, Dove Award-winning Jordan Sapp (Jeremy Camp, Jordan Feliz, Tauren Wells), who has nine No. 1 radio singles to his credit, “I Know You Can” is a new studio recording of the lead track from both the band’s current full-production live album REVIVAL and its more intimate Planetshakers Revival, Live At Chapel project.
Continuing its mission to “empower generations to win generations,” Planetshakers is sharing its new music on tour, most recently in South and Central America and later this month in Europe, including events in Romania July 16 and Hungary July 23. Planetshakers Church is also seeing huge streaming numbers online with hundreds of thousands of people from all across the globe connecting to its worship services and resources remotely.
Maverick City Music x Kirk Franklin joined NBC’s TODAY Show to perform “Kingdom,” a poignant fan-favorite off their collab album, ‘Kingdom Book One,’ out now (6.17).
Additionally, Franklin and Maverick City Music co-founders Tony Brown and Jonathan Jay discussed the movement behind Maverick City Music, how the genre-transcending group continues to pave the path for minority representation in the world of gospel music and beyond, and the process behind the creation of their new music, which took place in a Florida prison and aims to shine a light on the plight of mass incarceration.
Maverick City Music and Franklin are currently headlining arenas on their Kingdom Tour, which has shattered multiple records since the 37-date trek kicked off last month. The tour continues tomorrow in Oklahoma City, OK, before heading to Houston, San Antonio and Fort Worth, TX, this weekend. Fans can purchase tickets to the nearly sold-out trek HERE.
Centricity Music artist Katy Nichole and Curb | Word Entertainment band Big Daddy Weave joined together to release “God Is In This Story” earlier this month (June 10) to radio, digital and streaming outlets everywhere. The song is the new radio single for both artists and is being jointly promoted by Centricity Music and Curb | Word Entertainment. Today (July 6), the official music video drops, which can be viewed below.
The relationship between the two artists began when Nichole was invited by Big Daddy Weave to join them on select dates during the band’s spring 2022 tour, which was her first-ever series of tour dates. Shortly thereafter, she shared with Big Daddy Weave her song “God Is In This Story” that was co-written with Grammy nominated songwriters Ethan Hulse and Jeff Pardo, and asked if the group would record it with her.
The release arrives at a poignant time for both artists, with Nichole’s testimony of physical and mental suffering and subsequent healing reaching 150+ million through the viral phenomenon of her first single and record-breaking multiformat Billboard No. 1 hit, “In Jesus Name (God of Possible),” and Big Daddy Weave’s mourning the passing of founding member Jay Weaver on January 2, 2022.
Big Daddy Weave lead singer Mike Weaver shares, “It’s been a really difficult season of saying goodbye to my brother and missing him, but also a time of realizing that there’s so much more for us to do. This is a song of hope, a song of encouragement, that God really is present with us in all of the seasons of our lives – the really great ones and the ones that are difficult. God is not giving up on us. He is in the details of our lives. We can trust Him that He is working things together for our good.”
“The one thing that we all have in common is that we all have a story to tell,” adds Nichole. “Looking back on my life, I always thought, ‘Oh, my story is too broken, and no one is going to want to hear about that.’ But what I didn’t know is that people were actually seeing Jesus through my story, because God was turning the broken things into beautiful things. So if you think that your story is too broken, I promise you that it’s not because God is in it.”
Katy Nichole, hit No. 1 for the first time recently with “In Jesus Name (God of Possible)” on both Billboard’s Christian Airplay and AC Indicator charts. “Making history, the song reaches the Christian Airplay penthouse in its 12th week, completing the quickest jaunt to No. 1 for a female artist’s first entry in the chart’s 19-year history,” notes Billboard. The viral debut single also continues its sixth week atop the Billboard Hot Christian Songs chart while topping the iTunes Christian & Gospel Songs chart for 12 consecutive weeks.
Auckland, New Zealand worship team Equippers Worship begins pre-orders for their upcoming album Still Waters & Shadows (DREAM Worship).
Pre-orders come with the instant gratification track “Fall Afresh” on Apple/Amazon with all other digital retail service providers making the song available today as well. The song was produced by David Darby and Joshua Huirua and was written by Joshua Huirua and Kenan Stephenson.
“Fall Afresh is a song about our need for God and out desire for more of His Presence. We pray it blesses people and helps them to connect with Jesus. ” Kenan Stephenson, Equippers Worship
Kate Stanford, a rising vocal tour-de-force in the world of Christian Music, is poised to release her new single Til Love,today, July 8, on all major music platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube.
Til Love promises to be a pop anthem for summer. With lush harmonies showcasing her ethereal vocals and an upbeat sing-a-long chorus, the song celebrates God’s unstoppable and unconditional love, and our hope that the world will be transformed by His promises. “I wanted to write a song that was a big, joyful celebration,” she shares. “Til Love was born from the idea that we can bring change. We can show the love of Christ to the world. I hope to inspire others to step out and fearlessly be the hands and feet of Jesus, so we bring healing to our world.”
Wanna wade into the fire
Wanna walk on the water
Without sinking
Without burning
Can’t fake it anymore
Not afraid to risk it like before
Do you want to
Cause I want to
It might never feel this way again
Maybe tonight’s the night we’re gonna win
Lost in it all, Lost in the feeling
Break down the walls
Break through the ceiling
Oh I’m never coming down
Never giving up
’Til Love Rules the World
Kate continues, “The lyrics, specifically ‘…break down the walls, break through the ceiling…’ are especially powerful to me as they illustrate breaking through the hatred and imperfections of this world. As humans we are so often divided and imperfect. We can only find true perfection and unconditional love in Jesus.”
For Til Love, Kate once again enlisted the talents of two-time GRAMMY nominee, writer/producer Cindy Morgan, who previously produced several songs for the young artist. As their partnership continues to blossom, Cindy continues to hone Katie’s songwriting and vocal talents, creating an unmistakable signature sound.
“It’s been an honor to get to work with Cindy on several projects,” Kate shares. “Working with her feels like a perfect partnership, on both a professional, and a personal level. I am honored to know what she has my back both in the studio, and in life.”
A native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Kate grew up singing anywhere she could lend her voice. Over the past 4 years however, the young artist has been focused on her craft. In 2019, one of her first solo shows was an opportunity to open for Jaci Velasquez. This was a pivotal moment in her blossoming career, as it reaffirmed her passion for songwriting, singing, and ministry.
While music is always her passion, her drive doesn’t stop there. As she prepares to begin her senior year at The University of Texas, Kate balances her career with her education, staying focused on both her calling as an artist and as a student. She is even looking ahead to applying to law school or an MBA program after graduating to compliment her ministry. She shares, “Finishing my degree is so important to me. With my major, I am learning how to better understand and communicate with people where they are, at any stage in life. With my minor in business, I hope to be able to better shepherd my career and be a good steward of the past that God has placed before me.”
Vineyard Worship UK release a second single and title track ahead of their August EP, ‘Room At The Table’. The new song is full of warmth from the first note, with elements of mellow blues and soft rock. The balmy vocals of worship leader Olu Meduoye are adorned with a delicate reverb that adds to the overall inviting sound.
‘Room At The Table’ follows Jesus’ journey to the cross and meditates on the beauty of his body and blood given for us. It is a song of remembrance and invitation to take part in the endless life He offers. Written by Vineyard Worship artists Olu Meduoye, Jonny Riggs and Marc James, ‘Room At The Table’ is the musical expression of a central value in the Vineyard movement to “come as you are”.
The new single is a melody of God’s open arms towards us, inviting dusty feet and broken hearts to the table of the Lord. Marc James shares that the song journeyed from starting around the act of communion, “which in many parts of the global Church is seen as the highest point of worship,” he says, “to a broader invitation to join the great feast of the kingdom, bringing everybody in.” ‘Room At The Table’ is a relatable song, welcoming our human frailty to sit at the feet of Jesus. Vineyard Worship penned a new song full of character, trading a heavily produced sound for rawness and approachability.
TobyMac releases new music with “Everything About You” featuring Marlee. The official lyric video can be viewed below. The track is from TobyMac’s upcoming release due later this summer (Aug 19).
“What’s Kraken?” – Rusty Shipp’s latest single (accompanied with an animated lyric video) — is the response to many of the band’s nautical rock ‘n’ roll fans who have understandably begged the band for a song about the Kraken for years.
Being written in the pandemic though, the song became more of a political and philosophical statement using historical news reports of “The Kraken” as a symbol which challenges our trust in truth released by the authorities, whether that be from the news, government, science, politics, or religion. Truth seems more elusive than ever during these pandemic times, and this song laments that angst while pointing our attention to the timeless truths that have undeniable proof and transcend our current circumstances.
Sonically and melodically reminiscent of grunge and post-grunge era rock in the fashion of Foo Fighters, Alice in Chains, etc., “What’s Kraken?” is on Rusty Shipp’s more aggressive side with an obvious punk influence and a Van-Halen-styled guitar solo, but not without the group’s iconic surf-guitar sounds and emphasis on catchy, Beatlesque vocal lines. The single was released with an official lyric video that brings out the message behind the lyrics through animated illustrations. “What’s Kraken?” is taken from the larger story of the upcoming concept album “Dark Side of the Ocean,” which is being released song by song in 2022.
Past Accolades: “Bottom of the Barrel,” the first single from the upcoming album, broke through the Top 25 list on Christian Music Weekly’s Rock chart and rose to #6; it also made it to #3 on RadioU’s Top 10 Most Wanted Songs (per listener requests), and #5 on BigBigHit’s USA National Rock chart.
The music video premiered exclusively for an early release on CCM Magazine and on the CCM Magazine weekly newsletter, and was added to RadioU TV. To promote the single, the band did many interviews for radio and online publications (RadioU, Effect Radio, 102.9FM The Buzz–Nashville’s Rock station, and more).
