Iconic multi-platinum, singer and songwriter Michael W. Smith is thrilled to announce his new Christmas EP today. Christmas at Home, coming out October 21^st, features Smith’s entire family participating in the recording, arranging, writing and includes 6 brand new Christmas standards that will awaken the listener’s holiday memories. Among the tracks, there are two instrumental pieces, “The Star” (featuring a haunting vocal line from daughter Whitney Mooring and lush orchestration) and “Christmas at Wildwood” which features Smith’s signature gift and sound for writing melodies on the piano.  Throughout the entire EP, the music and orchestration play like an epic movie soundtrack.

The EP was inspired by the song “ Freeze The Frame” written by Smith and Tony Wood, painting pictures of family moments around the holidays. Lyrics from the Mark Campbell produced song that spoke to Smith include: “Time around the table/And time around the tree/These moments in these rooms tonight/Are everything I dream.” They reminded him so much of his own family life that it quickly led him to the idea of making the EP a family affair, having his daughter Anna Bovi sing on the track and motivated him to bring in his other children and, at the time, 16 grandchildren (recently grown to 17) for the rest of the project.

Other highlights from the EP include the radio single ‘Christmas Is Here’ written by Smith and Bovi, which has memory-inducing lyrics and a chorus of all of his grandchildren, with the orchestral arrangement done by Smith’s son, Tyler.  Another majestic moment was bringing in the 200+ member Brentwood Baptist Choir for “God with God.” The song is a choral and orchestra masterpiece that invokes memories of Smith’s past Christmas anthems, produced, orchestrated, and arranged by David Hamilton.  Listeners will know they’re in for a special experience by the opening instrumental “The Night Before…” which sets the stage perfectly for the Christmas season.

Smith will showcase the songs from the EP (in addition to his other classics) on his upcoming Christmas tour with Amy Grant. Tour dates can be found at MichaelWSmith.com/Tour.

To pre-save Christmas at Home click here

Christmas At Home Tracklist:

1. The Night Before…
2. Christmas Is Here
3. Freeze The Frame
4. The Star
5. God with God
6. Christmas at Wildwood
7. Christmas Is Here (Radio Edit)

Amanda Danziger will release her highly anticipated Seasons EP on Friday, November 4. This project is unique because it isn’t a typical worship album; it was created to emulate cinematic soundscapes, which Danziger describes as devotional worship.

“Devotional worship is a place of listening and stillness,” explains Danziger. “It doesn’t sound like corporate worship or an anthem you sing in church. It’s made to be a spiritual experience in your devotional time with the Lord.”

The Seasons In Sound

Seasons caps Danziger’s musical journey through the year. Each season she teased listeners with singles included on the album, starting with “Vindicate” for winter, “Prison Walls” for spring and “Refining Fire” for summer. And in the album release, “Be Still” will complete the seasonal journey with fall. Plus, the EP will include a bonus instrumental.

Each song in Seasons begins with a distinctive sound to evoke the season. “Vindicate” starts with the rush of a winter storm. Rain and thunder open spring’s “Prison Walls,” and the crackling of a summer campfire introduces “Refining Fire.” For fall, the sound of walking along a leaf-strewn path in the woods begins “Be Still” (pre-save the EP here).

“Each song is approached in a cinematic style that paints a musical picture of the season,” Danziger shares.

With Danziger musically drawing the outline for each song, she relied upon producer and co-writer Filipe Michael to paint in the colors.

“While the songs are my melodies, lyrics, prayers, and my heart, Filipe composed the soundtrack of the entire album. This gave him the ability to think outside the box when it came to composing. He only had stems of my vocals to work with to create the sounds in this album,” she continues.

Collaborating in His name

Childhood friends who met in church, Danziger and Michael have been collaborating since 2019, but they now live in separate states – Danziger in Pennsylvania and Michael in New Jersey. Working remotely with musical sounds as thir primary means of communication, they brought the album together.

“Soundscapes are like painting a picture and my part of our collaboration is to bring these visions to life,” Michael says.

Adding spice to the soundscapes they create is that both come from multi-cultural backgrounds. “Filipe will joke with me that my melodies don’t sound American or mainstream, and that’s because of my upbringing. I’m a first-generation American after my parents moved from Egypt in the late 70s. I grew up listening to Arabic music in my home, so I find myself singing in minor keys and experimenting with the sounds of Egypt.”

Michael grew up in Sao Paulo, Brazil though they first connected in an Arabic-speaking church. “We used to lead our peers in worship, and from then on, we’ve always known we would create a very special musical piece one day. Seasons is it,” Danziger believes.

Recognition

After releasing the first song of Seasons with “Vindicate,” Integrity Music recognized the unique contribution that Danziger made in the contemporary worship genre and signed her to a licensing deal through its Integrated Music Rights program. This allowed Danziger to remain an independent artist, but also gain access to a record label infrastructure and opportunities.

“The timing was all in God’s hands. I was so excited for this opportunity because it came right in time for the launch of Seasons,” Danziger states. “Seasons is a journey. It is a walk through of an entire year of thoughts, prayers, and life — and I’m grateful to launch this project with the Integrity team. They’ve encouraged us and helped us navigate throughout the entire process.”

Later this month, Naomi will make her Grand Ole Opry debut in Nashville and her debut solo live worship album is set to be announced in the coming months.

GRAMMY-winning artist Naomi Raine is a vocal powerhouse who is best known for her leading role in the award-winning multi-cultural Gospel group Maverick City Music. This weekend, she made her national TV debut as a solo artist on Fox & Friends, performing Maverick City Music’s “Promises” and “Not Ready,” an R&B-tinged jam from her recently released solo record ‘Journey.’

Watch Naomi perform “Not Ready” on Fox & Friends, here: foxnews.com/video/6313483677112

Last Wednesday (10.5), Naomi shared ‘Journey: Acoustic Sessions’ (TRIBL Records), a stripped-down version of six songs from her stellar ‘Journey’ album. She also shared a new video for her song “Okay (Acoustic)” from the acoustic sessions and shared the trailer for her new Docuseries (watch here), which premiered today (10.11) at 12 PM EST on her YouTube channel. New performance videos from Naomi’s acoustic sessions will roll out each week on YouTube.

Later this month, Naomi will make her Grand Ole Opry debut in Nashville and her debut solo live worship album is set to be announced in the coming months.

The Gospel Music Association (GMA) has announced the second round of performing artists for the 53nd Annual GMA Dove Awards. In addition to previously announced performers, the night will also include Anne Wilson, Blessing Offor, Brooke Ligertwood, DOE, Maverick City Music, Social Club Misfits, Steven Malcolm, Steven Curtis Chapman, TobyMac and a special Southern Gospel tribute featuring Karen Peck of Karen Peck & New River, High Road and Kim Hopper of The Hoppers. The GMA Dove Awards will air exclusively on TBN and the TBN app, Friday, October 21st at 8:00 p.m. ET and 10:00 p.m. ET, with an encore presentation on October 28th, 2022 at 8:00p.m. ET and 10:00p.m. ET and simulcasting on SiriusXM The Message.

Presenters for the night include Bart Millard, 2x Super Bowl champion Ben Roethlisberger, CeCe Winans, David & Tamela Mann, and more. See the full list of performers and presenters at DoveAwards.com.

Tickets have sold out for the in-person GMA Dove Awards Nashville event happening October 18th at Lipscomb University’s Allen Arena. Key partners for this year’s Dove Awards include Grace Notes, an on-demand TV show where the biggest names in Christian music share the inspiring stories behind their favorite songs, and Christian music’s largest radio networks K-LOVE and AIR-1, creating compelling media that inspires and encourages listeners toward a meaningful relationship with Christ.

For ways to watch TBN, please visit TBN’s Channel Finder here: http://bit.ly/FIND_TBN

Multi-chart toppers and award-winning superstars Erica Campbell and Chris Tomlin were recently announced as co-hosts for this year’s awards.

The 53rd Annual GMA Dove Awards are produced by the Gospel Music Association. Jackie Patillo and Justin Fratt serve as showrunners and executive producers, alongside Curtis Stoneberger and Paul Wright as producers. Russell E. Hall returns as director, Michael Nolan as scriptwriter, Scott Moore and Go Live Productions as production manager.

Platinum-selling recording artist, multi-instrumentalist and songwriter, Tauren Wells, joins some of the biggest names in Christian music to perform during Universal Orlando Resort’s Rock the Universe 2023 – an unforgettable weekend of faith and fun at Universal Studios Florida – from January 27-29.

The “Known” singer will take the main stage on Friday, January 27. Wells released his third studio album, Joy in the Morning, earlier this year and has seen massive success with the hit singles “Joy in the Morning,” “Fake It,” “Empty” and “Come Home,” as well as national television appearances on Good Morning America and Fox & Friends. His unique sound blends contemporary Christian and Gospel with elements of pop, hip-hop and R&B. Wells’ dance-oriented performances and spiritual lyrics will once again bring Rock the Universe fans together for an unparalleled experience. He previously performed at the event in 2020.

Tickets to Florida’s biggest Christian music festival include admission to spiritual performances and exclusive access to popular Universal Studios Florida attractions during event hours. Starting at $135 per person, a Rock the Universe 3-park Rock Your Weekend Ticket includes entrance to both Rock the Universe events, plus three days of admission to one theme park per day at Universal Studios Florida, Universal’s Islands of Adventure and Universal’s Volcano Bay.

At the heart of the event, Rock the Universe supports youth group ministries and offers special pricing, exclusive vacation packages, benefits and opportunities for groups of 10 people or more. To purchase Rock the Universe tickets and vacation packages, visit www.RocktheUniverse.com.

Chris Tomlin, Grammy-award winner and “the most often sung artist” as touted by Time Magazine as 20-30 million people around the globe sing his songs in church every week, performed “Holy Forever” from his new worship album ALWAYS on the Kelly Clarkson Show on Monday, Oct. 10.

In September Tomlin released, ALWAYS, a new full-length worship album. The project contains 13-tracks all of which were co-written by Tomlin except for the historical and beloved hymn “Oh Lord, You’re Beautiful” which features Steffany Gretzinger. The Tennessean claimed, “For three decades, Christian musical artist Chris Tomlin’s been as much a faith leader as a songwriter, able to parlay his faith in spirituality into influential and popular music. Via ALWAYS, his seventeenth album, he surges forward from leader to legend in the worlds of gospel and contemporary Christian music…The 17-time Christian radio chart-topper releases new music that cements his legendary status in the genre.” Elevation Worship, Brandon Lake and Lady A also appear on the album. The album’s title track is Tomlin’s current radio single and is a nod to Hebrews 13:8, “Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever.” The project was produced by Ben Glover, Jeff Sojka, Bryan Fowler, Ed Cash, Jonathan Smith and Dave Haywood of Lady A co-produced “The Answer.”

Brandon Lake has partnered with Evan and Jenny Owens, founders of REBOOT Recovery in Nashville, Tenn., to provide immediate help to concert goers those battling depression, anxiety, and other mental health struggles.

Concert goers will be directed by Lake to scan a QR code during the concert to receive a free copy of the Owen’s new release Healing What’s Hidden: Practical Steps to Overcoming Trauma. And, they will have the opportunity to visit a booth where local licensed counselors are available for immediate help. Nine of the shows area already sold out.

REBOOT Recovery, the nation’s largest faith-based trauma healing program, offers courses, training, and an online community to anyone looking to move forward from trauma and tragedy into a better future.

Lake’s latest full-length album, HELP!, the title of the tour, is a collection of songs that depicts his own personal battle against depression, anxiety, loneliness, panic attacks, and other mental health struggles.

“In my lifetime, I’ve never experienced more opportunity to cave under the weight of anxiety and depression,” reflects Lake. “I believe it’s important that we are real, honest, and raw about the mental battles we face-that we bring them into the light so God can remind us of who He is and who we are. I believe we need honest songs, but we also need warfare songs to come against those attacks that try and keep us from being everything God wants us to be and from living truly free. Freedom has been purchased, but we need reminders that it is our inheritance and the reality we can live in daily through Him who set us free.”

Lake has been nominated for five GRAMMY awards over the course of his professional music career. In 2022, he was awarded his first GRAMMY for “Best Contemporary Christian Music Album,” in recognition of the record, Old Church Basement. In 2021, he won the GMA Dove Award for “Songwriter of the Year” and “Worship Recorded Song of the Year” for “Graves Into Gardens.” “This is a Move,” co-written with Tasha Cobbs Leonard, won a 2019 GMA Dove Award for “Gospel Worship Recorded Song of the Year,” and it was also nominated for a 2020 GRAMMY Award.

Premier Productions and Cody Carnes announce the God is Good! Tour with special guest Benjamin William Hastings.  The tour will span eight cities and will see Carnes on his first solo headlining tour.

“Wow, this is my first headlining tour,” said Carnes. “I’m so expectant for these nights. We’re months away and I’m already dreaming up ways to make this night special. I love that I get to do my own night because that means I have all the time I need to sing all the songs I’ve been a part of writing over the last few years.”

The God is Good! Tour will also see Benjamin William Hastings in a supporting role. Hastings joins the tour fresh off the Chris Tomlin x UNITED Tour, with his self-titled debut album releasing on November 4. “I believe moment after moment will be special, especially with my friend Benjamin William Hastings bringing his incredible songs to the night as well. You do not want to miss it,” said Carnes.

Tickets go on sale to the public on Friday, October 17th at 10:00 a.m. local time at codycarnes.com.

The eight-city winter tour will kick-off on February 8th in Cullman, AL and will stop in Atlanta, GA, Raleigh, NC and Houston, TX before the final show on February 19th in Dallas, TX. For a full list of dates and cities, see below.

Passion Music’s Kristian Stanfill recently announced that he has been working on a solo project. Make It Out Alive will be available next month (Nov 11). Stanfill shares this collection is full of “songs about the power of vulnerability, our need for connection and the miracle of Grace.”

Stanfill adds, “‘Make It Out Alive’ isn’t just my story. It’s OUR story. These songs carry a message of freedom for us all.” You can learn more about the heart behind this new project with a handwritten letter from Kristian below. And be sure to stay tuned for more updates.

Last week, Grammy Award winning rock band Switchfoot shared the news that the group’s 2021 collaboration with NEEDTOBREATHE and JUDAH is now available to download and stream at all DSPs. It was released last year as an Amazon Original song.

Earlier this year (Sept 2022), Switchfoot announced their new LP, this is our Christmas album, is due out November 4th. Marking the band’s first-ever holiday record, this is our Christmas album finds Switchfoot infusing their signature West Coast sound to a number of holiday classics and five, new original Christmas songs. Cheery, nostalgic and brimming with sunshine, the 11 track collection was inspired by everyone from the Beach Boys to Black Flag, and promises to be the perfect soundtrack for the holiday season with a new California twist.

“Christmas is an emotional treasure chest for a songwriter to pull from,” lead Singer Jon Foreman says. “It’s a season stretched tight with contradictions: celebrating the free gifts of love and grace with an outburst of materialist capitalist consumption. An emotional roller coaster of family and friends, hopes and scars- bringing out the worst and the best in all of us.” A project that’s been years in the making, this is our Christmas album, wraps its arms wide around these contradictions.