Tribl Records, the new premiere recording home for Christian and Gospel music artists, announces the release of the premiere South Asian Worship artist, Maryanne “MJ” George. Affectionally, known as MJ, she will release her debut solo album, Not Just Stories, on her birthday, Friday, October 8^th.

As a member of the multi-platinum selling, Maverick City Music, the album Not Just Stories features Maverick City Music members Dante Bowe, Aaron Moses and Naomi Raine. The EP, Not Just Stories is Maryanne “MJ” George’s very first EP release and the first solo release from a member of Maverick City Music. It captures the essence of MJ’s faith walk, featuring a collection of deep-felt worship, uplifting praise songs and extended/spontaneous worship. The opening track, “Journey” is an artistic emotional and transparent heartfelt song that was birthed out MJ’s initial fear of being a songwriter. Inspired by the story of Abraham and Isaac, “I’m Gonna Worship” with Dante Bowe, is a simple song of victorious praise.

The expecting mother-to-be shares, “This album is sacred – it’s my gift to the Lord. Every song holds a tangible expression of a moment I’ve had with the Lord. I took a chance and went full-time with songwriting and artistry a few years ago. It was difficult for me, but this album became one of remembrance and grounding.”

Native of Queens, NY, currently residing in St. Louis, Mo, MJ grew up in a musical family and Christian home where music was the center of many family gatherings. She started by singing covers on Instagram, which started the development of a faithful fan following. In 2018 while attending Bethel Worship School, MJ sang at a school showcase and became discovered by Bethel Worship label executives in the audience; this discovery led to an invite to attend the songwriters camp that birthed Maverick City Music.

“Within 5 minutes we had the bridge for the song, ‘Not Just Stories.’ I had a real encounter with God during the writing process and was so overwhelmed by the reality of heaven and the reality of Jesus. He is not just a story,” shares Dante Bowe.

Not Just Stories is MJ’s very first EP release, still holding a collective feel portrayed through the visual TRIBL/Mav choir and featured artists (Mav artists & other friends). This EP contains 6 songs in total, 2 of which are extended/spontaneous versions capturing the essence of a Heaven-on-Earth “forever-worship”. A combination of deep-felt worship and an uplifting praise song, all of which are suitable for congregational singing.

Watch “Not Just Stories (feat. Aaron Moses)” below;

Ciara celebrates Gospel Music Heritage Month with special guest Chandler Moore of Maverick City Music on the newest episode of Level Up Radio on Apple Music Hits. The conversation touches on faith, strength, courage and determination, while infusing a fun round of Gospel-themed games. Chandler shares about his work with Justin Bieber and Diddy, who would be in his eight-person choir, how being a father and husband has influenced him to start writing more R&B, pop and country songs, and he and Ciara talk about their song ‘On and On’ together. The full episode can be heard now.

Key quotes from the chat are below, courtesy of Level Up Radio with Ciara on Apple Music Hits.Chandler Moore on working with Justin Bieber and Diddy

“Honestly, I’m going to give you the whole truth. To me, Justin had been a friend for almost a year now. One of my best friends, one of the safest places in the world to just have conversation about life or whatever, he’s full of wisdom, full of love. So we usually just, you know how you do with your artist friends, musician friends, you just send music back and forth. Yo, check this out, whatever. So I’m literally working on another album with another artist at their house. And Justin is like 11:00 PM, he sends me a text Friday of Easter. So Easter is Sunday, which is when the album drop. He sends me a text Friday. It was like, yo, what you think about this? So I was like, oh, this is lit, I just listened to it. I was like, it’s dope. What you thinking about it? He was like, yeah, I want to release it for Easter. He was like, I got five more songs. I’ll put you on as many as you want. He’s like, can you record it? And I’m like, are you kidding me? Like, I’m going to tell you, so I’m literally at Diddy’s house working on a song with Diddy. At the same time Justin’s texting me and we were in a mo, like we were in a zone. So I’m having to sneak to record a song-For Bieber like-For Justin so he can turn it in for the next day-So it can be released on Sunday. It was like insane. But you could tell it was like, kind of like a God thing, because there was no like stress, like I wasn’t stressing out. I literally had to change one of my flights to get to another studio to record some stuff. It was no stress. There was a ease like, oh, let’s go, this going to be fun. People are going to be impacted. So that’s how that was. It was amazing though. Justin’s one of my favorite creators and he could sing his face off. But it was crazy. It was a wild story. It was crazy.”Chandler Moore on what music inspires him

“So probably contrary to popular belief, I’m not as much as a music head as some of my peers. I have friends who live, sleep music. Always writing, always listening. But for me, it takes a while to digest music. I like to listen to music slowly. There’s a new artist called Kamari, who I’m head over heels for this guy. He’s amazing, singing, writing. I love Giveon. Giveon is just great. There’s a gospel artist called Rich Tolbert, one of my best friends, who is amazing, who inspires me. His fit is crazy. Those are a few. Justin Bieber has always been one of my things. He’s gold. He’s just amazing. Yeah. Those are who I’m listening to right now in my recent, those and Lucky Daye. Lucky Daye is my recents too. This guy named Lucky Daye is crazy.”Chandler Moore and Ciara on ‘On and On’

Ciara: Let’s talk about this thing. So this is a part of the Juneteenth album that was created by Maverick City. I can tell you, you called me, like, I know you were down to the final hours and I know we had talked about working together anyways. So this is me, you, and Rusty. We’ve all been chatting together. It was just a matter of time we would get together. And when you reached out to me for this song, I was super excited. Timing was crazy. I believe I was like probably fresh after having baby. But I just remember you asked me to be on the record and feeling so honored to be a part of an album that was so special to you. Anything you want to share about this album, the Juneteenth album?

Chandler Moore: Man. So the Juneteenth album, our heart behind it was a lot of us didn’t really know the history of Juneteenth as much as one would think we would or should have. So once we were really enlightened to what it was and the history of it, we were like, “Man, we want to dedicate a whole album to this.” That was just our heart. “Write some songs that is about our culture, that has influenced our culture, that we know our culture will love and let’s just see what happens.” So when I called you, we were literally maybe two weeks out from June trying to release it if that, and we were still trying to put the record together. We don’t know if we’re putting it out. We have some songs, we’re still working on some tracks, whatever, but it came together and a lot of those songs we wrote at a camp in May and we just pieced together some songs and made it work. You hopping on that just made it crazy.Chandler Moore on how being a father and husband has influenced him to start writing more R&B/Pop and Country songs

“So being a new husband is amazing. Just having the constant support of something consistent, of my wife being consistent. I get a little teary-eyed. Just the consistent love and support, because this life can be very inconsistent, the ups, the downs. Some seasons are this, some seasons are that, so she’s been my consistency, my stability in all of the chaos. When I come home, it just feels like, “Oh, I’m home. This is home.” So balancing that and then having a four-year-old who lives two hours away from me, it’s a journey because it takes prioritizing almost on a different level. So having to prioritize my son as far as making sure he feels like I’m present, making sure I’m taking those extra sacrifices, and maybe when I get off the road on a weekend, I want to go home and sleep, let’s drive down to see him, hang out, take him to school, doing little stuff like that, which makes me feel like I’m doing my best to be present in my son’s life, who may not be able to be with me all the time because of my schedule. So it’s a balance. And to have my wife who supports me in that, who’s not like, “All right, go ahead. You go ahead.” It’s like, “Nah, let’s go. Let’s go see our son,” who automatically took on the role of mom as she started, as soon as we got married. And who willingly accepted that. It’s golden. So marriage is great. Marriage is fun. I would endorse anybody to get married as long as it’s the right one. Now, I’m working, oh, this is my first time saying it, I’m working on an R&B/Pop just love type vibe that she has just opened up in me. And then country, I’m doing some country songs. It’s just a lot of stuff we work on that love has just opened my heart back up to again. So yeah, it feels safe for me now.”Chandler Moore on which artists he would put in his eight-person choir“Jazmine Sullivan, Ciara is happening. I’m putting Justin Bieber in there. I’m putting Eric Dawson. I’m putting Usher and I’m putting Marvin Winans And Ooh, I’m putting Ty Dolla Sign in my choir. That’s who I’m putting. He’ll be singing. Ty Dolla be singing. That’s who I’m putting in my choir.”

Essential Music Publishing and Provident Entertainment are celebrating Essential Music Publishing songwriter, Ethan Hulse. On September 14th, Nashville Songwriters Association International named Hulse the NSAI Songwriter of the Year at the annual Nashville Songwriter Awards. This is the first time in the organization’s long history that a writer in the genre of Christian music has been recognized with their top honor.

Bart Herbison, Executive Director, Nashville Songwriters Association International shares, “Ethan Hulse is the first songwriter in the Christian genre to win the coveted NSAI Songwriter of the Year Award in its 54-year history. He more than deserves the honor based on his incredible songs and creativity.  But it is also important that the genre receives this recognition because of the economic and musical contributions it makes.”

In addition to the NSAI Songwriter of the Year Award, Hulse recently garnered Songwriter of the Year honors at BMI’s Christian Music Awards. This is the third year in a row that he has received this prestigious distinction.

Hulse has a stellar track record of creating powerful music that moves people and impacts the culture. His collection of work over the past year including, “Rise Up (Lazarus)” (CAIN), “Jericho” (Andrew Ripp), “Evidence” (Josh Baldwin), “The Father’s House” (Cory Asbury), “Sparrows” (Cory Asbury), “Out of My Hands” (Jeremy Camp), “New Day” (Danny Gokey) and “Look No Further” (Evvie McKinney) contributed to this latest achievement.

Holly Zabka, Senior Vice President of Publishing and Head of Creative, Essential Music Publishing says, “The team at Essential Music Publishing and Provident Entertainment are so proud of Ethan and this incredible NSAI recognition. We can’t think of a better songwriter, person and teammate to be recognized as the first ever recipient of this award from the Christian genre. EMP is proud and honored to be his publisher and help carry these songs around the world”.

Powerhouse record label, Karew Entertainment, is presenting their newest artist, urban inspirational singer, Marc Jay. Marc Jay joins the Karew roster with label mates The Clark Sisters, Karen Clark Sheard, and Kierra Sheard. When asked about the new addition, Karew Entertainment President J. Drew Sheard II says, “I’m so excited to partner with Marc Jay on his next project. He has been a part of our family for many years, supporting us, writing songs, singing background, and more, and now it’s his time. We are so proud of him!”

Marc Jay may be new to the label, but truly not new to the Clark/Sheard dynasty. Prior to releasing his own music, Jay recounts the first time singing background for the legendary Twinkie Clark at a church in Battle Creek, MI, “I was so nervous, but afterwards she said ‘good job son’ and kept using me more! I was so excited!” After ministering with Twinkie Clark, he began singing background for Karen Clark Sheard as well as The Clark Sisters, and then finally Kierra Sheard. “Kierra is like a sister to me,” he says. He recounts when she started the choir, Bold Right Life (BRL), and he was very instrumental helping to run and grow the choir. “She used to have a youth conference and I used to organize the choirs, pick the songs, pick the leads, organize the communications, fly people in, everything. That was my job for 6 years…”

Now Marc Jay is stepping from the background into the forefront with new music. “I want anyone who listens to my music to know that they can do anything they put their minds to.” He continues, “…one of my favorite songs to perform is the song, ‘Be You’ and the title says it all. Be exactly who God created you to be because you are beautifully and wonderfully made in His image and no one can take that away from you.”

Newsboys, one of the leading acts in Contemporary Christian music, celebrates the double platinum certification of God’s Not Dead on the eve of their October 1st release of STAND.  The song, off the album of the same name, sparked a movement with a book and a critically acclaimed film series.

“God’s Not Dead,” has had a massive impact and is still on top of the streaming and recurrent airplay charts today.  “It wasn’t long after we released the song God‘s Not Dead that I saw a massive groundswell of believers rallying behind its message, much like when DC Talk released Jesus Freak” said Michael Tait, lead singer.  “It’s become our  battle cry for today’s generation!”

At the album’s core, the Daniel Bashta penned hit worship song “God’s Not Dead (Like A Lion)” sings of victory over a century’s worth of philosophers who thought otherwise.

It’s another episode of the Yamaha Come Together Concert, in partnership with Cousins Nigeria Ltd.

The second edition will feature Bamike Adeyemi, popularly known as OBA, a multi-influential expressionist and an award-winning international Singer/Songwriter, famous for her chant rendition in Nathaniel Bassey’s “Olurun Agbaye” featuring Chandler Moore.

Join the “Come Together Concert” this Sunday, 26th September by 6pm WAT.

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Integrity Music announces the latest project to release from Thrive Worship. The five-song live EP, Let’s Have Church, drops this Friday, September 24.

Created from an overflow of songs being poured out within the team, a constant theme of the early church arose and became the backbone of this new release. Let’s Have Church promises to be high in energy and celebration, restoring the personalness and yet community, the fun and beauty of what Church is called to be. The project includes five live songs, ending with a radio version of its first single, “Pour Your Spirit Out,” which shares the personal testimony of co-founder Corbin Phillips and his healing from 19 years of dealing with panic attacks. Please click here to find out more.

Thrive Worship and its founding leaders – Phillips, along with Peter Burton and Charmaine Wells – is the global worship team of Bayside Church, a multisite movement based in northern California. Being part of the current fastest growing church in the country, Thrive Worship is a group of diverse singers and musicians across seven campuses, expanding their creative reach while keeping the same core passion and message. Working as a worship family, they express the following approach – “a church for people who don’t like church” – with songs that are focused on unwrapping the Gospel to everyone. After signing with Integrity Music in 2018 and releasing their debut album A Thousand More, with the new EP Let’s Have Church, Thrive Worship continues to pursue its call to equip the church with truth and faith, offering songs of hope for the future and love for our Savior.

“Thrive Worship is just an extension of what’s happening in our walls,” Corbin Phillips explains. “We know when we’re writing songs from the heartbeat of testimonies within our church, of our own testimonies, or what we’ve seen God do in our services.”

He continues, “As we entered into this project, we were pulling from [about] 60 songs. We felt like God was pouring out on us but, at the end of the day, I think this idea of what God said in Acts 2, that in the last days that He would pour His spirit out on the church, we’re seeing God’s spirit in our lives. We’re seeing God’s spirit being poured out on our church right now in a way that I’ve personally never seen in the 20-odd years I’ve been coming to this church. We, as Thrive Worship and as songwriters, have a responsibility right now to equip the church with truth and with the Gospel and with the mechanisms to, share and to grow that faith.”

TobyMac’s Hits Deep Tour returns for a full-scale arena tour in Spring of 2022. Announced today, the tour will feature TobyMac and DiverseCity along with special guests CROWDER, COCHREN & CO, CAIN AND TERRIAN. The tour kicks off in Jonesboro, AR on February 9th, with stops planned in California, Arizona, Montana, Missouri, New York, and more before wrapping up in Pittsburgh, PA on April 2nd. 

“The heart behind Hits Deep is to bring together artists that not only have hit songs, but songs that hit deep in our hearts.” Said TobyMac. “We’re back for another year and this one is going to be special. We’re talking hit, after hit, after hit with some of my favorite artists!”

Tickets go on sale Thursday, September 23rd at Noon ET, and as in years past the tour will be offering a fan appreciation discount via the code INSIDER. Through September 27th fans can save 20% on any tickets purchased by using the code INSIDER when purchasing online. A full list of dates can be found at AwakeningEvents.com

TOBYMAC Hits Deep Tour is supported Nationally by Food for the Hungry, and Altrua HealthShare.

On September 26^th, artist on the rise Riley Clemmons will join a star-studded line up of artists including The Chainsmokers, Saweetie, Darren Criss, and Thuy at SHEIN X ROCK THE RUNWAY 2021. The virtual event is an exciting hybrid-special that is part music concert, mixed with innovative choreographed dances in a non-traditional fashion show. She will perform “Stuck Inside My Head” from her album Godsend, which was released earlier this year to critical acclaim. SHEIN X ROCK THE RUNWAY 2021 will be available on the SHEIN app, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter beginning at 2 PM PDT

With a social media reach of over 58 million, SHEIN has quickly becoming one of the fastest growing e-tailers in the world. They offer a fresh mix of fashion, home, pet care, and stylish trends at an affordable price for anyone at any age.

Riley Clemmons is a 21-year-old artist from Nashville, TN who has accumulated nearly 250 million global streams and 50 million YouTube video views in her young career. After spending years honing her craft in writers’ rooms, Riley sky-rocketed onto the scene with her 2017 Capitol CMG debut single “Broken Prayers,” which has generated over 30 million global streams to date. Her 2018 self-titled album debut quickly entered the Billboard Heatseekers chart, entering at No. 13. Her latest album, Godsend, has received wide critical acclaim and has quickly established Riley as an artist to watch. The album’s single, “Keep On Hoping,” has become the fastest growing single of her young career, breaking Top 20 on Billboard and MediaBase Radio charts while garnering millions of streams worldwide. An accomplished composer, performer, producer, and recording artist, Riley draws inspiration from life experiences, blending musical influences ranging from pop to classic rock to create music that is as catchy as it is relatable.

GRAMMY- nominated, DOVE Award-winning, and platinum-selling group Newsboys drop “Clean” ahead of the release of their upcoming album, Stand, due out next month (Oct 1).

“We tried to write a song that speaks to the very purpose and mission of every human. We finished the song and were like ‘This feels like an album theme.’ And especially nowadays in the face of so much hate. I mean, lets face it, I’m a man of color, and people are trying to tell me black and white can’t get along; we don’t like each other. When people ask you, ‘Where do you stand? Tell me the hope that lies within you,’ believers in Christ should stand. The Bible says God would rather you be cold or hot, not lukewarm. You’re not standing if you’re standing in the middle. You have to choose a side. If you’re going to be a bad boy, be a bad boy. If you’re going to be a God follower, then be a Jesus freak, do it.” —Michael Tait

Twenty-twenty left us with a choice. In the midst of safer-at-home orders, racial and political unrest, and a virus that wreaked havoc around the world, the question remained: Where do you stand? For Platinum group Newsboys, the answer was easy. Recognizing that their season of collaboration with former bandmates Peter Furler and Phil Joel for their nostalgic run as Newsboys UNITED was coming to a close, current band members Michael Tait, Duncan Phillips, Jeff Frankenstein and Jody Davis, began to assemble an album that gave no doubt as to who they are and what they believe. The result is STAND, one of the most thoughtfully-crafted releases of their career and a project that marks the band’s return to their original label home, Capitol CMG.