Today (Mar 22), singer, songwriter, and performing artist Ryan Ellis debuts the lyric video for his newest single “Better Days.” Ellis shared a demo of the song online in 2023 and it was met with significant support from fans and fellow CCM artists. A studio version of “Better Days” arrived last month.
The way that so many of you connect with this song says a lot. It says that there’s so many of us navigating a challenging season. We’re clinging to hope that there are better days ahead. We can simultaneously be in a hard season while also acknowledging God’s goodness and faithfulness. We can even catch glimpses of ‘better days’ here and there.
But what truly stands out is that this means we’re not alone. You’re not alone. We’re all in this together waiting for God to do something. I guess we’re all just waiting for some better days. -Ellis
Today (Mar 22), PLATINUM-certified, GRAMMY-nominated artist and songwriter Anne Wilsonunveils the latest track from her forthcoming album REBELset to release on April 19. “Country Gold” featuring Jordan Davis is available now.
Joining forces with industry heavyweights, Wilson will deliver a groundbreaking album that pushes the boundaries of both the Christian and Country genres. A co-writer on each of the album’s 16 tracks, Wilson teamed up with some of Music Row’s most in-demand songwriters such as Nicolle Galyon, Emily Weisband, Matthew West and Trannie Anderson for a revolutionary project firmly rooted in both Country and Christian music, produced by Jeff Pardo and Jonathan Smith.
Stream & Enjoy
Recognized as a 2024 CMT Next Women of Country and a Spotify Hot Country Artist to Watch in 2024, Wilson shares her new music on the road as part of Scotty McCreery’s Cab In A Solo Tour this spring and at major Christian and Country music festivals this summer.
Today (Mar 22), renowned worship leader and songwriter Pat Barrett drops a new song titled “Beautiful Life” featuring award-winning sibling trio CAIN.
Life is a beautiful gift and sometimes you got to sing that at the top of your lungs! Getting to do this song with my friends CAIN is such a joy for me! We’re hoping that wherever you are, whatever you’re going through, this song reminds you of what people have believed for thousands of years: He makes everything beautiful in it’s time…” (Ecclesiastes 3:11). -Barrett
Today (3.22), 2x GRAMMY-nominated group We The Kingdom releases its soulful, uplifting new song “Church Music” via Capitol Christian Music Group, as well as the live version of the track.
“Church Music” is an anthem of reverberating joy, blending the soulful essence of rock ‘n’ roll with the heartfelt spirit of worship. The band’s stellar musicianship and tight-knit chemistry transport listeners to the sound of Saturday night with a message that carries the transcendent hope of Sunday morning. It’s a sonic journey that invites one and all to join in.
“We are STOKED about ‘Church Music’ coming out!” says We The Kingdom. “We wrote this song late one night in a hockey locker room while on tour, laughing our tails off and having so much fun thinking about playing it live. It has been such a joy to play this song for you guys out on the road, and we are so pumped that it’s finally being released. We hope you love it as much as we do, and we hope you can come sing it at the top of your lungs with us at a show soon.”
The new song follows the band’s January release “The Plans,” which offered comfort in the midst of uncertainty and ushered in a new era for We The Kingdom.
Stream & Enjoy
We The Kingdom recently announced its 24-date Church Music Tour, which kicks off in Muncie, IN on Thurs., Apr. 4th. The tour will stop in Austin, Cincinnati, Minneapolis and more before wrapping on May 17th in Dothan, AL.
Award-winning artist and songwriter Mac Powell drops a brand new single, “Like It’s Nothing,” available today. More than 160,000 concertgoers have heard this song firsthand during the TobyMac Hits Deep 2024 tour, which concludes tomorrow night in West Virginia.
“I know it may sound crazy, but I still believe in miracles,” shares Mac Powell of the new song’s inspiration. “All of these amazing things that we read about in the scriptures – from God parting the Red Seas, Elijah calling down fire from Heaven, to Jesus healing with just a touch – I truly believe these things, in some ways, still happen. And God does not grow tired or weak in doing these mighty things. I pray we all will continue to have the kind of faith that sees God working today!”
Powell’s song follows the highly successful 2021 release, New Creation, which produced the radio hit songs “New Creation” and the Top 10 song, “River of Life.” He’s currently working on a new project that will be released later this year.
In addition to working on new music, Powell recently released his first book, The Soul Shines Through—The Surprising Spiritual Influences on Modern Artists. This full-color volume reveals often unknown secrets about the lives of well-known artists such as Van Gogh, Picasso, Warhol, and Chagall. This book inspired by many museum visits over the years and research was co-written with Keith Ogorek and reached the Top 10 in Religious Arts and Photography on Amazon.
After wrapping up the Hits Deep tour this weekend, Powell will hit the road again later this spring on his headline acoustic tour, “An Acoustic Night of Hit Stories & Faith,” where he will be performing his solo hits, worship songs, and selections from Third Day’s expansive catalog. This summer, he will be performing at top festivals such as Alive Fest and Kingdom Bound as well as the first-ever K-LOVE Live in Honolulu.
Worship group Open Heaven releases their new song “I Love You, Jesus” today on all digital retail and streaming service providers via DREAM Worship. The 4th song to be released from their upcoming fall LP release, this live song is both hopeful and encouraging.
The song was produced by Scotty Mearig and co-written by Alexis Keesee, Amy Freudiger, Erik Parise, and Zach Traylor.
“I Love You Jesus” was written by the Open Heaven songwriting team, including Erik Parise, Alexis Keesee, and Amy Freudiger. While ministering during a youth camp week, Erik found himself sleepless at 2am. “I thought I might as well get up and worship, but my guitar was quite far away in the main building of the camp.”
His mind tried to keep him in bed. “I heard coyotes and thought, do I really want to walk in the dark to go down there? But I decided I wouldn’t let the darkness veer me away.”
Making his way down to the general assembly building, Erik said to the Lord, “I wish I could just sing and write a song about how much I love you.” In that moment of just him and the Lord, out of his mouth came the melody and words to the chorus, I Love You Jesus.
The songwriting team later added lyrics to the verse and found the bridge from a spontaneous moment in a weekend service several months prior. The song is purposefully very easy to sing and remember. As Amy, the team’s pastor said, “The gospel is simply this, that God loved us first, so now we can have fellowship with Jesus.
But we must become like little children so as not to overcomplicate it! There are many things that try to keep us away from worshipping God, but face-to-face fellowship is at the core of Christianity. The message of this song is simply trying to express that simplistic passion: a love for God above all else. This is a whole-hearted anthem of devotion.”
Erik says that the first time he heard the song in church service, he got teary-eyed. “My wife and I had just had a baby, and I was on paternity leave. I remember getting to come into the weekend service and enjoy worship. Then Titus (who sings on the recording) led ‘I Love You Jesus.’ As he was singing the song, my memory took me back to that moment of walking through the darkness to worship and be alone with Jesus.”
He glanced over at his newborn son, feeling the love a father has for his children, and he had a greater realization of Jesus’ love for us. Amy says, “He is our Father. And what’s amazing is that He’s singing back to us, ‘I love you, I love you child, with all of my heart…’”
The Open Heaven team hopes that as you sing this song, you realize you are never alone, that Jesus is closer than your next breath, even through the darkest night. And they pray it takes you to a place where it’s just you and Him. In fellowship.
Curb Records recording artist Meredith Andrews tunes her heart to the sound of eternity on new live project, Heaven’s Frequency, out today (3/22). Additionally, Andrews premieres the live performance video for the title-cut.
Recorded in her hometown of Nashville at HopeUC, the original live set showcases the genuine anointing and bold authority Andrews harnesses as she leads a room full of worshipers to the throne of God.
From regal declarations like “The Lamb, The Lion, The King” to abiding affirmations of His faithfulness like “Always Do,” Heaven’s Frequency boasts authentic moments of spontaneous praise, passionate pleas for breakthrough and notable collaborations with Patrick Mayberry and Cecily.
The 10-song album was produced by the Dove Award-winning artist’s husband, Jacob Sooter (Brandon Lake, Passion).
Meredith Andrews Tunes Her Heart To The Sound Of Eternity On ‘Heaven’s Frequency’
In support of the fresh collection, Andrews filmed exclusive content for CCLI SongSelect and MultiTracks.com, where worship leaders interested in leading her songs at their local church can also find additional resources. Moreover, she’s recently appeared on popular worship leader podcast
“The Table,” as well as “The Story Chorus Podcast” with Jordan Loftis and the “Worship Circle” podcast, while serving as a worship leader coach for Worship Circle for seven years.
Andrews will bring fresh originals and signature songs from her rich catalog to cities across the U.S. throughout the year. The sought-after worship leader, mentor and teacher has a full tour itinerary planned for 2024 that includes women’s events, worship conferences and her own nights of worship.
Get ready to be compelled to sing Citizens’ latest release, “hold him high” – a song that instantly feels like a familiar hymn sung through a lifetime. It even felt familiar as it was being written, says Zach Bolen, who wrote the song’s chorus several years ago.
The lyric that came to him very naturally and easily, he recalls. After spending much time with the chorus, often singing it over his children at bedtime, he enlisted the help of Mitch Wong to bring additional life to the song, which both writers agreed felt like a song the church could sing. Bolen’s hope is that people will experience their own moments signing this song, whether by themselves, with family, or in church.
An anthem of praise celebrating the glory of Jesus Christ, “hold him high” is a reminder that Christ’s holiness makes Him worthy of being lifted high above all else and exalted above every other name.
