Among Christian music’s most recognizable faces and voices for more than two decades, singer/songwriter, author and New Zealand native Phil Joel releases “Arms Around The World” at digital and streaming outlets globally from The Fuel Music The single is the fourth in a series of new songs to debut from the multi-artist A New Heaven And A New Earth project that is slated to premiere winter 2023 / 2024.

Written by Joel and produced by Brent Milligan (Michael W. Smith, Steven Curtis Chapman), “Arms Around The World” is a pop anthem meant to ignite people’s enthusiasm for embracing creation care.

“This is the planet that God’s given us, and we need to be good stewards of it,” suggests Joel. “Sadly, I don’t think we’ve really done a great job in the last 50 years, but thankfully God always provides ways to see things restored, redeemed, and replenished.

Just like we understand with our own lives, God’s filled the earth with all kinds of ways to regenerate itself… This gets me excited. It’s not doom and gloom at all. We can be a part of creating a new heaven and a new earth.”

With his son Eden joining him on the song on both guitar and drums, and his daughter Phynley singing background, Phil shares, “My son is 19, and my daughter is 22, and they want to know that people of faith care about some of the things they care about, which includes looking after this environment, making sure that they have a future, and making sure that their children’s children have a future on this planet that we look after.”

Phil Joel Encourages Throwing “Arms Around The World” In Latest Single From Multi-Artist Album, A New Heaven And A New Earth

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Along with his music, Phil and his wife Heather recently opened The Green Room in Franklin, TN, an earth and people-friendly store in Franklin, TN, selling non-toxic, cruelty-free, sustainable home goods, gifts, and furnishings meant to be a part of the solution.

Joel’s single follows the A New Heaven And A New Earth tracks from GRAMMY-nominated, Dove Award-winning Building 429 lead vocalist Jason Roy, “It’s All Yours,” recording artist, actress, and producer MŌRIAH, “You Mean The World,” and two-time Dove Award-winning, three-time No.1 Billboard-charting, Stellar Award-nominated Aaron Cole, “Together.”

Additional songs have been produced for the A New Heaven And A New Earth project by well-known Christian artists that felt led to participate, responding to the call to write and record a song on taking care of Creation.

The songs, collectively covering rock, pop, hip hop, R&B, indie, folk/ Americana, and more musical genres, are being released as singles monthly through November 17, 2023, with a full A New Heaven and A New Earth album slated to launch this coming winter.

Today (Aug 11), singer, songwriter, and performing artist Ryan Ellis shares the official music video for “Next To Me.” The track is from the southern California-based artist’s debut five-song EP titled NITE-N-DAY.

“NITE-N-DAY speaks to my personal journey of transformation and finding love that changed everything,” Ellis shares. “I used to live a life focused solely on myself, going 100 miles an hour on everything in excess, but I still felt empty. Then, I found Jesus.

Ryan Ellis “Next To Me” Music Video

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He showed me I was worthy of love and helped me cope with the anxiety and pain. God brought light to my life, chasing away all the shadows and making everything clearer. It was like night and day, a complete transformation.

I questioned myself and realized that I couldn’t run from love. That’s something I still go through, but writing these songs is a reminder and a reflection of the relationship I have with the Holy Spirit and also the flow of life and relationships and people. God is in it all…NITE-N-DAY.”

Multi-GRAMMY Award winning and RIAA Platinum-selling Curb | Word Entertainment recording artist FOR KING + COUNTRY debutED the official music video for their previously unreleased single and album title track, “What Are We Waiting For? (The Single)” today.

FOR KING + COUNTRY brother duo Joel and Luke Smallbone, wrote the song with Josh Kerr, and Sean Douglas; and it was produced by FOR KING + COUNTRY, Josh Kerr, and Tedd T.  The larger-than-life track challenges listeners to be the change they wish to see in the world; as the song hopes to inspire a message of unity, action and optimism.

For KING & COUNTRY “WHAT ARE WE WAITING FOR?” Music Video

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Says the Smallbones: “So often we deal in statements in life — we make statements about ourselves, about God, about others. And yet if you look at Jesus’ life, He so often dealt in questions. We have found it very relieving and exciting to start writing from that place, and ‘What Are We Waiting For?’ stands as just that. We’re proud to ask these questions alongside you, and we hope that you find your answers as we’ve found ours.”

The expanded 17-track collection will include the duo’s four most recent consecutive #1 singles: the Gold-certified “TOGETHER (feat. Kirk Franklin & Tori Kelly),” “RELATE,” “For God Is With Us” and “Love Me Like I Am.” The updated collection includes two brand new originals:  the long-awaited title-cut, “What Are We Waiting For?” and “Better Man,” as well as two previously released duets: chart-topping “Love Me Like I Am (feat. Jordin Sparks)” and GRAMMY-nominated “For God Is With Us (feat. Hillary Scott).”  

The synth-heavy deluxe album exclusive finds brothers Joel and Luke Smallbone pledging to be the best versions of themselves for their wives, who each inspire them to strive for excellence every day. Acknowledging their faults, the men aspire to greater heights and stronger bonds, tracing a pattern of bold harmonies across more than three minutes of atmospheric rock.

Says the Smallbones:  “With a touch of ‘Mad Max,’ we give you the music video/short film for our unexpected title track, ‘What Are We Waiting For? [the single]!’ You may call it this album’s visual finale, and yet we’re back to where the cover concept started… the desert nomads. And as a bonus, we’re announcing the soon-to-be-released ‘+’ deluxe edition, which will be the musical exclamation point of our 4th studio album.”

Track listing for “What Are We Waiting For? +” Deluxe Edition Includes:

1. What Are We Waiting For? (The Single)
2. RELATE
3. Broken Halos
4. Love Me Like I Am (feat. Jordin Sparks)
5. Unity (feat. Dante Bowe)
6. For God Is With Us (feat. Hillary Scott)
7. Hold On Pain Ends
8. Unsung Hero
9. Harmony (feat. Sleeping At Last)
10. Shy
11. Better Man
12. TOGETHER (feat. Kirk Franklin & Tori Kelly)
13. Seasons
14. Cheering You On
15. Benediction
16. Love Me Like I Am (Album Version)
17. For God Is With Us (Album Version)

for KING + COUNTRY’s “What Are We Waiting For?” album received a GRAMMY nomination earlier this year for “For God Is With Us” featuring Hillary Scott of Lady A;  and was given their first-ever American Music Award win for “Favorite Inspirational Artist,” garnering the hit single feat. Jordin Sparks, “Love Me Like I Am”, which hit the Top 10 on both Billboard and Mediabase’s Adult Contemporary charts. 

The duo also recently announced the “A DRUMMER BOY CHRISTMAS | THE 2023 TOUR EXPERIENCE” – their highly-anticipated annual holiday spectacle that features an extraordinary production, blending festive visuals and stunning lighting and staging effects, for a high-octane show that the brother duo have become known for.

With 13 sold-out arena shows in 2022, this year’s Christmas tour will span 16 cities with tickets in high-demand at some of the largest venues across North America and Canada. 

A DRUMMER BOY CHRISTMAS | THE 2023 TOUR EXPERIENCE” kicks off on Nov. 25 in Chicago, Ill. and travels coast-to-coast visiting arenas in major markets including Phoenix, Seattle, Houston, Las Vegas, Portland and Minneapolis, among others.

It was also recently announced in The Hollywood Reporter that “Unsung Hero,” Joel Smallbone’s directorial debut film from for KING + COUNTRY Entertainment has been picked up by Lionsgate with a theatrical release date of April 26, 2024. Titled from the duo’s song of the same name that was dedicated to their parents, the biopic follows the Smallbone family’s immigration from Australia to the United States.

Berklee College of Music’s annual Gospel Performance Program marked its second year on the Boston, Mass. campus this summer, from Monday, July 24, to Friday, July 28, 2023. Launched by the college’s Africana Studies Division in 2022, the immersive five-day program was open to high school students ages 15 and older with six months of playing or vocal experience.

This year’s program featured visiting artist VaShawn Mitchell, a seven-time Stellar Award-winning singer, and songwriter, who presented a master class and also performed with the students in a final concert on Thursday, July 27.

The program offered ensemble rehearsals, technique-in-performance classes, and gospel history discussions, as well as a presentation on the gospel music industry, covering performance and business techniques while exploring the genre’s cultural relevance and its connection to contemporary music.

VaShawn Mitchell was born and raised in Chicago, IL, a city known as the birthplace of Gospel music, an art form that has been indelibly imprinted on his life. His love for Gospel music led him to spend many years in his youth as a Music Director and then Minister of Music in the city of Chicago. Throughout the years, VaShawn’s artistic vision has grown, shaping him into a mature worship leader and a recognized Gospel songwriter.

Over the last several years, Mitchell continued to stretch his creative talents beyond his own recording career. He has been instrumental in the careers of many of today’s popular artists and has received two Dove Awards from the Gospel Music Association for his work as a producer.

Always committed to the promotion of upcoming voices in the Gospel Music industry, VaShawn assumed the role of President & CEO of the Gospel Heritage Foundation in 2018 and has plans to expand the reach of this ministry to prepare the next generation for their own journey.

Third Culture Worship, the soulful trio known for their unique blending of cultural influences, is proud to announce the release of their latest single, “My Victory.” A song birthed out of tragedy, it offers hope, healing, and a testament to the power of God’s love.

“My Victory” was written six years ago by Vaughn Thompson Jr. and his wife, Irene, following the devastating loss of a nephew. Inspired by scriptures from Psalm 139 and 1 Corinthians 15, it’s an intimate journey into pain, surrender, and the ultimate victory found in Jesus Christ.

Lyrics such as “I surrender all to You” and “Jesus Christ, You are my victory” encapsulate the essence of the song, drawing listeners into a state of worship and reflection.

To all fans of earnest, heartfelt worship, “My Victory” promises an experience that will uplift, comfort, and remind you of the unwavering love of God, even in life’s most challenging moments.

My Victory – Third Culture Worship

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Today (Aug 11), Pat Barrett shares new music with “Better Hands.”

Better Hands – Pat Barrett

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Today (Aug 11), Steven Curtis Chapman shares “Still (Live)”.

Still (Live) – Steven Curtis

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Today (Aug 11), Grammy Award-winning rock band Switchfoot drops a new version of their hit song “On Fire”, featuring Ingrid Andress.

Today (Aug 11), The Afters release “God is with us.”

God Is With Us – The Afters

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Rising CCM artist Ben Fuller releases a visualizer for “If I Got Jesus.” The track was first released as part of Fuller’s 2023 self-titled album and then secondly as a collaboration with former American Idol finalist Megan Danielle in Apr 2024.

If I Got Jesus – Ben Fuller

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