We are so excited to have CeCe Winans on our podcast today. God has trusted CeCe with success and her notoriety has only brought her closer to Him. She shares how her “why” hasn’t changed despite being named the best-selling female gospel artist of all time, and she reminds worship artists that you have to want God more than anything. “Good success means you’re still hidden in Him.”

She also talks about the process behind “Believe For It” - the transcending title track from her new live album. Chris Baker states the simple, powerful truth about CeCe: “There is something that is synonymous with CeCe Winans and that is the presence of God.” Worship leading resources for the entire Believe For It project are now available!

Listen now! 

Maverick City Music | Jubilee

Jubilee launches Maverick City Music Initiative, the non-profit organization dedicated to serve communities affected by mass incarceration through music. This new EP consists of seven songs featuring artists such as Naomi Raine, Chandler Moore, and Dante Bowe. It celebrates Black History Month and pays homage to negro spirituals. “It’s time to tell our story—and we can’t tell our story without bringing our entire pasts forward. Our songs are our history. It’s time to shed light on it.” - Tony Brown (co-founder of Maverick City Music).

Community Music | Nothing He Can't Do

“Worship is our weapon! So we will choose to bless the Lord even before the breakthrough we’ve been praying for. Our hope is that the words of this song would stir up the faith inside of you. And that it would lead you to surrender to the one who holds it all! His name is Jesus!” 

Elyssa Smith | Wearing a Blindfold and Running

"Lyrically, Elyssa’s transparency and honesty pour out with themes of hope in the midst of pain, faith in the most difficult of times, and trust that God is not silent and will be there for us - all delivered with earnest passion and fervent prayers and pleas. The title speaks to walking by faith when you can’t always see what’s ahead, but running full force even when you can’t see, with deep trust in God."

Big Daddy Weave | All Things New

Big Daddy Weave's single version of All Things New, more succint in its duration and with additional instrumentation, is now available! "We wrote the song 'All Things New' as a prayer over my dad as he was dealing with pulmonary fibrosis. Little did I know, that would be the last song I wrote that my dad would get to hear this side of heaven. I believe the moment he took his last breath here, was just the beginning of how real the meaning of this song is for him now, in the very presence of Jesus. We can say in faith, from the ashes, from the dust, 'I will rise up,' because of Jesus, who makes all things new." - Mike Weaver

Patrick Mayberry | No One Like You Lord

Chicago-based worship leader and singer/songwriter Patrick Mayberry never truly understood the power of worship music until he experienced it firsthand at a Passion conference. For many, Passion is a multi-day spiritual wake-up call to the things of God. For Mayberry, Passion was a transformational awakening to the intersection of faith and music. His faith journey came full circle when he co-wrote Passion's latest: Breakthrough Miracle Power.

Original Master MultiTracks for his new single No One Like You Lord are now available! The single is a joyful declaration of the unrivaled uniqueness of who Christ is and the song is carried with Mayberry's passionate, raw vocals.

+ MORE NEW RELEASES:

Egypt | CAIN
Ketrina Joy | Wait
Nick & Becky Drake | The Golden Rule + The Ark
Village Lights | Fire and the Fountain
VIVE Worship | Fear Not (He's With Us)
Sarah Kroger | No Hay Temor En Tu Amor
Cross Point Music | Oh The Wonder
Gas Street Music | Rewilding
Life Worship | Thank You Jesus For The Cross
Connor Roy | Better Place
Mission House | I Don't Have Much
Spring Harvest | Unrivalled 

Writing songs is usually a laborious process for me that is filled with revisions and second guessing. Glory, Honor, Power was the exception to this rule. I woke up in the morning with a chorus in my head that was incredibly loud and clear. It sounded so familiar that I kept singing it to multiple people over the next few days trying to figure out what song it was. Finally, I ended up in a room with Tiffany Hudson and Jeff Pardo who confirmed that this tune didn’t exist yet and that we should give it a go!

As we dug into the lyrics of the chorus, we found ourselves revisiting Revelation 4.   This chapter paints a beautiful and detailed picture of exactly what is being said in Heaven at this very moment. The extravagant scene describes heavenly creatures pouring their thanks and adoration upon the Lord. In response, 24 elders lay their crowns at his feet and ascribe to him all Glory, Honor and Power. They can’t stop worshipping.

In the presence of God, our response becomes the same as theirs. I believe the Lord gave us this real-time insight into heaven so that we would know how to engage in throne-room worship, here and now. What better way is there to bring heaven to earth, then to actually sing the words being said in Heaven?

Our prayer it that this song would be a fast pass into his presence. He promises that he would inhabit the praises of his people. As we get into that pure and vertical place of worship, where we focus all our attention on admiring him – a beautiful exchange occurs. His thoughts for our thoughts. His life for ours. 

- Melody Noel  | Director of Influence Music

Anthony Evans | Yes I Will 2.0 

A Gospel recording artist whose music is informed by contemporary R&B, pop, and hip-hop as well as classic gospel, Anthony Evans is known for songs that merge a message of faith with a contemporary sound. Throughout a decade-and-a-half career of topping the Gospel charts, working on Grammy-winning projects, and even winning the ear of Christina Aguilera during his run on NBC’s The Voice, Evans has always maintained an unflinching authenticity in his creative pursuits. 
 

Jonathan Traylor | Medley

“I chose these two songs because their lyrics are powerful. For me, they aren't just songs; it’s a truth. I love Elevation Worship and Hillsong Worship. The power and truth in their songs inspired me. Christ gives us guaranteed victory. No matter how big the giant, no matter the obstacle, no matter the darkest night, we are guaranteed to see victory in Christ Jesus.”
 

Highlands Music | Thank You

Thank You is the latest single from Highlands Worship, the follow up to their last single “Heaven is My Home” and their latest full length release Jesus You Alone. This moving worship song brings a timeless and simple expression, "Thank you Jesus" into a dynamic and diverse musical setting.
 

Dante Bowe | joyful

"At a time when most of us have experienced change in nearly every area of our lives, some things remain constant. In his latest single, joyful, Dante Bowe reminds us that joy can certainly be one of them. Sweeping listeners into its gospel, R&B groove from the get-go, 'joyful' is a breath of fresh air at a time when we all need it. With lyrics that can’t help but put a skip in your step, Bowe declares the fact that all we have is today, the now, to make joy contagious."
 

Circuit Rider Music | I Will Praise

"'I Will Praise' started off as a spontaneous chorus while we were leading worship in Australia in 2017. This chorus rose as a declaration that reminded us that NOTHING can steal our praise. Nothing separates us from the love of God. NO circumstance, stronghold, pandemic, trial or hardship can steal our praise to Jesus. We are praying that this declaration brings people into a place of faith and praise to Jesus!”
 

Jonathan Traylor | See A Victory / What A Beautiful Name

“I chose these two songs because their lyrics are powerful. For me, they aren't just songs; it’s a truth. I love Elevation Worship and Hillsong Worship. The power and truth in their songs inspired me. Christ gives us guaranteed victory. No matter how big the giant, no matter the obstacle, no matter the darkest night, we are guaranteed to see victory in Christ Jesus.”
 

CeCe Winans | Believe For It

"Probably my favorite thing to do is worship in church, worship with my brothers and sisters. And to be able to create a record that people can do just that...especially for my first live record, I thought that would be an awesome way to do it and create songs people can just come together and worship on. I just believe it's going to be a blessing for people who hear it."
 

Influence Music | Glory, Honor, Power

"glory, honor, power is the first single off of our upcoming third album AGES. Delivered with Melody Noel’s fearless energy and Gilman’s soaring vocals, the song is a timely declaration of the glory, honor and power due to ‘the One who came and made a way.’ We pray that this song and album as a whole will reinvigorate your trust in the God of the AGES: the one who was and is and is to come!" 

+ MORE NEW RELEASES:

Casting Crowns | Start Right Here (HGA Version)
I AM THEY | Christ Be Magnified
UPPERROOM | Arbor
Aaron Shust | Isaiah 53
Crossroads Music | Conquered Grave
FAITHFUL | A Woman

This past Tuesday we unveiled Pad Player, and brand new feature coming to Playback. Pad Player provides continuous pads under every song, transition, and even follows you in unplanned moments. With features like Song Pads designed to match each specific song in your setlist, to full customization and live control, Pad Player ensures that you can plan with excellence and have the ability to respond to any moment.

To learn more about Pad Player, watch the video below:
 

Pad Player is currently available for Beta testers. To apply for our Beta program, sign up at this link.

“But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” (Ephesians 2:13)

What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the Blood of Jesus. -- There is power, power wonder working power in the precious blood of the Lamb.—There, to my heart was the blood applied Glory to His Name.  When I was a young girl, I sang these words at the top of my lungs at my church. My Gammy played the B3, and my Dad would sing- My Mom and I sat on the very front row and I was taught from birth that worshiping God was a good thing. So I did, and I loved it. I loved God with my whole heart even at four years old, and though I didn’t fully comprehend the weight of the words I was singing, I believe the Lord delighted in it. It’s songs like those about the Blood that shaped who I am and my relationship with the Lord today. Songs full of truth and scripture and the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

The more life I live, the more I’m thankful for that precious blood of the Lamb. I’ve messed up and made plenty of mistakes but I am so thankful and grateful that Jesus bled, died, and rose again so that we may have eternal life with HIM, the Holy God, righteous and blameless even though we aren’t perfect. Being in relationship with God is such a precious gift.

So when we sat down and wrote Thank You Jesus for the Blood, we started by sharing what God has done for us and could truly say we were all lost but now we’re found and we just HAVE to thank Him for it. Our friend Steven began to play the keys and that reminiscent sound of the songs I sang as a child began to take shape in the song.

I invited my mother and two Italian aunties to help at this particular writer’s retreat, and as they were in the kitchen preparing an amazing meal for us, the music swept in and compelled them to join us in the room we were writing in. Tears ran down their faces as they heard ‘Thank You Jesus for the Blood’ come to life because they too were thankful for the blood that washed their sins away.

Just like the songs that have lived and continued to capture the hearts of multiple generations, our heartbeat as song writers is to pen lyric and melody that does the same.  I love how this song brought us all together in worship and thanksgiving. Unity in worship is the most beautiful thing and we can all relate to being sinners saved by grace.

- Charity Gayle

Today we hear from Aodhan King of Hillsong Young & Free! He talks about how he loves the vehicle of song as a non-confrontational way to evangelize, the start of Young & Free, and how his worship and mission have always been intrinsically linked. 

He also speaks on their latest album All Of My Best Friends (Acoustic) — in particular "As I Am" and how it’s meant to express the inclusivity of God’s love. Young & Free is marked by a youthful and wild energy, but Aodhan reminds us that you don’t have to be young to connect with their music. All you need is a youthful spirit that God says we all have through Him.

Listen now on The Worship & Technology Podcast!

“At Easter is a collection of Calvary-centered songs, refreshed and reinvigorated for believers everywhere to use in worship this Easter as we give thanks for the death, resurrection and extraordinary love of our Savior." - Brooke Ligertwood

Hillsong Worship exists to serve the global Church and equip believers everywhere with songs of Holy Spirit power that exalt and glorify the Name of Jesus, build the Church and fuel revival on the earth. Their new EP features a compilation of five revamped Hillsong classic anthems that take the listener on a Resurrection journey from Pilgrimage (“How Can You Refuse Him Now?”) to Praise (“King of Kings”).