The New Faces of Worship Music
The Best New Praise and Worship Songwriters in Christian Music
Aug 14, 2009
Walk into any church on a Sunday morning and odds are you will probably hear one of a handful of older worship songs from artists like Chris Tomlin and Paul Baloche. However, as a new generation of worshipers calls for fresh songs that are relevant to their culture and faith, a new batch of worship leaders are writing new songs to fill that need. Here's a short list of the best and brightest:
Laura Story: INO Records Artist and Worship Leader at Perimeter Church in Atlanta
Anyone familiar with contemporary worship has probably heard one of Laura Story's songs without even realizing it. In 2004 Chris Tomlin recorded the song "Indescribable" on his album Arriving which helped it become a staple of contemporary worship. Yet, few people knew at the time that Laura Story wrote it. The success of "Indescribable" brought her significant attention from the contemporary Christian music world and led to her position as worship leader at Perimeter Church.
In 2007 she released her first worship album, Great God Who Saves, with a number of brand new praise and worship songs. Her lyrics are poetic and original, and her melodies are lyrical yet singable for the average churchgoer, a combination rarely achieved. Becoming more and more popular every year with worshipers around the world, Laura's style and voice will only grow in influence as she continues to write.
Matt Maher: Provident Label Artist and Musical Missionary
Having a song recorded by the Passion worship team is a surefire way for any Christian musician to break out into the modern worship world. Just ask Matt Maher. A worship leader and songwriter for ten years, Matt's professional life changed in 2005 when Passion recorded his song "Your Grace is Enough" on their How Great is Our God album. Since then he has been writing and touring with his own band as a musical missionary.
In 2007 he released his first worship album, Empty and Beautiful, and will release his sophomore project Alive Again in September of 2009. Matt's strength as a worship songwriter comes from his accessibility. Even the most musically inexperienced can quickly learn and sing his melodies which is an essential component for any church service. Pair that with heartfelt lyrics and you have the makings of a great musical resource for the church.
Jon Egan: Desperation Band Member and Youth Worship Pastor at New Life Church in Colorado Springs
Most experienced worship leaders have not heard the name Jon Egan before, yet many will certainly have heard of the Desperation Band, which Jon co-leads with worship artists Glenn Packiam and Jared Anderson. Jon has written several dozen worship songs for Desperation Band recordings, but his two most popular songs are "My Savior Lives," found on several worship projects, and "I Am Free," recently recorded by the Newsboys on their album Go.
Jon's song-writing is born out of a lifetime of worship ministry as well as struggles with anxiety and depression, giving his music a truly authentic tone. He has yet to release a solo album but with the recent releases by Packiam and Anderson, it is a good bet that Egan's own solo project is on its way soon.
Brooke Fraser: SonyBMG Artist and Hillsong United Worship Leader
Often musical trends in other countries go unnoticed in the United States to the detriment of the American public. Such is the case with singer/songwriter Brooke Frazer. A New Zealand native, Brooke began writing songs at the age of 12 and performed regularly at Parachute, a national music festival. In 2002, after moving to Auckland, she was offered a recording contract with Sony Music (now SonyBMG).
Even though she openly professed her Christianity, Brooke did not start writing worship songs until she became a member of the praise and worship band Hillsong United. With songs like "Hosanna," "None But Jesus" and "Lead Me to the Cross," Brooke brings a fresh voice that understands both the joys and hardships of the Christian life. As Hillsong United continues to produce new worship music, Brooke will certainly be an integral part of that production.
The Future of Praise and Worship Music
With new artists like Laura Story, Matt Maher, Jon Egan and Brooke Fraser, the future of praise and worship music looks promising. The next generation is raising the bar in musicality, accessibility, and authenticity from the generation before and are setting a fantastic example for generations to come.
For more information on these and other praise and worship artists visit CCMMagazine.com
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