Power pop vocal group 1GN, formerly 1 Girl Nation, released its anticipated sophomore album, Unite, on April 15 with Reunion Records. The GMA Dove Award New Artist Nominee is excited to bring fans new music with a meaningful message.
The new album centers around the anthemic song "Guard Your Heart," based on Proverbs 4:23-27, which begins with the encouragement, "Above all else, guard your heart." The scripture is a kind of slogan for the girls to their fans. "So much of our life and interactions today are now through social media and online, which is awesome. But the dangers are real," explains Lauryn Taylor Bach. "The images hitting us in pop culture are often overly sexualized and filled with hate, bullying, violence and division. We just want to encourage each other to guard our hearts from these things."
While the album definitely treads into deep topics, it also contains a fresh, fun and infectious sound. 1GN partnered with producer duo Jordan Sapp and Dave Wyatt (TobyMac) for the album's first single, "Get Hype." Written to get crowds ready for 1GN's exciting live show, the result is without question a fun and energetic pop track that will make fans want to dance. “As Christians, we have more to hope for and more to celebrate than anyone can imagine,” shares Kayli Robinson. “A song like ‘Get Hype’ is just a modern expression of the joy and excitement we should feel as members of the body of Christ.”
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Hope for Every Girl| Posted April 11, 2016
After much anticipation, 1GN (formerly 1 Girl Nation) is back and better than ever with a new and improved sound. Now three voices strong after founding members Lindsey Adamec and Kelsey Grimm moved on to other musical pursuits, they're ready to take the world by storm.
Powerhouses Carmen, Lauryn Taylor and Kayli begin the next phase in their journey with the bubbly, bouncy and oh-so-fun "Get Hype." Although some might find the lyrics shallow, the song shows both their versatility and the fact that they don't take themselves too seriously. Among the many other catchy, synth-filled anthems are "The One," which overflows with Scriptural truth and a strong message for young girls; "Cinema," which puts God in the spotlight; and "No Filter," which gives a rarely-sung-about perspective on social media: "If the highlight reel is all you see, where's reality?"
"Guard Your Heart" is one of the many songs on Unite that features gorgeous harmonies interwoven with beautifully penned truth straight from the Bible. Similarly, "Haters" achieves the same goal with a catchy hook and a wonderful driving beat.
The standout track on this album, and the one which genuinely surprised me the most, is "Panic." It features strings and has a ballad sort of feel. It reminded me of BarlowGirl's "I Believe in Love," which may attract slightly older listeners looking for some nostalgia. This song truly sets the stage for 1GN to rise to the top as the Christian music industry's most popular girl band.
Between the catchy pop showcased in "Impossible" and the folky campfire sound of "Smile," 1GN can truly pull off multiple genres and add their own flair to them. The title track, "Unite," is a rallying cry for all Christian girls to come together and take a stand for Jesus. But even though it most definitely possesses a Christian message, it feels like it could easily be played on Top 40 radio. And isn't that exactly what we as Christians need to do-- be in the world but not of it?
The Bottom Line:Unite is definitely 1GN's breakout album. Exploring topics today's preteen and teenage girls deal with and encouraging in fresh new ways, this album will certainly change many lives.
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