Colton Dixon's voice exploded on the international stage when the young artist powered his way through season 11 of American Idol, surviving rigorous competition to place seventh overall on the talent-seeking show. And that was only the beginning.

Dixon's debut album A Messenger released in 2013, propelled by the success of radio single "Never Gone." The same smooth voice, endearing candor and heartfelt dedication to his faith that won over American Idol viewers quickly built the artist a solid fanbase, leading to multiple tours (including a coveted spot on WinterJam) while he worked on his sophomore release Anchor, due out August 19, 2014.

I had the opportunity to attend the album release show for Anchor on August 14 at New Vision Baptist Church in Colton's hometown of Murfreesboro, TN. The room was filled to capacity, the excitement palpable before Colton Dixon even appeared on stage, proving the kind of impact the artist has already made on listeners in his career. When he took the stage, he did so with the new album's opener "Our Time is Now." The rocker brought the audience to their feet instantly, a posture maintained through follow-up "Dare To Believe."

After the opening two numbers, Colton took some time to talk to the audience, asking for fans to call out where they had traveled from in order to attend that evening. With answers ranging from local cities to far away states like Texas and Minnesota, the audience proved yet again their dedication. After some more playful banter, Colton Dixon grounded the conversation as he talked about the disciples and their (and our) propensity to doubt, assuring listeners that Jesus is still with us in those times. This led perfectly into radio smash "Never Gone."

Two more new tracks followed with title cut "Anchor" and urgent "Fool's Gold." Each of the songs from the new album sparked with energy, strengthened by Colton's ability to inhabit and confidently own every song he performs. Despite the soaring rock and roll feel to many of the performances, such as on another new track "Loud And Clear," the powerhouse performer also showed maturity in knowing exactly when to tone it down, both musically and thematically. The artist's humble spirit was particularly evident in his performance of ubiquitous radio success "You Are." Colton invited his sister Schyler to share the stage with him for this selection, performing it as a duet backed by simple piano chords and the added voices of the fans.

The more mellow, worshipful tone carried on into new song "Through All Of It," a reflective, autobiographical piece that expresses gratitude for God's constancy despite our own often faltering faith. This set the mood perfectly for Colton to perform his rendition of "Everything" (originally by Lifehouse), the song that concluded his time on American Idol in 2012. His earnest performance of the song reflected his heart just as clearly now as it did for a TV audience two years ago.

More upbeat "Limitless" followed as Colton encouraged the audience to tap into the incredible power of Christ. Suitably, the band subtly adapted the refrain of Hillsong success "Oceans" to intro Colton's new song "Walk On The Waves."

The collection of songs tirelessly pointing listeners' attention upwards wrapped up with most recent single "More Of You." As the lights faded, the audience immediately began demanding an encore. The band took the stage again to round off the night with "In And Out of Time," blasting the air with several final rounds of cryotechnics and towering guitar riffs before bowing out.

Overall, the evening displayed that Colton is continuing to develop and refine the performance skills he began to develop on American Idol. His building momentum will likely soon break him from American Idol association entirely, as he is now more than able to stand on his own as an artist.

The concert also served as the perfect introduction to upcoming Anchor, both in the setlist choices and the musical and thematic vibe. Incredibly tight songs and pulsing rock tones were paired with an earnest heart absolutely committed to loving God and making His love known.

I have rarely seen a new artist so impressively capable of claiming a stage, and yet doing so without an instant of arrogance or falseness. Colton Dixon is the real deal. Every fan in the room seemed to know it, and with the release of Anchor, many more listeners are likely to be won over also-- both to his unforgettable tunes, and to the loving God he so unabashedly proclaims.

(You can view our full photo gallery from the night on facebook.)