Pop punk, vulnerability, and powerful storytelling come together in the rising career of Christian artist Daniel Spriggs. With the recent release of his emotionally raw single “Heart to Heart,” Spriggs demonstrates that honest lyrics and a genre-defying sound can coexist to touch lives and glorify God. We caught up with Daniel to discuss his musical journey, his testimony, and the inspiration behind his music.
Your latest single, “Heart to Heart,” is powerful. It’s raw, emotional, and sincere. What’s it been like releasing your second single and seeing the response?
DS: It's been overwhelming—in a good way. With my first song, “Washed in the Water,” it was mostly just me and my friends listening. Now, with “Heart to Heart,” it’s connecting with so many more people. I’ve been retreating to a coffee shop for devotions to get quiet time with God again, as everything has become a little noisy. But it’s also beautiful. I’m on my face in gratitude that God is using this song to speak to people. I’m so thankful.
I love that. Let’s talk about the song itself. What’s the story behind “Heart to Heart”?
DS: Funny thing is, “Heart to Heart” was a track I cut from my record. I was playing it for my photographer while scrolling through my demos, and he was like, “What is that?” I told him I took it off the record because it sounded too much like another track. He said, “If you don’t release that, I’m going to kill you.” [laughs] So I posted a reel about it, it blew up on TikTok, and I thought, “Alright, I’ll finish this.”
With the help of my friends Austin Appling (Building 429, Haven) and Blake Pence (Colton Dixon, Building 429), we wrapped it up in a few days.
The heart of the song is this—there are things Christians don’t like to talk about, sins we hold onto, parts we hide. But when we cling to those things, we disconnect from God. Eventually, we hit empty. That’s when it’s time for a “heart to heart” with God. It hurts, but there's nothing sweeter than being honest before Him and realizing how much we’ve missed His presence.
That hits deep. The lyrics are so personal, but it’s a message so many of us need. The pop punk style is a massive part of what makes it stand out. Why pop punk? Why did you choose this sound?
DS: I grew up a pastor’s kid, but around 16, I wanted to do my own thing. I got into some destructive music scenes, played in a pop punk band (which I hope no one ever finds), and hung out in some pretty dark circles.
One night after a show, I was in a green room full of smoke, drugs, and broken people pretending everything was okay. But I knew we were all hurting. That moment hit me: “There has to be more than this.” I drove up to Ohio Christian University, and a few months later, I was on my face at the altar, giving it all to God.
I went into worship music for a while—stuff like Bethel Music’s “Have It All” blew me away—but eventually, I found myself writing what came naturally: pop punk. Bands like Fall Out Boy and Panic! at the Disco influenced me growing up, and it just flowed out of me.
So, I thought, “Why not make the music I love for the God I love?” I’ve been writing ever since.
That’s such an honest testimony. How do your songs—like "Heart to Heart" and "Washed in the Water"—reflect your story and your walk with God?
DS: “Washed in the Water” is what I call a ‘period piece’—probably using that term wrong—but I wanted to write from the perspective of someone witnessing Jesus firsthand. Not someone who knows the end of the story, but someone just watching it unfold. Like, “Can I sit at your feet? Can I waste your time?”—even though we know we never waste His time.
An Andy Squires lyric inspires it: “I’ll ask you all my questions, waste all your precious time.” That line gets me every time. So I wrote it from that place of raw wonder and innocence, from someone seeing Jesus perform miracles, not knowing the whole story yet—just awestruck and asking, “Can I stay with you a little longer?”
That’s powerful. And you still lead worship at your church, right?
DS: Yeah, I do. I’m at a small-town church in Ohio—right across from a Little Caesars, so not that far out there. I don’t sing pop punk there. I believe in serving the church in a way they connect with, so if they want to sing “Chain Breaker,” I’m all in. But my music is for the kids who are where I once was—confused, hurting, and in need of truth. I want to be the mouthpiece for them, to help them say what they feel but don’t have words for.
That’s such a beautiful calling. What do you hope to see in Christian music as it moves forward?
DS: Intentionality. That’s the word I keep coming back to. I don’t want to write songs and then figure out what they mean later. I want to start with a message—something God’s placed on my heart—and then make it catchy. I think sometimes we write songs because we feel like we must, not because we have something to say.
I’m not knocking any genre—I’ve even toured with Southern gospel. But I’d love to see more variety in Christian music. Not everyone connects with ultra-pop. We need more perspectives, more genres, more realness. But mostly, we need heart and purpose.
Amen to that. So what’s next for you? Any upcoming releases?
DS: Yes. I recently released a new song, "My Favorite Part," featuring fellow punker Grace Graber. It’s about mental health, and I’m excited for people to hear it. I’ve got a whole record sitting in my back pocket—"Heart to Heart” didn’t even make it on there. I just finished another song today. I’m praying about what God wants next.
We always conclude our interviews by asking, 'How can we pray for you?'
DS: Please pray that I—and other Christian artists—don’t chase recognition or measure success by streams, brand deals, or fame. Pray that we stay rooted in God’s presence and let that be our reward. That we listen to Him above all and focus on the mission He’s given us. Every person who connects with a song is more than enough. Just pray that I keep my heart in the right place.
This interview was transcribed and edited with the assistance of ChatGPT, an AI product developed by OpenAI.
Bradden Ford is a Christian music junkie charged with maintaining NewReleaseToday's new release database of artists and releases. He lives just outside of Nashville, Tennessee.
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