Jaye King’s story is messy. Yet, that’s also what makes it so miraculous. The new Centricity Music recording artist had every reason not to succeed; but through obedience, hard work and divine intervention, he’s still got a song to sing.

“I can’t even talk about my story without smiling,” King says. “I’ll cry while smiling because God took what the enemy meant to be an evil thing — a destructive thing — and brought life to it. My story says I shouldn’t be the person I am, but my God comes in and says, ‘I’m going to redeem that, and I’m going to use that.’”

Growing up just south of Tampa, in Bradenton, Florida, life was difficult for King and his three sisters, who were raised by a single mom. Although he saw his dad at church nearly every Sunday, his father was never a consistent part of his life, which left King confused and skeptical of devout faith. Music gave the multi-instrumentalist a sense of safety and peace. Today, he’s a deft musician who can arguably pick up and play just about anything, but drums remain his first love.

Armed with a savvy mind for business and an unmatched work ethic modeled by his mother, King held aspirations of climbing the corporate ladder and giving his family — and other families — the life he never had. But that vision began to change when he had a transformative encounter with the Lord at a youth conference as a teen. After that life-altering experience, God slowly began showing him how he could use the healing power of music to help others. Eventually, King’s call shifted from business to the local church, where he’s led worship for well over a decade.

In and out of bands since he was in his early 20s, King — who now resides right outside of Nashville — quietly wrote and recorded his own music as an independent artist for years. Though he never had dreams for his songs beyond his own journal.

Now, spreading faith, hope and love one song at a time, the personable family man is inviting listeners into his world. Given his upbringing, one might assume that he’d be guarded, but instead, King is surprisingly an open book. His melodies are as big and bold as his personality, but his lyrics are as intimate as his prayers.

“Throughout those early years of trying to find my musical voice, the Lord just kept leading me back to my journal. It was just me and Him,” the father of three recalls. “I still feel that way, even in collaborative rooms. It feels like it’s just me and Him; we’re having a conversation. Now there’s just more minds to help me put words to it.”

Still, that hidden season provided an invaluable training ground that built the steady foundation King stands on today as a songwriter.

“Every journal entry was something I could put melody to. I was learning how to arrange my story and then put it into a song, discovering who I really am as a person and what my sound really is,” he reflects, recalling those early days when his craft and calling were taking shape. “Over time, I realized my story has many different threads. I thought I was just developing my penmanship and growing in my understanding of myself. What has turned into a career was once just me obeying the steps God was putting in front of me.”

Each obedient step has led King to center stage — a place he never imagined he’d be and one he never would have chosen for himself. In fact, it’s hard to believe the magnetic vocalist holding the mic is the same person who claims to prefer a supporting role behind a drum kit. Ironically, he says people regularly commend how he appears to own the stage with notable charisma and confidence. “That’s God. That’s the Lord working, because I get up there, and I know why I’m there,” shares King, whose love of entertainers like Michael Jackson and Bruno Mars is channeled into his energetic live show. “When you’re an artist, usually it’s ‘look at me,’ but my sole calling is to tell people to look at Him.”

That’s precisely the approach he takes with the original music he’s rolling out via his freshly minted label partnership with Centricity — songs that blend enthusiastic pop, laidback R&B and feel-good funk with lyrics that are fueled by high optimism and an unshakable belief in a God who is in the business of redemption. “I’ve always wanted to write songs that talk about real things but have a joyful beat to them,” he says, noting that his songs don’t eschew life’s challenges.

For example, triumphant introductory release “Hard Place” turns the familiar “rock and a hard place” idiom on its head with personal depth set to a soulful, pop-centric groove. “It’s this idea that I had to go a long way to get to where the Lord has called me — and I haven’t arrived — but I know He’s the rock because I found Him in a place that was low. I found Him in a place that was messy,” King observes of the original he penned with Sajan Nauriyal and Nick Bays. “What kind of God, in true perfection, is willing to get dirty? Well, that’s the God I serve. The places in my life where I was the most stuck are the places where I found Christ.”

Messages of grace and hope permeate tracks like Gospel retrograde “Falling Into It” and burst of sunshine “It’ll Be Alright,” while funk and rhythm color the bright “Good News.” “Man, if I’m not too far gone for saving, that’s good news for somebody,” King attests. “No matter how messy your story is, if you’ve accepted Christ, you can declare this good news to somebody else.”

Other selections deliver sing-it-before-you-see-it anthems, like the heartfelt “I’ve Got Jesus,” which King co-wrote with Josh Nichols and Kevin Rooney as an offering of faith. “There’s a lot of people who navigate the emotions of praying to a God they’ve been faithful to and a God they’re trying to lead people to, but they also have a need God hasn’t met yet, and they’re asking: How am I supposed to declare You’re good?” he contends. “Even when healing doesn’t come, He’s still a healer. This is the anthem you sing when what you’re walking through doesn’t match who He says He is. It’s a way to remind ourselves, no matter what we’re going through, the truth still stands. God is still God.”

Every song King shares offers another glimpse into the truth that has set him free and the God who willingly enters the grit of humanity. “My music is my heart. It’s my story,” he attests. “It is all me.”

At its core, his music speaks to the heart of a kid who didn’t have a dad but grew into a man who can’t help but tell others about his Heavenly Father. King insists he could never write a story that good.

“The only part I’m playing in all of this is saying ‘yes’ every day,” he says of his musical journey. “It’s just obedience and day-to-day trust in where the Lord is leading. Wherever He leads, I’m going to obey and follow.”