NASHVILLE, TENN. – Hillsong Young & Free has launched their first album, We Are Young & Free, and has debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Christian albums chart as well as on the Praise and Worship albums chart. In addition it debuted at No. 22 on the Billboard Top 200 chart and No. 6 on the Overall Digital Albums chart.
Last weekend in New York City to a sold-out crowd at the famed Radio City Music Hall, Young & Free unveiled new music, plus a performance of their single "Alive," which was one of the musical highlights of Hillsong's first-ever U.S. conference. The band continues a run of dates in November opening for worship trailblazers Hillsong UNITED in the U.S.
Given that it's rare for Hillsong to unleash a brand new music team, the launch of Young & Free has predictably captured the excitement of Christians across the globe. Yet while music writers have positively reviewed the new pop sound and the album tops charts around the world, those behind Young & Free are focused on bigger and deeper issues. They want to change the world!
Laura Toggs, Hillsong's youth pastor and the driving force behind the new youth-focused team, says, "Young & Free exists to give voice to this generation and to give our youth an identity. God is calling a generation who will rise up, and who will know deep and unending joy in Jesus Christ."
Fans can watch "Our Story," a mini-doc at
www.hillsongyoungandfree.com that highlights the early stages of the band as they crafted the songs and heart of Young & Free. Also available at
http://hillsongcollected.com/leadership/yf-day-1 the band is posting daily devotionals based on all the songs from
We Are Young & Free.
Hillsong senior pastor Brian Houston said the launch of Young & Free was intentional. He explained that while the new team was "created for teenagers, the whole church comes alive" to the music. "I feel very strongly that we are called to release generations, to be more loyal to the future than we are to the past," he said.
In their official review, NewReleaseTuesday.com states: "Hillsong Young & Free has stood upon a pretty fantastic foundation laid by Hillsong LIVE and Hillsong UNITED, while still injecting something new into worship music. The band has filled a passionate, youthful void left ever since the UNITED team, well, grew up. The synth arrangements are on par with the best pop groups of our day, with a message that far exceeds theirs."
