Brandon Lake Leads With Five Nominations and Cory Asbury, and Phil Wickham Follow With Three Each, 54 Artists Nominated Across 12 ‘Song of the Year’ Categories
Renowned worship leader, author and pastor Darlene Zschech releases the Here I Am Send Me CD/DVD globally today (March 3) from Integrity Music. Available now at digital and physical retailers, the album was recorded live with her team at Hope Unlimited Church on the Central Coast of New South Wales, Australia, and features 11 new songs penned by her along with guest writers like Martin Smith, Paul Baloche, Jenn Johnson and Leeland Mooring.
Here I Am Send Me is Zschech's first project following a life changing cancer diagnosis in 2014 and her first new album since 2013's critically acclaimed Revealing Jesus. Produced by Andy Mak, the new recording opens with a full-on declaration of the greatness of God in the song and first radio single from the recording, "You Are Great," written with Smith (Delirious?) in response to the most challenging season of her life.
"When I was at my sickest, Martin flew over from England to sit with us, sing songs over our church, and walk and talk with me and my husband, all the while speaking courage into us," Zschech says, her voice full of emotion recalling the dark days after her diagnosis of breast cancer that is now in remission. "It's week one of treatment and you feel like you're going to die, and Martin said, 'Darls, I know you're going to want to write songs about this season. What do you want to say?' And I said, 'I want to say 'HE IS GREAT!' And so we wrote this song together and have been singing it in our church. That's where it started... In the midst of the fire, it doesn't change who our God is."
Following this opening track, the album proceeds to take listeners through a journey declaring God's greatness, love and call, and gives worshippers a voice of response. It features "You Will Be Praised" written with Baloche and Johnson, "Beloved," a modern hymn of surrender co-written by Zschech with Mooring and Casey Moore, "Love and Wonder" written by the Zschech's teen daughter, Zoe,and Bonnie Gray, "Kingdom Come" co-written with Thomas Macken, and "Go" written with Mak. "Go" closes the album and serves as a song of commissioning along with the title track, Here I Am Send Me.
Sharing the new music live around the globe, Zschech will be featured at the Devoted Women's Conference today and tomorrow (March 3-4) in Virginia Beach, VA before heading to Ghana for the nation's 60th Anniversary of Independence on March 6. She will also be featured at the Cherish Women's Conference 2017 June 1-3 in Bradford, UK.
In addition to her touring, Zschech and her new music are gathering current and upcoming covers, features and reviews in media outlets like Charisma, CBN News, Simple Grace, "The Boundless Show" (Focus On The Family), "100 Huntley Street," CCM Magazine, Leading Hearts, Worship Musician and more.
Worship Leader also lauds in its five-star lead review this month that this is a "top-notch album by one of today's premier voices in worship," and goes on to say, "Darlene Zschech is back for her first album since being diagnosed with breast cancer, and Here I Am Send Me is not only an amazing offering filled with new songs for the church to sing, but a personal testimony to God's faithfulness for leading her through that journey."
Worship Musician adds, "In a world that seems to celebrate shameless imitation, there are a finite number of artists who define iconic -- without ever trying. From 'Shout To The Lord' to 'Victor's Crown,' Darlene Zschech has relentlessly led us deeper into the heart of worship. Declaring 'Here I Am, Send Me,' Darlene once again leads us to the holiest of holies...In addition to great worship songs, musos will appreciate Darlene's outstanding vocal performances."
NewReleaseToday.com says, "From the first track to the last, Here I Am Send Me is overflowing with passionate songs of praise, singing His promises through her own pain, all carried by the soft yet bold voice that has led millions into the presence of God."
