Matt Crocker, the longstanding member and vocalist of Hillsong UNITED and Hillsong Worship, is set to release his solo music debut album titled interlude on June 27, for which pre-orders are now live. Produced by Michael Guy Chislett (Hillsong UNITED) and Aaron Hollinger (Hillsong Young & Free), the anticipated 11-track collection weaves Crocker's love of worship and lyrics with his passion for alternative genres of music. Fans have already fueled excitement for Crocker's new music by streaming his first three singles "hallelujah," "love me as i am" and "JESUS" more than 1 million times combined since releasing the songs over the last two months.
As one of the most celebrated songwriters in contemporary Christian music who wrote and performed anthems including "Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)," "This I Believe (The Creed)," and "I Surrender," Crocker reveals he spent over three years writing more than 100 songs for this debut.
The multi-platinum singer/songwriter explains, "Ever since I can remember, I've turned to music as the way I deal with the moments of life that are 'more than I can handle' kind of moments. It's always realigned and reconnected my heart to the only One who has ever brought me any real solace in the midst of the ever distorting outside noise of my world that seems to spiral out of control the moment I take my song off of Him." He adds, "interlude is just that... no attempt to put songs in services or other spaces, but instead, just picking up an instrument and letting something out that is completely prayer, completely worship, completely me out in the field crying out to Jesus to find me in every up and down state of life."
Crocker describes the theme of interlude as "the in-between" and says sonically this collection is a "merciful rest for the soul," stating, "If you're living in the middle of the in between of what was and what is to come of your life and you're unsure of which way is up, maybe these songs, this interlude, could bring you some joy, some peace, some healing, some truth, some conviction and courage that maybe you're right where God want's you to be."
On May 23, Crocker released the prayerful single "JESUS," which echoes back to the familiar hymn "He Is Mine," and immediately pierces the heart of the listener with Crocker's tender vocals and haunting production. The song's stunning live performance video was filmed on the roof of a warehouse in Orange County, California, and just released last week. Click here to watch now.
Other standout moments on the interlude album include the opening track "sleepless" featuring Crocker's longtime friend and collaborator Brooke Ligertwood, of Hillsong Worship. The two co-wrote the song in only 30 minutes and the original demo production remains on the final recorded version, keeping the raw essence of the song intact.
These songs follow the project's athemic lead single "hallelujah," and tender ballad "love me as i am," both released last month on all music platforms including to his 2.5 million monthly listeners on Spotify.
