Here's what's happening TODAY in Christian music...
1. No last day of tour is complete without a few pranks. For the final day of Switchfoot's tour with NEEDTOBREATHE, the Switchfoot guys cut out pictures of the NEEDTOBREATHE members' faces and wore them as masks. The result was equal parts unsettling and hilarious.
2. Although Building 429 has decided on which songs are going to make their upcoming album Unashamed, there are a few they loved that didn't make the cut. Once such song is "Closer," which they posted online as an acoustic performance so fans could still get a chance to hear it.
3. Everyone celebrates their birthdays in different ways. For Jimmy Needham, his birthday celebration involved surprise tickets from his wife to see Aladdin on Broadway. Jimmy was celebrating a milestone year with his 30th birthday.
4. Kevin Young of Disciple celebrated nine years to marriage with his wife Julie this week. Kevin shared a recent family photo of the couple with their three kids in celebration, calling his wife "super mom."
5. If you've been missing hearing from Stephen Christian of Anberlin, get excited: you're about to hear from him again in a whole new way. The singer shared that he has signed a deal with a literary agent, and he has a new book in the works.
6. It's always exciting to see the way music can create powerhouse partnerships. One such partnership was announced this week as Leeland has officially become a part of the Bethel Music ministry. Bethel is sharing some details about the artist through posts on their social media accounts.
7. Morgan Harper Nichols has been lending her powerful voice to some other artists' songs this week, creating instagram cover videos based on suggestions from fans. Selections so far include "Oceans" by Hillsong and "Flawless" by MercyMe.
8. Good news for any longtime Panheads: Skillet is hard at work on pre-production for their next album, and they're working with the same production team who crafted Comatose in 2006. John Cooper shared a snapshot from the studio of himself with producer Brian Howes, sharing his excitement.
Quotes (3)
1. "Being a Christian may not always be an easy job, may not always pay well, but the retirement plan is out of this world." - About the Author
2. "My hope rests in the One who called me to do this music thing. For too long I've had it backwards, now I finally get it. Jesus truly is the one where all my hope runs to." - Manwell, Group 1 Crew
3 "God hands us things sometimes. For us, it might be melodies and words; are we faithful to receive them?" - Aaron Shust
For more quotes from your favorite Christian artists, click here.
