5 Artists that Speak to Me on a Deeper Level.

I love music. I am very rarely without music going. If there’s silence it’s very intentional and very rare. I remember when I was younger thinking my mom was crazy because she said she just wanted silence after a long day. Music made me feel better, not worse. Now I get what she meant, and it usually happens after a full day of kids screaming and bouncing off the walls. As a music lover, I have come to realize that not all music hits the same. Today I want to share with you five artists and the songs that spoke to me on a deeper level.

For King and Country

“You gave it all for me, I’ll give it all for you. Oh, I’m in love with You. Overwhelmed by You. And if the world is listening, this is my confession: You are my obsession.”

“Amen” For King and Country

You know you’ve been listening to an artist a lot when your toddler sings along without a mistake. The Duo is comprised of brothers Joel and Luke Smallbone, brothers to artist Rebecca St. James. For King and Country is one of those artists that write about real life and they don’t hide about it. One of their most recent songs, “Burn the Ships” came about when one of the brother’s wives was battling addiction. They’ve written songs pertaining to the medical issues their family has gone through and more. Maybe it’s because of the realness of their music that their songs connect so deeply.

While all of their songs are amazing (seriously, check them out), I do have a few favorites that I could name off. My most recent obsession is “Control”. Every time I hear their song “Amen” I want to shout the lyrics in the quote loud enough for the world to hear. They’ve become a part of my personal statement.

Addison Road

“How quickly I forget I’m Yours. I’m not my own, I’ve been carried by You all my life…You’ve become my heart’s desire. I will sing Your praises higher.”

“Hope Now” Addison Road

Addison Road is a group that I came across by accident, actually. I was gifted one of their CDs when I was a teenager. It was around the time when I was rebuilding my faith and their songs “Hope Now” and “What Do I Know of Holy” described my life to that point so well that I have never been able to get them out of my system. Their other songs speak of reaching out to others against the fun alternative pop/rock genre that easily defined those years.

Perhaps it was “What Do I Know of Holy” that spoke the most. It speaks of someone living the facade but not really deepening their faith. “I knew all the stories and I learned to talk about how You are mighty to save, but those are only empty words on a page….” The whole theme of it is questioning who God really is and if we really know Him. Even so, I can’t deny the true-to-life lyrics that are from “Hope Now”. As someone who has been saved from death’s door so many times, I know that there is a Higher Power carrying me and watching over me.

Natalie Grant

“I’m not gonna hide, I’m not gonna run away. I’ll uncover the scars and show you every mistake. Your love is mending my blisters and my bruising shame.”

“Safe” Natalie Grant

Natalie Grant is an amazing artist. I love belting out with her as she sings “In Christ Alone”. Her song “Held” is a reminder that things happen but that we are still held in the pain. I listen to her music and I am reminded Who is the foundation of my life. Not surprisingly, a lot of her songs I’m drawn to are the ones that speak of being weary but holding on to Hope.

Yet it is her song “Safe” that I turned to for my first solo dance. I used it to uncover all the pain and scars I had from the trauma of my childhood. I still listen to it and remember that in God’s hands I am completely safe. I find the love that I long for without the fear of being hurt.

Hillsong

“My heart and my soul, I give You control. Consume me from the inside out.”

“Inside Out” Hillsong United

I have listened to Hillsong for as long as I can remember. They are one of the most well-known, maybe the most well-known, worship team. Their songs have surrounded me from childhood to now. Which kind of makes choosing just a few songs a hard one. Their “Desert Song” certainly is my prayer throughout the stages of my life: That I would bring praise in every situation. “Lead Me to the Cross” was the first song I lead on the youth worship team. I was so nervous and nearly gave it away to another singer that night. I remember kneeling on that stage before the service and asking God to help me, to get me through the song. He did and I think of His goodness every time I listen to that song now. “Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)” is the cry of my entire being, that in the very depths of me I long to follow His way, even beyond my comfort zone.

Whenever I’m in a mood to worship and seek His face, Hillsong is easily one of the artists to do such. Maybe I say that because the songs are so familiar to me that I can lose myself in them without worrying about whether I actually know the lyrics or not.

Backstreet Boys

“I tried to go on like I never knew you. I’m awake but my world is half asleep. I pray for this heart to be unbroken, but without you all I’m going to be is incomplete.”

“Incomplete” Backstreet Boys

Yes, please go ahead and laugh. Let me say that I never thought the day would come when I listed BSB instead of NSYNC, but it has for two reasons. The first one is their song “Shape of My Heart”. I was probably sixteen or seventeen when I was listening to this song one day and I just started pouring my heart out to God. I literally sang this song to Him as I sat there in my room crying. I fully believe God used this song to reach out to me and draw me nearer to Him. He used it to show me mediocrity that was really behind the mask of faith I had been living with. The second reason is their song “Incomplete”. Every time I try to live life apart from God’s plan, apart from Him, I feel incomplete. I have lived portions of my life as if I didn’t know God and I felt so lost, everything I did was such a struggle. That’s the mood I get behind this song, and just like “Shape of My Heart” it’s an intimate song I sing to God as I thank Him for staying close to me.

What musical artist(s) have spoken to you on a deeper level? Who are you currently listening to and why?