A new song is a fresh and inspiring way to express the gospel. It can be an important part of the church’s witness to a hurting world. It also gives a fresh outlook on the old truths of God’s Word, which are timeless. A new song is prepared with the same ingredients as the songs of faith the psalmists wrote thousands of years ago, but it must be prepared anew in the hearts of believers. It is the result of a change in heart and an act of worship.
The New Song, a contemporary Christian music group, was founded in 1981 at Morningside Baptist Church in Valdosta, Georgia. They were led by songwriter and vocalist Russ Lee who was also the lead pastor of the church. The group has had twelve GMA Dove Award nominations and one Grammy Award nod.
In addition to making great music, the members of NewSong are active in evangelism and humanitarian work. They have worked with World Vision, an organization dedicated to helping children and their families, and they have been involved in supporting Holt International, an adoption agency. The group has also performed on the Winter Jam Tour Spectacular, an annual musical event that draws tens of thousands to see bands like MercyMe, Skillet, BarlowGirl and American Idol winner Mandisa.
NewSong was one of the most popular bands in the Christian music industry at the turn of the century, and it is still a favorite among many Christians today. Despite the departures of original members, the group continues to have success with current members Michael O’Brien and Steve Reischl. In 2000, the band released a new album called Sheltering Tree that reached number 1 on the GMA Dove Awards chart.
After the 1970 election of the first democratic socialist government in South America, a movement known as nueva cancion or the New Song Movement became popular throughout Latin America. This popular music was used as a means of reaffirming traditional culture, but it also served as a vehicle for expressing collective struggle and calling for social change. In the late ’60s and early ’70s, dictatorships in the region suppressed the genre as its lyrics became increasingly politicized. In Chile, popular musician Victor Jara was murdered in 1973 during a military coup that ousted the Allende government.
Doechii signed to Top Dawg in 2022, but she’s already releasing material that’s more fully realized than most of what the label’s previous artists have produced. “Baby,” a tightly wound single off Crash, is her most polished and fun song yet — and, more importantly, balances the more serious tones of her earlier work with an infectiously catchy chorus that deserves to be repeated into earworm oblivion.