NEW WORSHIP FRIDAY: Dwan Hill, Shout Praises Kids & Nico Battaglia
Dwan Hill releases his new single 'Mansion', a groove-infused song that showcases Hill’s musical skill and highly creative approach to worship music. Having always been interested in Jesus’ use of the word "mansion" in the Scriptures and finding out the translation of the original word to be closer to "many rooms" through studying, Dwan Hill chose to use the King James’s description as inspiration and metaphor. From it, the Nashville-based singer-songwriter created an illustration of the restoration of all things in the new heaven and earth at Christ’s return. The joyous soundscape holds the theological backbone of the songs, bringing listeners to grasp the wonder of Jesus’ return afresh. "I wanted to bring a fresh, tangible portrayal of [Christ’s] second coming, one that looked forward to the beauty of our renovated world to come and the revelation of Christ’s eternal kingdom, which will truly and literally be heaven on earth," Hill says. 'Mansion' is meant to bring fresh expectation, in the midst of the trauma and catastrophe in the world at-large, for the people of God to sound a clarion call about the hope in eternal life through Christ. "In no way do I support escapism or a disregard for immediate reality," Hill concludes, "but I do believe Christ is the present-day answer to the troubles we face, and His imminent return is a future reality in which we should all place our hope." 'Mansion' was co-produced by Kevin Dailey, marking the first time Hill invited someone to produce his music alongside him.
Having not had new music released under the Shout Praises Kids (SPK) brand since 2014, the children’s music brand is now releasing new music for the next generation of listeners and worshippers. ‘Great Are You Lord’ is an album compiling some of Integrity Music’s top songs from artists and writers re-recorded by kids, for kids. SPK presents a bright and inspiring project starting with the opener ‘Only Jesus Christ’, declaring the only name over everything, which sets the tone for what this relaunch of SPK is all about. SPK is passionate about children being the church of today, not just tomorrow, and working to inspire them in their journey of worship and adoration. The 11 new songs on ‘Great Are You Lord’ put beautiful truths to music for children to grow into. The hope for the reintroduction of Shout Praises Kids is that it will serve children and engage their trust and freedom to worship as the example is set for them by peers in a similar season of life as them.
Italian songwriter Nico Battaglia is releasing the English version of his song 'Speranza di gloria', called 'Hope Of Glory'. This song was written over ten years ago inspired by Colossians 1:24, "Christ in us is the hope of glory," a high hope that allows us to live in the dimension of eternal things. This song came during a very difficult time in the worship leader's life as he faced rehabilitation due to tongue cancer. The words of this song became his prayer, and his hope is that 'Hope of Glory' would encourage us to look to Christ who is the true and only hope.