Today, the multi-platinum-selling Christian music powerhouse and chart leading Hillsong UNITED announced their sixth full-length studio album titled “Wonder,” set to be unveiled in all music stores on June 9th. Undisputedly one of the genre’s most influential artists in the history of contemporary Christian music (over 2 million albums sold and 700 million career streams to date, remaining the #1 Christian artist on all social media platforms reaching over 9 million fans combined), the band that rocketed to no. 5 on Billboard’s Top 200 with their last record “Empires,” hopes to re-awaken the innate sense of Wonder within the human being.
“Have we lost the Wonder?” asked Joel Houston, front man for the modest Australia-born band that has since become an international phenomenon.
Explaining intrinsically what it means further, Houston continues, “The hope, the imagination to dream, to believe, the tenderness to listen and lead first with mercy, the grace to empathize, the courage to trust, the fearlessness to love without pretense or condition. To see beyond the facts without dismissing them. To respond beyond the fear without reciprocating it. To sing beyond the noise, without adding to it. This is the challenge, and this is what worship— if worship can be summed up as an expression of art and music and story— is ultimately designed to do. To elevate the conversation, re-awaken the soul to something other, and lift our eyes to the wonder of a superlative truth.”
With the announcement comes two instant grats on iTunes and Spotify for songs “Wonder” and “Splinters and Stones.”
Track Listing for “Wonder”
Wonder
Shadow Step
Future Marches In
So Will I (100 Billion X)
Splinters and Stones
Glimmer in the Dust
Greatest of These
Shape of Your Heart
Not Today
Life
Rain / Reign
Water to Wine
Hillsong UNITED’s sixth full-length studio album “Wonder” is available for pre-order today and out on June 9th everywhere music is sold.
LYRIC VIDEO PREMIERE “WONDER”
LIVE ACOUSTIC PERFORMANCE & SONG STORY OF “WONDER”
Watch a full live performance of the latest single, “Wonder” by Hilsong United!
Immediately following the performance, they give a short interview sharing the
song story (inspiration and meaning) behind the new single.
About Hillsong UNITED:
Hillsong UNITED is a multi-award-winning, platinum-selling artist whose chart successes (repeatedly no. 1 on Billboard’s Christian charts and up to #5 on Billboard 200) are only bested by the millions of lives they’ve impacted across the globe. Reporting over 50 million people singing from a catalogue of UNITED songs every Sunday, the modest band born from a youth ministry out of Hillsong Church in Australia, touts a reach of over 9 million across all major social network platforms to date. Comprised of an evolving, eclectic mix of musicians and songwriters, the band is led by Joel Houston and Taya Smith, names that have become synonymous with Christian radio, dominating airwaves with every new release. Their last four studio albums have each topped the USA Christian chart, with “Zion” and “Empires” charting no. 1 (Zion recently also went Gold in the US); and “Oceans,” written by Houston and band member Matt Crocker recently went double platinum in the States, counting 200+ million streams and reigning on top of the Christian songs chart for a record 54 weeks. In studio, on tour or at home, Hillsong UNITED is committed to writing songs that speak truth, create a unique sound and connects people everywhere with God, evident by the success they’ve seen globally. With over 42 countries and six continents and counting, Hillsong UNITED continues to sell out arenas and stadiums around the world, including sold-out nights at the Forum, STAPLES Center and The Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, the Bridgestone Arena, American Airlines Arena, and the Hammerstein Ballroom in NYC to scratch the surface. Hillsong UNITED profoundly functions from the deep understanding that everything they do is an expression of a really extraordinary God doing what only He can do, through really ordinary people. The sixth full-length studio album “Wonder” will be available June 9theverywhere music is sold. For more on Hillsong UNITED visit www.hillsong.com/UNITED/ or @hillsongunited on all social platforms.
Tamara Young-McCoy is the founder of ArtSoul Konnect Entertainment Media, home to ArtSoulRadio.com, and a Radio Host/Journalist whose work has appeared in Ebony, Jet, Blavity, and other publications. With a background in TV, film, and digital media, she is dedicated to bridging faith, culture, and entertainment through storytelling and media innovation. She is passionate about mentoring young creatives, amplifying diverse voices, and advancing the Christian music industry while expanding its mainstream reach. Follow her on social media or learn more at www.tamarayoungmccoy.com.
After a three-city string of private listening events and insightful new interview with Sway In The Morning, Miami’s own Aklesso unveils his deeply personal album Still Lonely, released via Rodney Jerkins’ Alienz Alive. A follow-up to his praised 2024 album Lonely, the project solidifies him as one of Hip-Hop’s most honest storytellers.
Produced by Okay.Benny, William Soolua, and GLEECE, Still Lonely is a vulnerable, atmospheric exploration of fatherhood, faith, abandonment, and generational healing. The album expands the emotional universe introduced through his recent singles, including the Lecrae-collaborated single “Lonely” and the Darrel Jones–directed “Range!” featuring 1K Phew.
Listen to Still Lonely in its entirety below and watch his intimate conversation with Darkchild below:
“Aklesso’s story, his culture, and his sound all carry a weight that this generation needs to hear. From Miami to Haiti to the global stage, he’s not just making records, he’s making an impact. At Alienz Alive, we’re about building legacy, and Aklesso embodies that. I couldn’t be more excited to walk this journey with him.”
The Haitian lyricist, Aklesso, shares:
“This is the most honest project I’ve ever made. It’s not about perfect answers, it’s about presence. It’s about realizing God was with me even in the moments I felt the most alone.”
Be sure to stream and purchase this latest release – Now Available everywhere where music is sold.
Aklesso and Jon Keith — both artists signed to legendary producer Rodney Jerkins’ label Alienz Alive — have released fresh visuals for their collaborative single, “Freedom.” The record blends hard-hitting Hip Hop energy with smooth, melodic vocals, creating a sound that feels emotionally raw while remaining sonically intentional.
While both artists are often categorized as Hip Hop, Freedom exists beyond strict genre lines. The collaboration reflects a layered musical identity — Hip Hop at its core, but shaped by vulnerability, reflection, and a willingness to confront real-life struggles head-on.
At the heart of Freedom is a conversation many artists — and listeners — are quietly having: how do you break generational cycles without becoming consumed by them?
Aklesso’s verses pull listeners into an unfiltered space, addressing trauma, fear, and mental health battles that often go unspoken. Lines wrestling with destiny, survival, and internal conflict give the song its emotional weight, while the repeated declaration — “Promise you, promise God, I will never repeat the trauma” — stands as both a confession and a commitment. It’s not framed as perfection, but as responsibility.
Jon Keith’s chorus offers balance and resolve, reframing freedom as something that requires intention and partnership. “There’s freedom if we try… if we fight” positions healing as an active process — one that involves effort, faith, and community rather than isolation. The repeated refrain, “It’s you and I,” underscores the idea that freedom isn’t achieved alone.
The visuals echo that same tension between struggle and hope. Clean, focused imagery allows the message to lead, reinforcing the song’s core theme: freedom is not just personal — it’s generational. Choosing healing today shapes what gets passed on tomorrow.
In a cultural moment where conversations around mental health, faith, and generational healing are becoming more urgent, “Freedom” lands as more than a collaboration. It’s a statement — one rooted in honesty, faith, and the courage to choose a different path forward.
WATCH THE VIDEO HERE:
WATCH: ArtSoul Radio’s Exclusive Interview with Aklesso & Jon Keith on “Freedom”
Chicago was the backdrop for a moment you couldn’t script any better: GRAMMY®, Dove, and Stellar Award-winning powerhouse Jonathan McReynolds linking arms with American Idol Season 23 winner Jamal Roberts to deliver a live ballad that hits straight to the soul. Their new single, “Still,” isn’t just another worship record—it’s a reminder that God’s love is the one thing that doesn’t shift when life does.
Recorded live in McReynolds’ hometown, the song is lifted from his forthcoming project Closer—an album already carrying heavy anticipation. What unfolds in “Still” is classic Jonathan: heartfelt storytelling, layered with rich theology, now elevated by Roberts’ fresh, unshaken voice.
Jonathan McReynolds has carved out a lane few can touch—an artist who makes Gospel feel as real as your group chat confessions. His catalog has always balanced honesty and worship, bringing Sunday morning depth into everyday playlists.
Enter Jamal Roberts: the new voice America fell in love with on American Idol. His win wasn’t just about vocal ability—it was about heart, authenticity, and the kind of presence that feels rare. Pairing him with McReynolds doesn’t just make sense; it feels prophetic. It’s the kind of intergenerational link-up that keeps Gospel fresh while honoring its roots.
The Vibe
With “Still,” Jonathan McReynolds and Jamal Roberts don’t just give us another Gospel single—they give us a soundtrack for resilience. It’s raw, it’s soulful, and it’s proof that the future of faith-based music is in good hands. Expect this one to be on repeat long after the Stellars.