Multi-GRAMMY® nominated, multi-GMA Dove Award® winning, and Billboard No. 1 charting group Elevation Worship has released their new album! We heard from Chris Brown on how their new album LION embodies the paradoxical nature of who God is.

LION is out! We are so excited for these songs to reach the Church. First off, tell us about the decision process behind the artwork. The biblical symbol of the lamb is a popular one, but tell us why it was chosen specifically for this record.

To be honest, like a lot of the songs on this album, the process of landing the title and then the artwork was explorative. In writing, we’ve enjoyed having a different starting point and goal over the last year, challenging what we think of as a “church” song. And we weren’t sure if some of these songs were meant to live on the same project or not.

But as it came together, it felt quite beautiful and appropriate to have an album that wasn’t exactly singular in its sound.

It felt right to us to have an acoustic pop ballad like “Dancing” live beside “Water Is Wild,” a rock song about the baptism of Jesus. Or to open the album with an unexpected song like “Bye Bye Babylon,” then kick into an upbeat “Sunday morning” church song like “What I See.” So as the album took shape and was colorful in nature and diverse stylistically, we looked to our (also very different) song “LION” as a title track.

Then Pastor Steven fittingly said not to go an expected route for the cover art, but instead, showcase the encompassing and paradoxical nature of who God is. Put a lamb on the cover. And it felt perfect.

So much of God’s kingdom embodies paradox. Jesus himself does: He was servant AND master. He was sovereign AND he submitted to authority. He’s the beginning AND the end. He’s the Lion AND the Lamb.

Why did you all decide to lead with the single “Same God?” What is it about this song’s message that introduces the new project?

There’s so much in our lives that’s constantly changing or shifting. Relationships can naturally ebb and flow depending on the season.

We get a new job. Our countries’ leaders change. New bills get passed. Not to mention the unstable nature of the last two years. As we’ve led this song in our church over the last several months, I believe what’s resonated most with our people is acknowledging God as everlastingly the same.

From his covenant with Jacob, to seeing his people delivered from Egypt, to his promise to Mary, to his promise to me and you…knowing that we’re a part of a great cloud of witnesses who also testify that the Lord keeps his covenant of love to a thousand generations brings an undeniable peace and strength to us as his followers.

The title track sonically feels like a lion’s roar. It’s so sensory. Tell us about the process of capturing this powerful song.

This was one of the easiest songs to produce with our band. It seemed to know exactly what to do with itself right away. Pastor Steven, Brandon Lake and myself wrote it on a Wednesday, banging as hard as we could on a keyboard and acoustic, so we called the band together the next day to flesh it out. And that single D note that drones throughout the song set the tone for where the song needed to go musically.

From there it was just fun discovering what each musician needed to bring to support a song like this that was different from anything we’ve written before. We knew it couldn’t be too playful though because the lyric is very weighty and vertical.

Tell us about the collaborators on this record. Why were Chandler Moore, Pat Barrett, and more the right people to spiritually communicate these songs? And tell us about introducing the Valley Boys on the opening track!

The last few years, we’ve just really enjoyed writing with new voices and creators. Pat, Brandon, Chandler and Jason Ingram are just a few of the guys we collaborated with on this album, and as songs came, their voices felt indelibly attached to certain songs.

Having them a part of LION is a joy. And I won’t try and over-explain Valley Boys (haha). I’ll just say creating with so many different people leaves much room for exploring new spaces and directions.

LION almost feels like a continuation of the sentiment and purpose of Old Church Basement (2021): returning to the roots of why we worship. These songs feel enthusiastic, unabashed, and spontaneous. Is this a reflection of where Elevation is at collectively as a church and as individual believers?

We definitely try and carry what we’ve learned or love into the next season.

Coming off of Old Church Basement, the landscape for creating felt way more open. Songs like “Water Is Wild,” “Might Get Loud” and “Welcome Resurrection” were recorded on the first time our church had gathered back together for a night of worship in 18 months due to the pandemic. So the energy and enthusiasm and passion you feel could not be more authentic to how the room felt that night.

Our congregation was so excited to be back worshiping together like that. I think this album as a whole represents where our church is right now and we’re so happy others finally get to experience it as well.

Elevation Worship