Hillsong Worship may be one of the biggest Christian musical groups of 2018 if not the number one contributor over the past 12 months. On estimate, their music is sung by 50 million people in 60 different languages each week. But it’s been their youngest band, Hillsong Young & Free, that’s developed an incomparable sound for the rising generation.
At first, it can be confusing to distinguish Hillsong music. Hillsong United, perhaps the most well-known name, used to represent the church’s youth before aging into an alternative rock band. Young & Free consequently emerged in 2013 as the contemporary youthful sound, while Hillsong Worship embodies both groups collectively.
Interestingly enough, there was never a leadership plan for Young & Free to develop. A youth group pastor simply challenged its youth to start writing for an age group that didn’t have music on the radio for them. Nobody anticipated a movement.
“The best and most crazy part is, like, none of us auditioned to be in Young & Free,” said band member Renee Sieff in a YouTube interview. “None of us were hand-picked. It’s literally just we were all there at the same time at the right time in God’s timing.”
Their first album We Are Young & Free debuted in 2013 as their new, wonderous beginning. Youth Revival came next in 2016 as a “hopeful discovery” to see a revival among young hearts. And III, their newest record, dropped June of 2018 with 17 new songs.
The impressive tracklist includes a sonically eclectic portfolio, featuring musical patterns that would transfer perfectly into a Sunday worship setlist. “Push/Pull,” “Highs & Lows,” and “Heart of God” all have components of an ethereal sound, resembling musical characteristics of their big brother, Hillsong United. Meanwhile, some tracks are entirely differentiated. Songs like “Hindsight,” “Let Go,” and “Love Won’t Let Me Down” contain more of a techno beat with looped vocal samples. It sounds like modern pop, and you can’t help but want to dance to them.
Despite the band’s youthfulness, there is still a maturity to Young & Free. The themes are cultivated in response to their personal growth over the past five years. One song in particular, “Peace,” is crafted as a musical remedy for mental illnesses. The ballad’s chord structure and lyrical composure intentionally create a tranquil sound for the listener.
On their website, Young & Free define this album holistically as “a collection of tracks that are personal and real. Songs [were] penned and recorded by individuals who have learned to plant their feet on the ground and yet lift their eyes to the heavens still.”
To find out more information about the album or to listen to the studio record online, visit Young & Free’s website here. Hillsong Worship and their subsequent music groups are available on streaming services as well.
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