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Hillsong United’s Benjamin Hastings Embarks on A Solo Journey

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NASHVILLE, Tn – Singer, and songwriter Benjamin Hastings is known for his work with Hillsong United. But the award-winning songwriter is now embarking on a solo music career. This new journey comes as he finds himself nominated for a Dove Award for “Worship Song of The Year.”

CBN News’s Studio 5 traveled to Nashville to chat with Hastings about his international music journey.

He was born in Belfast, Ireland before connecting with Hillsong’s music school in Sydney, Australia.

“Belfast is a fascinating place. I love Belfast and it’s always fun to go back and kind of crawl back into like, the little Irish hole. And, you know, it’s really, really nice,”  Hastings said. “So, when I was in Belfast, I was busking. You know what that is? It’s like those people on the street, who are just, like, singing, playing, yelling at people trying to grab their attention.”

“So, I was doing that pretty much as a full-time job in Belfast. I was doing a few bands doing some different things, but I had discovered and when I was maybe 15 or 16, I was in a bookshop and I discovered a Hillsong United record and I fell in love with the music. And what was really cool was United came and played a show in Belfast and I got to meet all the guys and none of them remembered me. But I was like I was so stoked,” he continued. 

“And then somewhere in the middle of all that I had; I sort of felt compelled to go out to Australia and be a part of the church there, be a part of the college, do that whole thing,” Hastings explained. “So, when I was 19, I moved out there, yeah, through this kind of crazy set of events, ended up writing songs that I started using on records and became really good friends with all those guys that I met back in Belfast. And yeah, it was, it was a whirlwind.”

The singer also had a hand in writing songs that are heard in virtually every Christian church.

“It’s kind of surreal. Like, if I ever get to be in a church and hear someone leading like a song that I got to play a part in, it’s this really surreal, beautiful moment where you’re like it feels like it doesn’t feel like mine,” Hastings told Studio 5. “That makes sense. It feels like you. You create something, and then you hand it over to the church.”

One song he had a hand in crafting is So Will I (100 Billion X).  

“That was the first song I ever wrote with Joel. And we went on this journey together of over the course of maybe a year and a half, just bouncing sporadically, bouncing back and forward ideas. And he was the one that originally sent me the concept of like, OK, well, what if we make every course different? We take people on this journey. And as a part of that and that initial, he kind of blasted me. The thousand lyrics. And at the end, there was that line he’d swap the 100 galaxies in the last course to 100 billion failures disappear,” he recalled. 

“As soon as I read that, I was like, ‘Oh, wow!’ That’s like I actually fully see reading. And I remember saying to him in this text, ‘I wish I could find it on an old phone, and I lost it.’ But we have this text thread where I was like, oh, this is so beautiful. And I was like, I don’t think anyone’s going to sing this anymore, but like at least will love it. And I remember, he replied, it’s like, ‘I think you’ll be surprised what people will sing,” Hastings continued. 

The song was nominated for a Dove Award in 2018 when Hillsong earned 11 nominations. 

This year, Hastings is part of the team nominated for “Worship Song of The Year” for Know You Will.

“I’ve got a really funny story about it, so that song and we were working on the album Are We There Yet? All kind of through the pandemic season. And then one night he was in the studio by himself. And in the studio, we have like a golf net, like just hit balls into. And so, he was in there just practicing his swing. He would ride for a little bit and go in there and just hit some balls and somehow, some way he hit the ball wrong, and it went straight up in the air, hit a fire sprinkler,” the singer recalled. 

“The sprinkler comes off and all of a sudden we have CCTV footage of this. It is so funny all of a sudden there’s liquid. I wouldn’t even say water because it wasn’t water. And this is like black gunk starts firing out of this thing. Like, I think they excrete like ten gallons a second or something. It’s something insane. So, this old water from this old 50’s building is just pumping all over the studio, and he’s, like, standing there, just getting covered. And essentially what is like sewage kind of water that is like, what do I do?” Hastings explained. 

“So, he runs to the kitchen, grabs the paper towels, and starts trying to clean it up. And he quickly realized this is not going to help. And so, this place is flooding. So, it’s the middle of the night, like five in the morning. The studio is flooded, and they sat down and wrote the chorus. I don’t know how you make a way, but I know you will,” he told Studio 5.

“In the verse, we wrote in a bit about, I can’t remember what it is right off the top of my head, but we wrote a bit about the flood and then the thing, and it’s just a strict reference to the time Joe flooded the studio,” Hastings concluded.

You can watch the 53rd Annual GMA Dove Awards airing at 8:00 pm, Friday, Oct. 21 on TBN and the TBN app. There will be several performances from artists including Annie Wilson, Maverick City Music, and TobyMac.

CBN

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MAN DOWN! Photos of Nigerian Gospel Sensation Moses Bliss as he Pops the Question to Instagram Love, Marie Wiseborn

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In a heartwarming turn of events, popular Nigerian gospel musician Moses Bliss has taken a leap of faith by proposing to his girlfriend, Marie Wiseborn. The talented artist and his now-fiancée met through the power of social media, particularly Instagram, where their love story began to unfold.

Moses Bliss, known for his soul-stirring gospel hits, decided to make his personal life a public celebration by sharing the joyous news on his official Instagram account. The post, accompanied by a series of enchanting photos capturing the magical moment, quickly garnered thousands of likes and heartfelt comments from fans and well-wishers alike.

The love story between Moses and Marie began when they connected on Instagram, where Marie, a devoted fan of Moses’s music, reached out to express her admiration for his work. What started as a fan’s appreciation soon blossomed into a deep and meaningful connection between the two.

Their relationship has been a source of inspiration for many, as they openly shared their journey on social media, showcasing the beauty of love that transcends boundaries. From virtual messages to face-to-face meetings, Moses and Marie’s love story unfolded in a way that resonated with fans who found solace and hope in their commitment to each other.

The proposal took place in a romantic setting, with Moses Bliss surprising Marie with a heartfelt declaration of love and a stunning engagement ring. The emotional moment was captured in a series of photos that reflect the pure joy and love shared between the couple.

Fans and fellow musicians flooded social media with congratulatory messages, expressing their excitement and happiness for the couple. Many praised Moses Bliss for his romantic gesture and wished the pair a lifetime of love and happiness.

As the news of Moses Bliss’s proposal continues to make waves on social media, the couple is undoubtedly set to embark on a new chapter of their lives together. Fans eagerly anticipate updates on wedding plans and eagerly await more glimpses into the journey of Moses Bliss and Marie Wiseborn as they navigate the path to marital bliss.

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Gospel singer dies of heart attack after collapsing on stage

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Thirty-year-old Brazilian Gospel singer Pedro Henrique died Wednesday night, reportedly after he collapsed on stage while in the middle of delivering a performance.

Henrique was performing at a religious event in Brazil when he fell to the ground and became unconscious, according to a TMZ report. 

His record label, Todah Music, reported that Henrique’s cause of death was due to a heart attack.

“There are very difficult situations in life, for which we have no explanation. We just need to understand that the will of God prevails!” Todah Music wrote in a Thursday social media post, according to an Instagram translation. 

The record label described him as a “present husband and super dedicated father.”

“There is no pastor or christian in Brazil who says anything different,” the Instagram post continues, adding that his legacy will live on through his wife and daughter as well as the “many lives that have been and will be reached by Christ through the records of his voice!”

An attendee of the show released video footage of the unexpected moment when the Rio de Janeiro-born musician hit the ground, collapsing in the middle of the live function. 

In the recording, Henrique is singing the song “Vai Ser Tão Lindo” on the edge of the stage. While interacting with the crowd, he suddenly loses his balance and falls backward on the stage. 

People rushed over to help as horrified audience members watched the incident unfold, TMZ reports. Henrique was reportedly taken to a nearby medical clinic, where he was pronounced dead.

With over 1.1 million Instagram followers, Henrique got his start in the music industry by posting singing videos to YouTube, according to Parade. He released his first album, Grande é o Senhor, in 2017. He became known for a “message of optimism and positivity.”

“Pedro Henrique’s music reflects his steadfast faith and dedication to using music to communicate positivism. His love of music crosses linguistic and cultural boundaries,” the music analytics website Viberate notes.

“Pedro Henrique has developed a distinctive sound that combines modern Christian music with traditional Brazilian rhythms, drawing inspiration from his religion. Heartfelt lyrics, strong voice, and deep melodies are the hallmarks of his music, which has found a following among listeners in Brazil and beyond.”

The analytics site recognized Henrique for his involvement in the “religious music scene” because many have “benefited from [his] contributions, and his music has had a profound impact on many people’s lives all across the world.”  

“Pedro Henrique’s music is a source of hope and inspiration for individuals looking to develop a stronger relationship with their faith thanks to his soulful voice and heartfelt lyrics. He is a living example of the unifying power of music as he continues to inspire and motivate audiences through his music,” Viberate added. 

The Christian Post

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UNGODLY DRESSING! MPs bash ‘excessive nudity’ at Cindy-Sheebah music battle

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Uganda MPs have expressed concern at the “excessive nudity” that was exhibited during the music concert of two female artists; Sheeba Karungi and Cinderella Sanyu, describing the stage dress code as ungodly and un-African.

They are now demanding the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance to offer guidance to Uganda before the whole nation sinks into ‘immorality’.

Nsaba Buturo (Bufumbira East), said the dress code among artists could be the reason why many artists after leaving the stage, they tend to disappear in oblivion, saying many are investing in nudity instead of contributing positively to the protection & promotion of Uganda’s values.

“Our artists should promote our side of life, our artists should be champions of what is good in our society, our artists should be fountain of honour when it comes to defending interests of this nation but the types we have don’t measure at all,” Buturo said.

He added, “You are coming on stage dressed in totally un-african way and you think that is right & our people are being misled. So, we want to appeal to our artists, that the God-given gift they have, should be used to promote interests of this nation.”

Peggy Wako (National Female Elderly Rep) on her part asked artists to carry themselves with grace other than disgrace arguing that music is form of employment for our young generation and also acts as recreation for people to relax & brush off stress and shouldn’t be used as platform for nudity.

“These are people who should be performing for the public. They are public figures, so they should mind the way they present themselves in the way they dress up. They should mind their language, they should mind the way they act, let them be graceful but not a disgraceful,” Wako said.

Charles One (Gulu East) accused Ugandan artists of being drug addicts, saying the substance abuse has hampered them from exploring their role as teachers, philosophers & visionaries

“In my religion, only one thing that is exposed, that is the blessed sacrament. But today, we see young ladies, dress themselves half naked, the breasts are outside pointing like the lord be with you. Their knickers are outside, equally with men, they call it damage they are damaging their reputation, damaging their names and future generation. Only one thing should be exposed, the blessed sacrament, but not the breasts,” said Onen.

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