New York, NY (Top40 Charts) The Grand Canyon University Worship Arts program has released its fifth album, Canyon Worship 2020. The majority of this year's album was recorded before students had to leave campus in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. All 10 original songs were written and performed by GCU students.
"This record is a congregational worship album, with contemporary worship, gospel, pop, hip-hop and folk influences," said GCU Worship Arts Coordinator Dr. Randall Downs. "The album flows very well together, you can really hear the different artists' influences come through."
Despite the pandemic, the album came together with few hiccups. Most of the songs were recorded in GCU's state-of-the-art recording studio earlier in the year while students were still on campus. Logan Myers, whose song "You are Enough" is featured on the album, had to record her song at her house and send it back to the studio.
Amanda Riffe, who is featured three times on this year's album, was one of the last students to record one of her songs before leaving campus in March. "It was so crazy to sing 'Come What May'," said Riffe. "I told the producers from the very beginning I imagined that you're singing it in the middle of an apocalypse, and then here we are."
Canyon Worship 2020 was produced by music industry veterans Dave Willey and Geoff Hunker (Satellites & Sirens). It is Hunker's fourth year in a row working on the album.
"There's a lot of interesting elements that I think are going to catch people's ear on this album," said Downs. "I couldn't be more proud of these students, they did such a great job."
The 10 songs and artists on Canyon Worship 2020 are:
Be Alright (Amanda Riffe)
Steadfast Love (Austin Bratton and Alaira Leafgreen)
You Found Me (Amanda Leininger)
Give Me Jesus (Madison Russell and Harrison Russell)
Fights for Me (Elaina Marchegger)
All We Need (Chandler Kruse and
Christopher Calderon)
The Garden (Travis Hathaway)
Come What May (Amanda Riffe)
You are Enough (Logan Myers)
You Don't Turn from Me (Christopher Calderon and
Amanda Riffe)
The album is available for streaming on iTunes, Google Play, Spotify and Shazam as well as for purchase in the Lope Shop and other locations on GCU's campus for $9.90.
GCU's Center for Worship Arts combines both ministry and performance with a blend of industry experts, instructors and seasoned worship ministers. The curriculum includes 32 credit hours in the College of Theology, ensuring that students are grounded in Christ and prepared to become worship leaders in churches throughout the world.
