Anthony Evans (Fair Trade Services)
Anthony Evans began his music ministry in 2001 when he was invited to work with Kirk Franklin, but he catapulted into the spotlight in 2012 as a contestant on the second season of The Voice. Now, besides returning to the TV series as a talent producer for seasons seven and eight, Evans is releasing his seventh studio record, Real Life/Real Worship.
Since his time on The Voice, Evans has recorded with artists such as CeeLo Green, Mariah Carey and Celine Dion. Through his experiences in Los Angeles, Evans discovered a deeper desire to communicate the gospel message with a broad audience—but using widsom.
“Living in LA has made me think more progressively,” explains the Dallas native. “I want to make sure I’m not compromising my message or my faith, but I also want to speak in terms that connect with people who don’t necessarily go to church. Half this record is about real life—things everyone goes through, Christian or not. And sometimes it takes that real life to understand the meaning of real worship.”
The singer-songwriter cowrote the project with worship pioneers Martha Munizzi, her daughter Danielle Munizzi, and Christian music staples Cindy Morgan and Krissy Nordhoff. Evans partnered with up-and-coming Los Angeles producer Max Stark to create a current pop- and soul-infused 11-track album that shows how genuine worship can often be better understood through authentic life experiences.
The worship anthem “Greater Is He” is the first single released to radio, while “What Could Have Been” traces Evans’ resolve to voice words he was afraid to say to someone he cared about.
“My hope for this record is for people to be encouraged, and while I may come from the church, I go through the same things they do: love, breakups, failures, triumphs,” Evans says. “We are all in this together, and they aren’t alone.” —Sam Smith