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Christian super group Point of Grace’s
new album, No Changin’ Us, was clearly meant to be.
Whether you want to describe it as God’s plan, a perfect storm or
simply fate, the natural evolution of the group’s country-tinged sound
and the expansion of its fan base into mainstream country is occurring
exactly at a time when so many have grown increasingly hungry for music
that offers hope and positivity during this period of uncertainty. While
remaining true to their contemporary Christian roots, Point of Grace is
now poised to reach a new audience with No Changin’ Us, allowing the
female trio to share their message of love and positivity with more
people than ever.
Since forming at Ouachita Baptist University 19 years ago, Point of
Grace has emerged as one of the biggest names in Christian music with
their signature chill-inducing harmonies, anthemic choruses and powerful
lyrics that poignantly capture life’s simple yet vital messages. The
two-time Grammy nominees have sold more than 6.5 million albums and
earned 24 consecutive No. 1 singles (27 total including radio staples
“Steady On”, “The Great Divide” and “Circle of Friends”), a
feat unmatched by any artist in any genre. They’ve won 10 prestigious
Dove Awards, including Country Recorded Song of the Year in 2008 for
“How You Live” and Country Recorded Song of the Year in 2009 for
“I Wish.” In conjunction with their new album, they are releasing a
new cookbook, Cooking with Grace, featuring personal photos and stories
to help raise money for an African orphanage.
While they are proud and extremely grateful for their impressive success
and lasting careers, they are first and foremost simply three women who
are trying to live their lives right, be good wives and raise their
children the best they can. “We’re finding out that the majority of
our fans are women who are dealing with the same things we are,” says
Leigh. “We are three women with three voices united together to
encourage other women, today in a time when everyone can use
encouragement.
The title track of their last album, How You Live, captured the
attention of Warner Bros. Nashville, the sister label of Word
Entertainment. “They heard the song and said, ‘We’d like to take
this to country radio if it’s OK with you,’” says Shelley Breen.
“We were actually hoping that would happen but didn’t think it
would, after all, country music was what the women were gravitating to
as they were maturing, just as many of their fans have.” |
“Country radio is open now to faith-based music. The biggest
song two years ago was Carrie Underwood’s ‘Jesus, Take the Wheel.’ You
can’t get any more blatant than that. In a way, it’s good timing for us.”
Adds Denise, “If what they say is true, 90 percent of the country audience say
they are believers and a lot of those same people listen to Christian music as
well, so we already have a name out there.” Encouraged by the acceptance shown
at country radio, Point of Grace began working with some of Nashville’s top
country music writers to create songs for their eighth studio album (and 14th
album overall). No Changin’ Us was produced by the in-demand Nathan Chapman,
who recently took home Grammys for producing Taylor Swift’s Fearless, which
won the prestigious Album of the Year and Country Album of the Year awards in
2010.
“We were intentional about making sure that the songs we were singing
weren’t bubble gum, but had a real message,” says Leigh. What matters the
most to Point of Grace is the message of God’s love, and they continue their
consistent career course of embracing songs that are unmistakably Christian.
Indeed, there may even be more songs like this, including “Come to Jesus”
and “There’s Nothing Greater than Grace,” than on their previous project.
The message of “Come to Jesus” is evident in the song’s title. “Often we
get depleted and it’s when we’re depleted that we call out to him, but we
don’t need to wait,” Leigh says. “We can call out in the middle of
everyday challenges. The song is a very simple message with an eternal value,
and that value is having a relationship in Christ. “Denise says many
mistakenly believe that they have to be perfect because God only loves those who
are good. “Really this song is saying the reason that Jesus came is for the
broken, for the depleted, weary and bitter,” she says. “Don’t sit there
and start thinking, ‘I’ve got to start acting better before I can do
that.’ He came for everyone.”
“He Holds Everything,” “Love and Laundry” and “The Greatest Show on
Earth” create memorable, authentic messages with their descriptions of
life’s small details, those seemingly mundane rituals and chores that
structure our hectic days, offer comfort with their familiarity and create
common bonds. The three women co-wrote “The Greatest Show on Earth,” a song
that is a colorful portrait of their chaotic home lives. “The first line is,
‘I’m trying to shave my legs and UPS is at the door,’ just the craziness
that we have in the balance of being working moms,” Denise says. The song was
inspired by a conversation that Denise had with a woman who had two biological
children, and they had adopted two children and were adopting two more. “We
were talking about how a lot of people look at that and say, ‘They are crazy!
Why in the world would you do that? It’s a circus; kids are running around
everywhere.’ She said to me, ‘You know, there are kids all over the world
that don’t get to enjoy the circus. I want to bring these kids into my life so
that they can experience the circus.’”
The title track, written by Chapman’s wife, Stephanie Chapman, was inspired by
her parents’ 25-year marriage, which has remained strong despite the pressures
of a changing world. “This song is a personal declaration for us individually
to stay committed to the ones that God has gifted us with as husbands,” says
Leigh, “But we hope people will recognize that this song has a lot of meaning,
because to stay together, whether you are best friends, mother and daughter or
father and son, is a commitment that should be taken very seriously.”
Since Point of Grace hosts “Girls of Grace”, an annual weeklong conference
series that addresses the hot topics that teens face today, it’s no surprise
that they were drawn to “Wildflower,” a song about embracing who you are.
“I have seen this girl that this song talks about so many times at our
conferences and concerts, just that girl that never quite fits in,” Shelley
says. “This song talks about how all of those girls are beautiful and a
“wildflower” looking for just a little crack to be able to grow through. It
tells them to keep hanging on because the winds of change are coming, to not
give up.”
“The collection of songs is a nice balance of who we are,” says Leigh
Cappillino. “We are three women that have our faith, love our country and are
very family-oriented.” Says Denise Jones, “It’s our prayer that there are
going to be songs that will speak to somebody and they’ll hear it whether
it’s on country or Christian radio and it will bring about a life change for
them.”
Click here
for a biography for "How You Live"
Click here for a
biography for "Winter Wonderland"
Click here for a biography
for "I Choose You"
Click here for a biography for "Girls of
Grace"
Click here
for the biography for "Free to Fly"