Last month, in celebration of Juneteenth, Billboard Music Award-winning musical collective Maverick City Music released their latest project, Jubilee: Juneteenth Edition. The new album is a double-sided feature consisting of a live-produced gospel A-side and a Rap/R&B/Pop-produced B-side. Jubilee features a wide range of guest artists including heavyweights from gospel, R&B, pop and rap. Maverick City Music recently made headlines for their Billboard Music Award win for Top Gospel Album for the April 2020 release of Maverick City Vol. 3 Part 1. Their latest release Old Church Basement, a collaboration album with Elevation Worshiphas broken streaming records on Apple Music and Spotify. And, this fall, Maverick City Music will embark on its first-ever tour. In this TCB exclusive, Naomi Raine of Maverick City Music talks about what inspired the Jubilee collection, the power of collaboration in music, and the upcoming tour.
Congratulations on the release of Jubilee: Juneteenth Edition! Can you share the inspiration behind this collection?
Thank you! The inspiration was really fueled by this desire to express God’s heart towards our civil unrest regarding racial issues to UNITED STATES. We have a lot of work to do, but this was our contribution to the efforts in the space that we exist. We make music and we represent Christ. Our hope is that people don’t run away from different cultures and our time of differences. It was also a great way to highlight those in the Gospel music community that we love and admire so much! It was a fun record all around.
What song lyrics do you think the world most needs to hear right now?
I’m torn between two songs. The lyrics the world needs to hear right now come from “Breathe” and “Not Afraid.”
“Let everything that has breath; praise the Lord. Therefore we have breath; praise the Lord!
“Everything will be okay. Joy comes in the morning light. Oh, weeping may last a night, everything will be okay, everything will be okay.
Congratulations also on receiving the Billboard Music Award for Top Gospel Album for Maverick City Vol 3 Part 1. Did you have any idea of the impact this album would have when you created/recorded it? And how does this recognition affect your drive to continue making music?
I never could have imagined that this album would have as much impact as it has. I love the album but I didn’t see it coming. When we were recording it felt like a special worship night, but that’s okay. God’s presence comes and He fills the room and it’s good. But hearing this project and seeing the response just shows that God has a purpose for these songs beyond the room. It doesn’t always happen, but when it does, you just thank God!
You recently released a collaboration with Elevation Worship in Old Church Basement. How did this collaboration come about and then lead to this album?
Collaboration with our family at Elevation Worship started as a writing session with Pastor Steven Furtick, Chris Brown, Chandler and myself. We sat in a basement for 13 hours, with only a half hour break for a quick lunch, and wrote two songs. We wrote “Jireh” and “Shall Not Want”. That’s when it became urgent to create an entire album to share with the church. We knew it would be special. I’m so proud of what we were able to accomplish in writing and recording this project. It went beyond the songs. I made lifelong friendships and now have songs etched in my heart with memories that will last forever.
You frequently collaborate on your music. Why is it important for you to have that personal connection with the songs from the moment they’re created, but also to create with others and incorporate multiple points of view?
It’s important to have a personal connection to the songs because I think songs are best delivered with an authentic pen and voice. But collaboration is clutch because it broadens it so more people can relate. It broadens the perspective so we can all sing from one place. authentic.
Who, or what, are some of your biggest current inspirations, spiritually and musically?
My current spiritual inspirations are a few. I often listen to Steven Furtick’s sermons. He is an incredible preacher and lately he has been on 1000. But my closest inspiration is my father. I have seen him go through so much and remain committed to preaching the gospel and living for Jesus as he navigates his personal journey and emotional healing. Another is Sarah Jakes Roberts. Her book ‘Woman Evolve’ has blessed me immensely!
My biggest musical inspirations right now are John Bellion and Israel and New Breed. The songwriting is incredible! The content! And the musicianship! I didn’t want to say Maverick City Music because that would be unfair. But I have really gleaned and learned so much from the other writers and singers in that collective, it’s unreal. I love music. I often go back to old Stevie Wonder records, Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey and Brandy and just glean them vocally and lyrically. But no one beats CeCe Winans and Fred Hammond. There are so many people I’ve drawn inspiration from to get to where I am in my journey of musical expression.
What are you most looking forward to in 2021?
To visit! I have never toured before. This will be my first and I am so excited! I can’t wait to visit all the cities and worship with them. I really love what I do. I love to sing and I love to dance and twirl before the Lord! I love worshiping God this way, so I can’t wait – every night with new friends for about three months – oh my God! There is something about hearing crowds of people singing the songs you once only heard in your head. It is surreal and beautiful.
The post office Exclusive: Naomi Raine Talks Maverick City Music’s Chart-Topping Album ‘Jubilee’ and the Power of Collaboration first appeared on TCB.
Author: Jessie Clarks
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