MŌRIAH (Smallbone) Reveals New EP and Visual Album ‘Live From The Quarry’

Mexican-American Christian recording artist MŌRIAH (Smallbone) is set to release a new EP and visual album on October 29th, titled Live from the Quarry. Passionate about expanding the roles and creativity of women behind the scenes, MŌRIAH not only wrote and produced the entire record, she also produced and choreographed the accompanying visual album (recorded live at Graystone Quarry in Nashville, TN) and enlisted women from diverse cultural backgrounds to work alongside her on the project.

Composed of honest and transparent lyrics, the American Idol alum drew inspiration for the album from her own personal experience with friendships, faith, personal insecurities, and worth. Following a heartbreaking betrayal in late 2019, MŌRIAH went into the woods to be alone with God and create. She recalls, “I was deeply hurt by a close friend, and what started as such sadness turned into rage. Like many people, my thoughts took me to a dark place during quarantine. In my anger, I prayed for justice. In my heartache, I prayed for dominance. I thought if I could get answers, I would feel better. I couldn’t and I didn’t. The only thing that helped me feel was the thought that I am known, seen, and loved by God even in my bitterness and unresolved frustrations.” I kept that promise until forgiveness found me.

In January 2020, MŌRIAH headed to the Smoky Mountains with a car full of recording gear. Her husband, Grammy-winning recording artist Joel Smallbone, whispered in her ear, “You’re a producer too.”

She reflects, “I had never written a song entirely on my own, which is surprising after 10 years of making music. I think I was afraid I wouldn’t be good at it. . . . ‘Trust’ was the first and only song I wrote and produced entirely in that booth, and that’s completely fitting since I was dealing with my insecurities in real time as I was putting those lyrics and tracks together.”

The new album is all about contentment. Like many, MŌRIAH experienced a range of emotions in 2020: feeling angry, hurt, scared, insecure, and remorseful. Yet, all of these phases were necessary steps on her journey toward a greater sense of calm and gratitude. It was when she learned to settle into the present moment and make peace with the tension that her creativity began to flow. authenticlove, kindness, and goodness. Over time, she has been able to work from a place of abundance rather than scarcity. MŌRIAH shares, “Nothing can mend a broken heart more than knowing it is loved, seen, and felt. Now that I feel it more deeply than ever, I can create from a place of rest. This entire EP is a celebration of being known, seen, and loved.”

MŌRIAH is set to release three singles (and three videos) in 2021, which comprise the full EP:

“Known, Seen, Loved” – September 17 “Trust” – October 2 The third song, “Worth” Feat. Joel Smallbone (her husband, who is one half of the Grammy-winning duo KING & COUNTRY), and the full EP will be available October 29.

MŌRIAH says of the duet, “This song took five different rewrites and three completely different production approaches to get right. I think it’s because it’s such a sensitive topic . . . ‘Value’ is a buzzword, and a lot of us want to know where and how to get it. What I didn’t want to do with this song is provide answers. I think if you get your value from a lyric, a friend, a job—anything that’s inherently good but isn’t God—it’s going to fail you. So I stayed in the tension of what it feels like to be desperate for resolution. I actually played ‘Worth’ for another producer and he told me he didn’t like how desperate it sounded. That’s when I knew it was right.”

In addition to the EP, featuring the live recordings, the visual album will offer listeners an intimate experience of the recording experience.

Sharing her heart’s desire for the EP, MŌRIAH says, “No matter what scenario we find ourselves in, I hope this music gives people the courage to be still with life and slowly move forward into a new life. I had to ‘break down to break through’ while writing each song – this music marked the process.”

Live from the Quarry will be available on all streaming platforms on October 29, 2021 along with the accompanying visual album of the same title.

The post office MŌRIAH (Smallbone) Reveals New EP and Visual Album ‘Live From The Quarry’ first appeared on TCB.

Author: Jessie Clarks

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