Selah

“We’ve never done THIS before!”

What could a well-established, veteran group that has sold over 4 million records
(including 2 Gold Albums), won 11 Gospel Music Association Dove Awards, and
has over 900 million streams across all digital music platforms do for their next
project to keep things interesting for themselves and their listeners? This was the
question that Todd Smith, Amy Perry, and Allan Hall pondered as they began
work on their 22nd album.

Allan eventually hit upon an interesting idea that the group realized they had
never done in their 27-year career: for this album, EVERY song would be written,
co-written, or spoken into by at least one group member! The three had certainly
written songs for Selah albums before, but those original compositions were
always accompanied on their album projects by covers of classic Gospel and
CCM songs, original songs by other songwriters, and Selah’s own arrangements
of powerful hymns of the Christian faith.

The fresh concept resonated strongly with Todd and Amy and the timing was
good, especially since the two previous albums had covered Selah’s more
“traditional” side. In 2022, Selah released a long-awaited new Christmas album,
“At This Table.” It had been 20 years since the release of their first Christmas
album, “Rose of Bethlehem,” back in 2002, and fans were excited to have new
Christmas music. That same year, Selah celebrated their 25th anniversary as a
group. To commemorate the occasion, the trio recorded a simple hymns project
very much in the style of their debut album from 1997, “Be Still My Soul.” They
felt the new hymns album, simply titled “Greatest Hymns, Vol. 3” would be a nice
“bookend” with the first album and a fitting tribute to their first 25 years in the
music industry.

With the two “traditional” albums completed and released in 2022, attention
turned to the next project and what could be done to differentiate it from the
previous albums. The group decided to head in a more contemporary direction
for the new album, and the idea for every song to be an original sparked strong
creativity and energy.

The timing of an “all-original songs” album ended up working out well, as each
member of the group had been walking through various situations in their own
lives.

The poignant, bittersweet song “The Rock Is My Foundation” addresses how,
when life doesn’t go as expected and events turn out differently than we planned,
we have a promise from our Lord that He is our refuge in difficult times, seeing
the full picture and knowing what’s best for us even when we can’t see it
ourselves. This song was born out of Allan’s profound sense of loss and the
struggle to find hope amidst grief as he dealt with major personal tragedies over
the past four years with the deaths of numerous friends and family, sadly
culminating with the passing of his mother in October 2023.

Amy and her husband, Jake, were on an incredibly challenging foster care
journey — the young child that was placed into their home had severe multiple
trauma issues, and after several years of loving on the child and doing their best
to bring love, peace, and healing to him, God revealed to Amy and Jake that they
would not be his “forever family.” This was devastating to them, and they
continue to navigate this heartbreaking situation as they trust God’s wisdom and
leading. Out of this wrenchingly emotional experience flowed the songs “He Is
Still” and “You Don’t Leave Me,” anchored by Amy’s powerful and deeply felt
vocal performances.

Todd, as he kept deepening his study of the Bible, was becoming more and more
aware of spiritual warfare and how the topic oftentimes seemed to be “glossed
over” or outright ignored in the modern church. Todd wanted to write songs that
let Christians know that they are ALREADY conquerors because of the power of
Jesus Christ, and that Christians need to root themselves boldly in that fact and
act from a place of power and authority in their lives. The songs “Victory” and
“Higher Name” in particular speak to this. As always, music would be the avenue
for Selah to bare their hearts and souls and invite listeners to join them on the
journey of LIFE — with all of its ups and downs and joys and sorrows.

The November 1, 2024 release of the new album, “Higher Name,” represents
more than just a collection of songs; it’s a reflection of Selah’s journey, both
individually and as a group. What sets this album apart is the depth of emotion
and vulnerability that permeates every note. Each track is a testament to life —
faith, hope, struggle, heartbreak, disappointment, victory, triumph, joy — all
woven together with the threads of Selah’s signature melody and harmony.
From personal experiences of love and loss, to the themes of God’s great
strength, authority, and redemptive power, this collection of new songs speaks
about the journey of life and humanity’s relationship to God in all of its complexity
and beauty. The Lord Jesus Christ is the foundation upon which our lives are
built, the guiding light that illuminates our path, and our source of strength in
times of trial. He is indeed the “Higher Name.”