JORDAN FELIZ
Jordan Feliz was driving one day when the antidote to his consistent anxiety seemingly dropped out of the sky. His wife was beside him; his two young children were in the backseat. And that’s the moment the husband and father realized that anything of eternal value comes from the Father; and our level of gratitude for those things often matches our level of peace. It wasn’t long after this epiphany that Feliz found himself in a familiar place — a writing room. And that’s when he began to trace God’s fingerprints across the course of his fourth studio album, Everything Good (Centricity Music).
Known for hits like “Witness,” “Glorify,” “Jesus Is Coming Back” and his Platinum-certified, 12-week chart-topping smash, “The River,” Feliz has notched numerous Top 10 singles and four No. 1s. In addition, the California native has been nominated for five Dove Awards, taking home the trophy for 2016’s “New Artist of the Year.” Along with his heartwarming children’s book, Beloved, and his headlining tours, Feliz has also shared stages across the country with some of the biggest names in Christian music, including TobyMac, Michael W. Smith, for KING & COUNTRY, Matthew West and Crowder.
While Feliz is thankful for these accolades, he’s most grateful for the impact behind the stats and the ways his songs have resonated with people since his 2015 debut. His focus is to continue building a legacy of integrity and creativity as both a family man and an artist. “All the things that actually matter, the good things in your life — they’re directly from the Lord. They’re direct representations of Him,” Feliz concedes, shedding light on recent life lessons and the concept of his new record. “No matter how many times we go back to the things of the world, there’s nothing that satisfies like the goodness of God.”
It’s God’s goodness and Feliz’s gratitude that have managed to unlock the door to peace for the singer, and after several years of dealing with anxiety — which he’s been open about on past albums — Feliz wants Everything Good to equip listeners with tools to fight fear.
“I feel like God has really taught me how to tackle that,” Feliz shares of his anxiety, “and I just really wanted to write something that feels genuine to what God has shown me over the last couple years.”
Produced by longtime collaborator Colby Wedgeworth (Danny Gokey, Jeremy Camp), as well as Luke Johns (Newsboys, Social Club Misfits), Jeff Sojka (Crowder, NF) and AJ Pruis (Matthew West, Anne Wilson), Feliz’s new album boasts credits from a very tight circle of writers, including Wedgeworth, Paul Duncan and Jonathan Gamble. Choosing to intentionally keep the pool of trusted confidants small, Feliz invited only a handpicked few into the fold to help him execute his specific vision for the project.
Each track on Everything Good is either a proactive measure or a nugget of truth that is meant to help fellow believers navigate their way through worry, trusting that God is ultimately sovereign. “When we know who’s in control, who our provider is and where the good comes from — that’s when we start seeing anxiety disappear,” Feliz says. “God has already given us the tools. We just have to be proactive in our relationship with Jesus and put what we know into practice. How we counteract anxiety is what this record is really all about.”
The low-key, vibey title-cut fleshes out the theme of James 1:17, which perfectly encapsulates Feliz’s latest revelation and the ethos of the entire project in just over three minutes. Meanwhile, pop-centric “Praise God For That” is anchored in the album’s overarching spirit of thankfulness with an expansive list of divine blessings — big and small — that permeate our lives. “I think gratitude changes your perspective, and that change in perspective shows the world that Jesus changes everything in your life,” Feliz muses. “And that’s what this song is all about.”
Other selections like “Joyful Noise” and “Armor” showcase two powerful weapons already in our arsenal: praise and the full protective armor of God (Ephesians 6:11, Isaiah 59:17). Meanwhile, “How Sweet The Sound” serves as a reminder of God’s mercy as Feliz puts his twist on classic hymn “Amazing Grace,” the first song he ever led in worship.
Sun-kissed SoCal pop colors offerings like lead single “The King Is Alive,” which heralds Christ’s return, and the bouncy always-bet-on-God “Can’t Lose,” which affirms God’s undefeated track record. Nevertheless, beneath the modern sonic elements, on the whole, Everything Good serves up a timeless lyrical depth previously unprobed on Feliz’s former releases.
Nowhere is this more evident than on “Gallows,” written about a friend whose life was transformed in the midst of a long battle with addiction. The triumphant, upbeat melody belies the gravity of the lyrics.
“My friend had a life expectancy of about eight years with his addiction, unless something changed,” Feliz reveals, noting that witnessing his friend’s comprehensive evolution was remarkable. “Watching his whole life shift and look completely different today than it did two years ago has been incredible. The moment his struggles got pushed out into the light, it was like God immediately pummeled and dissolved all these things in his life.”
Feliz hopes even those who aren’t battling addiction will be struck by the song’s implication that hidden struggles don’t heal. “The things that are in the dark are going to stay in the dark,” he offers, “but the moment you bring them into the light, God can tackle them. And He will; He’s not scared of it.”
The Father’s fearlessness also shows up on standout selection “Let You Go,” which holds the tension of man’s free will and God’s faithfulness. “I think my whole career I’ve really been wanting to write the ‘me too’ song,” Feliz shares. “I’ve really been wanting to write a song that people can connect to on a heavy, emotional level, and ‘Let You Go’ is that song for me.”
Whether he’s celebrating the promise that our Savior won’t ever let us go, or he’s praising God for every good thing in this life, Feliz manages to seamlessly mix Top 40-sized production with a deeper message — a message he’s worked hard to craft, and one he’s proud of. Across the 11 tracks that comprise Everything Good, he’s helping listeners fight fear — one anthem at a time.
“This record is really written for the whole family. It’s written for my wife, so she feels supported, and for my kids so they feel like they have a fun song or two just for them to sing along to,” Feliz reflects. “That’s my prayer for this project — that the whole family is able to really dive into it and feel like there are multiple songs on the record written just for them.”
Riley Clemmons
Riley Clemmons is an artist who has accumulated over half a billion global streams and over 105 million YouTube video views. After spending years refining her craft in writers’ rooms, Riley sky-rocketed onto the scene with her 2017 Capitol CMG debut single “Broken Prayers,” which has generated over 60 million global streams since its release. Her 2018 self-titled album debut quickly entered the Billboard Heatseekers chart, debuting at No. 13. Riley added to her accomplishments with her well known single “Fighting For Me” being RIAA Gold Certified this year.
Riley’s music has cemented her place as an artist to watch with accolades from Rolling Stone, People Magazine, Dove Awards Nomination, KLOVE Award Nomination as well as performances on the TODAY Show, FOX & Friends, and debut at the Grand Ole Opry. A Nashville native who is an accomplished composer, performer, producer, and recording artist, Riley draws inspiration from life experiences, blending musical influences to create music that is as catchy as it is relatable.
