Hollyn Leaves Behind Radio-Friendly CCM for a Bold, Authentic New Sound

Christian music is dramatically changing right before our eyes. Young creatives everywhere are going against the norms, the cultural pressures, the fears of being different, and are making incredible art… in the name of Jesus. What used to be a space of cheesy lyrics, overproduced instrumentals, and lack of vision is giving way to new voices and new light breaking out into the world. I increasingly believe these things and am seeing them come true, but I have never felt so sure of this than during my first listen of Hollyn and Weathrman’s new album Theology of Beauty: Fall.

I am absolutely blown away. This record is beautiful from start to finish. Every lyric is authentic, rooted in Scripture, and desperately calling out to Jesus. The vocals are versatile, ranging from insane Gospel-leaning runs, R&B articulation, and soft singer-songwriter moments. The production is lush and beautiful, somehow consistently switching up vibes and energy while still creating a cohesive and smooth project.

Some background

Hollyn: I had heard Hollyn’s name before stumbling upon this project, but I wasn’t quite sure where until doing a deep dive on her Spotify page. She’s been EVERYWHERE in CCM (Contemporary Christian Music) since 2015. Listening to her 2015 and 2016 singles “Alive” and “Love With Your Life” brought me back to riding in my mom’s minivan on the way to elementary school: these tracks were unavoidable if you ever turned on Christian radio. In the same year, she appeared as a vocalist on TobyMac’s CCM mega-hits “Backseat Driver” and “Light Shine Bright,” two anthems of 2010s mainstream Christian culture. In 2018, she appeared on Phil Wickham’s “Song in My Soul,” providing crazy harmonies and background vocals to one of my favorite songs from an iconic album.

What I find fascinating about this long history is not just the popularity of the songs… I am really struck by how CCM these songs were. These songs were some of the more tolerable Christian radio tracks of my upbringing, but I remember even then finding them overly polished and lyrically safe. When I started discovering music outside of Christian radio, these were some of the songs I would look back on and notice how they failed to measure up in quality and authenticity to “secular” songs. They were impactful for me for a time, but fell to the wayside when I matured past the “spiritual milk” of Christian radio. This new album is anything but CCM or mainstream, so it's fascinating to see where she came from.

Weathrman: Before I dive into the songs, I also want to highlight Weathrman, the three-man production collective that was able to harness Hollyn’s creativity and craft this stunning project. The group is made up of Joel and John McNeill from production duo 42 North and Wit, a longtime Christian hip-hop producer. Separately, these producers have worked with well-known CHH acts such as Andy Mineo, Social Club Misfits, Marty, KB, and Lecrae, boasting a very impressive list of industry experience. As a collective, Weathrman has produced entire projects for Wordsplayed (the other half of MAGIC & BIRD with Andy Mineo), as well as songs with Lecrae, Andy Mineo, and Jackie Hill Perry. Clearly, these guys have a wealth of production experience in the CHH niche, creating lush, interesting beats for some industry giants. But as far as I can tell, this is their first time working on music outside of hip-hop. Despite this, the production on this album is nothing short of awe-inspiring… I am very excited to see who they’ll work with next.

Rodney Jerkins / Alienz Alive: This album was released on a record label known as Alienz Alive, which in itself has some fascinating backstory that reveals a lot about the state of Christian music right now. Founded in summer 2024 by GRAMMY award-winning Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins (legendary producer known for working with Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, Whitney Houston, among others), this label has mostly released music for Christian rappers (including Jon Keith, Alex Jean West Indies, and GAWVI), but is clearly ready to move into other territories. Upon announcement, Jerkins revealed that the label would be faith-forward, but would have a focus on artist development, honesty, and God-glorifying storytelling. I have loved other Alienz Alive releases so far (including Jon Keith’s incredible new Christian pop project), and think it's so cool that an industry giant like Jerkins is pouring fuel onto the growing flame that is New Wave Christian music.

Some songs

I could go on and on about each track, but for the sake of time and clarity, I’m going to briefly go through each song, share a few thoughts, try to capture its main message, and leave a key lyric that stood out to me. As always, art is subjective, so these are my personal opinions, but I am sharing them as a place for anyone else listening to engage with other perspectives.

In Jesus Name

From the first few notes of this song, I knew this whole project would be very different from anything I’d ever heard in Christian music. The instruments are stripped back and melancholy, with an underwater, low-end heavy guitar tone that feels reminiscent of indie rock artist Mk.Gee and Bieber’s recent SWAG albums. This song is a beautiful and simple moment of worship—it describes God’s closeness seen in doubts and in the childlike faith of Hollyn’s daughter.

Theology of Beauty

This song starts with a similar stripped back, underwater sound, but with clearer and faster melody and rhythm. This feel gives way in the second verse to a CRAZY beat drop that seems to capture Hollyn’s awakening in God’s adoration and love. The track as a whole describes God’s beauty, and how it inspires Hollyn to create beauty with and for Him.

Where Would I Be (ft. Jon Keith)

This is a really fun track, with a swung, groovy, almost afrobeat-inspired feel throughout. New Wave Christian Pop/Hip-Hop artist Jon Keith joins on this song, using his distinct smooth vocals to add depth. Lyrically, this is a worship song, making the case that Hollyn and Keith would both be lost without the saving grace of God.

Erase

This song has a similar feel to the opening songs, continuing a stunning melancholy that beautifully captures emptiness leading to crying out to God. This chorus already appeared on Erase Me from Lecrae’s Reconstruction (check out our review of that album on our site). In this track, Hollyn boldly asks God to take away everything in her life that is not from Him, erasing the “religion” that has become a distraction from faithfully following Him.

Erase (Spontaneous)

This track is less than two minutes long and only contains vocals and keys, but it’s one of the most powerful parts of the album. It continues many of the melodies and lyrics of the last song, but updates them in a simple voice memo-esque style, beautifully capturing pure worship erased of any religion.

Time

My jaw is on the floor every time I hear this one. Sonically, it’s much more clearly R&B inspired than earlier tracks, with strong SZA influence, a heavy 808 beat, and aggressive guitars that build into a powerful climax. This song is about letting go of past hurt and sin, finding healing in the presence of God, and encouraging the listener to sit in silence with Him.

Aren’t We All

This might be the most sonically pleasing track on the album. The smooth old-school swung R&B vibe is magical, and the way Weathrman plays with builds, cutbacks, and moments of arrival is incredible. The song talks about dreams and the future, an anthem for anyone uncertain but hopeful about what’s ahead (aren’t we all?).

The Competition

After the soaring, massive moment of the previous track, Hollyn and Weathrman break everything down to acoustic guitars and vocals. It’s a sweet and simple track encouraging anyone striving and worrying about “the competition” to slow down, eat, and rest.

The Wind (ft. Kings Kaleidoscope)

Just as quickly as the album stripped down, it bursts back into groovy, experimental, aggressive production — topped off by layered vocals from indie Christian legends Kings Kaleidoscope. The track compares the presence of God to the wind: while we can’t see it, we know it’s there because we feel its power and presence daily.

Blackberry

Once again, everything strips back, leaving just guitar, vocals, and swirling textures. Hollyn paints a beautiful picture of childlike wonder and relationship with God, making the case that He offers the same love and nearness we felt back then.

Perplexed

On this track, Hollyn uses groovy, chill R&B sonics to tell the story of a girl plagued by sadness and guardedness. It speaks to her, saying that God sees her, and that there is something sweeter out there for her if only she is willing to see the goodness He placed inside of her.

Play Me When You’re Sad

To close out the album, Hollyn and Weathrman return to a sparse but interesting atmosphere, with a smooth acoustic riff, trap-leaning 808s, and swirling textures. Hollyn sings about relationships and connections, wondering if she’s let her friends down. By the end, she realizes that God was working through her hardships the whole time, and she’s able to be proud of herself because of the way He created her and is still at work.

Some thoughts

There are so many things I could say, and at the same time, I am at a loss for words. This album sounds like so many of my favorite “secular” artists blended into one cohesive whole. Lyrically, it speaks to the hardships and doubts I’ve endured, and yet every track points back to God. It’s fresh, new, interesting, and emotionally stunning.

Thank you, Hollyn, for taking your hurts, pain, doubts, and deliverance, and creating something beautiful out of it. While your work in mainstream CCM was impactful, I have no doubts the Lord will multiply the influence of this album and touch the hearts of a generation hungry for more. Thank you for stepping out in courage, being faithful to push forward the new wave of Christian music changing everything for God. He is very proud of you.