Mia Fieldes “Ashes” EP Review

Prime Cuts:  Ashes, Fearless, Christ is Risen

Mia Fieldes' pen has a life of her own.  In fact, over the last decade, Fieldes has provided a huge swath of the soundtrack of contemporary Christian music.  Even if you are not familiar with her name, we have either sang her song in church or have a purchase a download she has had crafted or have sung to one of her songs played on Christian radio.  In fact, her name is so ubiquitous that her name appears in more Christian CD sleeves than not.  Over the years she has co-written songs as noteworthy as "Savior King" (Hillong Worship), "Beautiful" (Kari Jobe), "Hide Myself" (Michael W. Smith), "Spirit of the Living God" (Vertical Church Band), "All I Ask" (Meredith Andrews), and many others.  Born and raised in Australia, Fieldes enrolled as one of the students at Hillsong College in Sydney.  Slowly, she began involved with the Australian megachurch's worship department.  At the encouragement of Hillsong's worship pastor Darlene Zschech, Fieldes started to write for the team and she also led worship.

After 10 years with Hillsong Church, she felt God's calling to expand her horizons by co-writing with various artists in the US.  Later which, she was also invited to lead worship at a church in Nashville.  After a successful run with her pen, now Fieldes has stepped forward to release her own debut EP.  With her soft, airy, and mellifluous vocal reminisce of Fieldes' good friend Meredith Andrews, Fieldes puts her own vocal touches on 5 of her co-writes.  The EP is preceded in its release by the single "Fearless."  A pop-centric ballad, "Fearless" is more than a song.  It's a faith builder. Those who find their faith been shaken by life's circumstances will find great comfort in this song. Not because the song dispels our fears.  Rather, it elevates Christ in such a glorious way that fear itself has to bow down in the Savior's presence.  So when we come to the song's bridge when Fieldes sings:  "No fear in the crashing waves/No fear when the cost is great/No fear in the midnight hour/You've given me the spirit of power" we know it's no longer Fieldes just singing; it's Jesus singing through her.  

"Christ is Risen" is exemplar of why artists are all queuing up to write with Fieldes.  A co-write with Matt Maher (and first cut by Maher), "Christ is Risen" eschews the sentimental mire that some resurrection songs tend to fall into.  Rather, written as a triumphant anthem for the church to sing, "Christ is Risen" has such an inviting chorus that we truly want to rise up and sing at the top of our voices this grand truth that Christ is risen.  "Ashes" showcases Fieldes' softer cadence as she expresses her gratitude to God for resurrecting her out of her failures (a song that calls to mind Hillsong Worship's "Glorious Ruins").  "Live + Breathe," on the hand, has a more formulaic pop sheen flourished with the predictable synth and guitar riffs.  But it is redeemed by Fieldes' passionate and earnest plea when she cries out to God:  "I can't get enough of you."  With songs this good, one is somehow disappointed about the brevity of the EP, here's hoping Fieldes' next effort will be as copious as the number of songs she writes.

 

Tags : mia fieldes mia fieldes ashes mia fieldes ashes album review mia fieldes ashes review mia fieldes fearless mia fieldes hillsong hillsong worship hillsong church Darlene Zschech Meredith Andrews Matt Maher christ is risen mia fieldes 2015 Hillsong Darlene Zschech