Andy Cherry Explains Why It Took 8 Years to Release His New Album

Christian singer and songwriter Andy Cherry returns for the first time in 8 years with the release of his brand new album live worship album Invocation. The new record is a collection of songs that were written in 2020 and recorded live in March 2021. These songs are a declaration of faith, hope, and a celebration of how good our God is. To stream the album, click HERE.

Cherry last released a full-length album in 2012. Nothing Left to Fear was released on the Essential record label. To create the album, Cherry partnered with award-winning producer Jason Ingram of One Sonic Society. Cherry had the No. 2 most played song on Air 1 for the week of April 28, 2012, and had the No. 4 most played song on K-LOVE for the week of April 8, 2012 with the song "Our God's Alive."

So, why was there such a long wait between albums? Cherry writes, "First, it was that I lost my record deal. Challenging as that may have been, my motivation for creating music was never supposed to be a contract. Then, it was because I auditioned for The Voice and didn't make it as far as I wanted. I convinced myself that "I had my chance" and no one was interested in hearing from me anymore.

I was given two golden opportunities and they both had underwhelming results. Then, it was because I hated the idea of self promotion, and talked myself out of trying yet again. Then it was the excitement of a new baby, then another move, then a new job, then a pandemic. You can see the pattern."

Despite the setbacks, God used two events to turn things around for Cherry. "The first of these was about 3 years ago in Portland. I was meeting with a producer there to talk about recording some music. He was interested in some songs I was working on, and wanted to talk about doing a project together.

My wife Michelle and I sat in the studio with him and after I had played my second or third song he said something to me that I have thought about daily since. He said (referring to The Voice) "Andy when you sing I feel like you're still waiting for a chair to turn around". My heart immediately sank. While my time on The Voice was ultimately disappointing, it's honestly not something I think about regularly. But, what he said struck a chord with me and I realized how much I was seeking the approval of others through my music. Rather than be who I was made to be, and create art that was honest to who I am, I was spinning my wheels in the mud of other's hypothetical opinions. This mindset was inarguably the chief driver of the anxiety that was getting in the way of me releasing music. I was so shaken by the mirror being held up to me in this way I barely wrote another song for the next 2 years.

The second moment came in the summer of 2020. The church I where I currently serve had been doing weekly online worship gatherings that were designed to be fluid and free flowing. It was in these times of worship that spontaneous songs of worship began to flow out of me in a way that I can't really explain. It was almost like God would not allow me not to sing the things He was putting on my heart. A barrier had been removed from my heart and my mouth."

Tracklist:

1. Invocation

2. That's Just What You Do

3. That's Just What You Do  (Spontaneous)

4. Even If It's Everything

5. Your Presence is a Miracle

6. Mighty

7. Mighty (Spontaneous)

8. Orphan

9. Orphan  (Spontaneous) 

10. Rejoicing Over Me

 

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