Who do you think of when you mention all-girl Christian groups? Perhaps you think of ZOEgirl, BarlowGirl, Point of Grace or Superchick (mostly girls). Get ready to add another name to your list: the British-American sister duo, The Sonflowerz. With the release of their fourth full-length album, By Faith, The Sonflowerz are positioning themselves to be welcomed by Christian music fans worldwide. Produced by six-time Dove award-winning songwriter, Don Koch, By Faith is an upbeat account of what happens when we are embraced by God and the praise that we give back in response to that embrace.
“Our time on this earth is truly all about him.” This attitude expressed by Elissa and Becca in the liner notes is heard and felt as you listen to each successive track. Every song has a unique bend towards that life statement and how it can be carried out in our lives. From the opening guitar riff of “You Captured Me” to “How Great You Are”, featuring guest vocalist Jared Anderson, to the thought-provoking final moments of “The Face of Jesus”, the listener is pointed directly to the sovereign God of the universe and the truth that things on this earth are truly all about him.
-Randy Cross, November 2011, Worship Leader Magazine
WL TAKEAWAY: With precise care, The Sonflowerz’s By Faith speaks of and to the God all of our lives are connected to by faith.
PLAYLIST: “Made to Shine”, “My Heart Is Alive”, “The Face of Jesus”
“I met The Sonflowerz several years ago when they became the worship band for our You and Your Girl events. Since that time, I’ve hung out with them, met their parents and boyfriends, and celebrated with them when they got married (in a double ceremony–very cool!). And since I’ve this sister duo, I’ve seen first-hand their heart for God and for ministry.
To them, singing and leading worship isn’t work—it’s the overflow of God transforming their lives. And when they’re with people, you can tell they genuinely care about them.When they encounter teen girls, they stop everything they’re doing and listen, really listen. They stay until the last girl has shared her heart, even if it’s an hour after the conference is over and they’d really like to go eat supper.”
Read Pam’s Blog Here!
NewReleaseTuesday.com’s Cate Morris recently caught up with The Sonflowerz to find out about their latest album, released September 13, 2011. Prepare to be encouraged by the music and message of this “sister team” of Elissa Tipps and Rebecca (Becca) Nicholson.
We are excited about your new album that just came out called By Faith. Tell us some of the inspirations behind the songs and the theme of the album itself.
Elissa: I remember coming to Becca and saying “I really feel a new album is stirring in my heart.” I had been writing since our previous album All Over the World, and so we pulled together all the new songs and the theme of “being an overcomer” just rose up from them all. So, when I listen to the CD now that it is complete, it’s really doing something in my heart. Even now, listening back to the songs I have written, I hear the truth that God gave me to speak through these songs. It gives me the courage to say “Yes” to God even in the things that He asks me to do daily as I live for Him.
Becca: Several songs on By Faith really express our hearts for young women. We have a song on album called “Made to Shine.” We wrote it about a girl who came to one of our concerts and had been through a lot of bullying and rejection at school. Even though we didn’t get to meet her, we heard about her story and we wanted to write a song for her, and really for anyone who needs to know they were made to shine for God’s glory and to know their value in Christ.
A few of the songs just talk to girls specifically, and when we have opportunities to play for girls’ events we really love to share our heart and encourage them. So when people hear the record, they will hear a couple songs that really speak to some issues that girls face.
Read Full Interview Here
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 13, 2011
THE SONFLOWERZ RELEASE ANTICIPATED STUDIO ALBUM ‘BY FAITH’
Sister act from Colorado offers a new collection of modern worship songs following the
success of their national debut ‘All Over The World’.
(Colorado Springs, Colorado) — Almost one year after The Sonflowerz shared a double wedding ceremony on the same day, Elissa Leander Tipps and Becca Leander Nicholson release “By Faith”, the follow-up album to “All Over The World”.
With the release of “All Over The World” in 2008, notable single “My Adoration” climbed the R&R Inspirational chart to number four. In March 2009, the album was featured on Sirius-XM satellite radio in a live performance from Manhattan. Soon after, the sisters began touring with Lifeway Women’s Ministries for their “You & Your Girl” events. “By Faith”, the title track of their new studio album, has gained enthusiastic response. This summer, “By Faith” reached #1 on the CRW Global AC, INSPO and Internet Radio charts.
NewReleaseTuesday.com says, “This album is filled with great harmonies, vertical worship lyrics and every song is an offering of praise to our Lord and Savior Jesus. If you like songs that are filled with biblical truth and enjoy bands like Point of Grace and BarlowGirl with female harmonies, then look no further than The Sonflowerz.”
Produced by Matthew Fallentine (Desperation Band, New Life Worship) and Don Koch (6-time Dove award winner), “By Faith” strikes a chord with worship leaders. “There is a theme of worship throughout the album, which stems from our beginning as a worship band for our youth group. We have always loved seeing people encounter God in a personal way, and we hope
other churches can find these songs useful,” says Elissa.
In the studio, The Sonflowerz gained the support of Elissa’s husband, Chad Tipps (Desperation Band) on electric guitar. The album features bass and background vocals by Becca, along with lead vocals and acoustic guitar by Elissa.
“As a newlywed preparing for a new adventure in life, I found myself writing about faith. We don’t usually see the steps in front of us on our journey. I have to rely on God to be our guide, and trust Him even when it gets hard.” says Elissa. “We wrote “By Faith” out of Hebrews 11, the “hall of faith”, and I believe the message is relevant for today. London riots, economic rollercoasters, wars, drought, famine and hopelessness mark the times we’re living in. But our response to this should be faith, not in ourselves or in things around us, but in our Creator God who sustains everything.” says Becca.
“By Faith” officially released to iTunes and other digital markets on September 13th.
For more information, visit www.Sonflowerz.com
Sources:
http://www.newreleasetuesday.com/userprofile_reviewssinglepost.php?review_id=19163&user_id=140
Read Review Online at NRT Here‘By Faith’ opens with an upbeat praise and worship song, “You Captured Me,” which has a Brit-rock feel similar to Desperation Band, which is appropriate as this album was co-produced by six-time Dove Award winner Don Koch and Matthew Fallentine from Desperation Band. Elissa and Becca attend New Life Church in Colorado and this album is filled with great harmonies, vertical worship lyrics and every song is an offering of praise to our Lord and Savior Jesus.
No song better captures the essence of this great album than the title track, “By Faith,” which is one of my favorite songs of the year. The song is based on the biblical Truth of Hebrews 11:1: “Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.” Elissa and Becca are truly anointed singer-songwriters and I love singing the bridge along with these talented sisters at the top of my lungs, “Though my eyes cannot see, I know You are with me, You are with me” which flows back into the gorgeous and catchy chorus which ends with “In You I put my hope.” Amen to that!
The album is balanced with a great blend of upbeat songs and ballads, and you’ll be singing along with the worshipful choruses after just a couple of listens. I could imagine many of these songs doing well on radio including the next songs “Made To Shine” and “Now That I Am Yours.” Each song clearly and prayerfully reflects a worshipful response to God, with catchy music and lyrics and all of the songs include encouraging takeaway messages such as “God’s Love is burning like a fire inside of you, and no one can take that away” in “Made To Shine.” Some of the songs have a folk-pop feel like “Now That I Am Yours.” Some of the songs could be added to church worship services including the next set of songs, “Always Reign,” “In You Alone” and “How Great You Are.”
My favorite part of the album is the middle section of songs, with “In You Alone” declaring “In You alone I rise above, wind and storm won’t stop Your love, it’s only by Your grace that I stand, and I am not moved, In You alone, my soul finds rest, the song of hope rings in my head, the darkness is defeated in You, and I will overcome, in You alone.” I’m a big fan of transparent and vulnerable lyrics, and this album is chock-full of that type of prayerful song, and many of the songs include Brit-rock type guitar riffs as the sisters are most influenced musically by legendary and recently retired worship band Delirious, one of my all-time favorite artists. “How Great You Are” was co-written with and features Jared Anderson from Desperation Band.
‘By Faith’ closes with hit single “My Heart Is Alive,” which reminds me musically of “All Over The World,” and then “Dearly Loved” and “The Face Of Jesus.” I greatly enjoy the story-song “The Face of Jesus,” which starts with a description of an expectant mother and a young boy who lost his mother each finding the greatest love written on their faces in a ‘pay it forward’ style message declaring “Jesus, Jesus, a shelter from every raging storm, Jesus, Jesus, His grace will heal the pain of any thorn, we are His hands and mercy, to reach out in His name, your life can be the way to finally see the face of Jesus.” Great song and great message.
This year has been marked by a strong batch of female vocalists who have all written and recorded some top-notch songs and albums, including Laura Story, Dara Maclean, Tricia Brock and Francesca Battistelli. Add ‘By Faith’ by The Sonflowerz to that impressive list of great new albums this year. If you like songs that are filled with biblical Truth and enjoy bands like Point of Grace and BarlowGirl with female harmonies, then look no further than The Sonflowerz.
- Kevin Davis, New Release Tuesday.com
Read Review Online at NRT Here
Two days of family fun and more than a dozen inspirational performances are featured at WorshipFest CO, June 18 and 19 at Woodland Park’s Ute Pass Cultural Center. Jared Anderson will play on the outdoor stage on Saturday and the Sonflowerz are featured on Sunday, Father’s Day.
Imagine: The Sonflowerz is a Christian sister duo. What is it like to get to work together as sisters in a music ministry?
Elissa: Working with Becca is awesome. We’re really different from each other and I think that’s what makes us a good team. It was paramount that we settled our differences early on. I remember really butting heads when we were kids, but that’s over for the most part now! Becca: I love it! As kids, we played on the same soccer team. I think that may have prepared us to be on this “team” together as a music ministry. We enjoy serving God and using our gifts for Him together.
Imagine: Is there a story behind the name of your group?
Elissa: 12 years ago, Becca and I were hanging out with a group of girls when we were contemplating the idea of starting a band. Someone suggested The Sonflowerz as a band name, and it clicked. A girl band with a girly name – that seemed perfect. Plus, we loved the picture a sunflower represented. A sunflower will face the sun in the sky throughout the day and this is how we want to live our lives, always setting our eyes on Jesus.
Imagine: Did you always feel God would lead you into music, or are you surprised at the direction God has taken you?
www.imaginemag.org
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)–No matter how godly a male student minister is, he will never be able to teach a teenage girl how to be a godly woman. She needs a godly woman to do that.
Given that truth, churches need to have ministry devoted specifically to teenage girls led by godly women of several generations, girls’ ministry leaders say.
“Most churches have student ministries that are run by a man,” said Pam Gibbs, director of girls’ ministry at LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. “Most of the programming is more masculine than feminine — camps, active events, loud things. That’s not a criticism in any way. It’s almost impossible to incorporate masculine and feminine activities in one group.”
Gibbs wasn’t saying that girls won’t enjoy camp and the crazy activities that student groups sometimes do. But girls need more, she said. They need to form relationships with godly women, older than themselves, and learn from them.
That is where girls’ ministry comes in…
Read Full Article Here
“Inside Girls’ Ministry” Blog from LifeWay
“Occasionally you meet someone and you think, “I don’t know what God has planned for them, but it is something big.” A few years ago I actually met “2 someones” and I still believe God has great things planned for them.
When I met Elissa and Becca it was a VERY HOT, HUMID day in Atlanta. Their band the Sonflowerz (yes with a “z”) were one the many bands for a huge outdoor summer concert Atlanta Fest. There were multiple stages and literally too many bands playing over a three-day period for me even to count or remember. My friend Pam and I arrived right before the Sonflowerz were to play, along with my middle school daughter and her friend. We watched as Elissa and Becca shifted from talking with fans to the stage..”
Read Article Here
1. How did you come up with the name for your band?
We started out as an all-girl band and chose the name the Sonflowerz because it fit us so well. And it describes what we want to be as a band and individuals. If you’ve ever seen a field of sunflowers, you know that they all follow the sun as it moves east to west in the sky throughout the day! We want to follow Son of God in the same way, as the Bible says “Fix your eyes on Jesus” in Hebrews 12:2.
2. What style of music do you play?
Acoustic Rock
3. When was the group formed?
The Sonflowerz didn’t have a traditional beginning for a band. Our first gigs were invitations from churches to lead worship in our hometown in Colorado. I was about 15 when I picked up the guitar and began singing. Writing songs quickly followed in my times of playing guitar and worshipping God. It was in those times of worship that God put a desire in my heart to play music, although I didn’t know that would mean committing the next decade (and more) of my life to traveling and singing. Our first
concerts in 1999 were nothing more than hometown shows with family and friends.
-Elissa
4. What inspired you to form the group?
We loved playing together as sisters and jamming on our instruments with friends from youth group. It just made sense to go out and share our new songs with people who wanted to hear them. We didn’t know that those first concerts were actually the beginnings of The Sonflowerz. Inspiration to form the group came from the people who loved to listen to our music and the fun we had together.
5. Who are the members of the group and what do they do in the group?
Elissa – lead vocals, guitar, songwriting
Becca – vocals, guitar, bass, keys
We have a drummer, percussionist and electric guitarist that often tour with us as well!
6. How did all of you meet each other?
Elissa and I are sisters, and after moving to Colorado with our family we met friends in our youth group that also played instruments. There we began the band.
7. Where was the first place you performed together?
We played a song for our youth group in Colorado Springs
8. Where do you get ideas or inspiration for your songs?
I have had a love for writing since I was very young. My inspiration for songs comes from every place you can imagine. I’m always looking for new songs in every day life, on airplanes, in shops, in the Bible, in my
relationship with God. A tune comes, or a fresh lyric and I tuck it away on a note card so sometime I can return to work on the idea. The idea can grow into a song that communicates a strong message and often times the lyrics are rewritten to make the tune as powerful as it can be.
-Elissa
9. Who does the songwriting?
Both of us
10. How has God influenced the band?
The reason we started doing music came from a desire to worship God. I remember my first time really experiencing His presence in a powerful way when I was 12. While at a worship service with 4,000 teens at a conference I remember the joy they had as they worshiped God and I knew that was God calling me to know Him deeper and be a worshiper.
11. What do you want fans to come away with after listening to your music?
An idea or inspiration from the lyrics that God is real, wants a relationship with them, and loves them unconditionally.
12. Who is the most influential person that has affected your group? Why?
Our mom and dad always give us great advice and point us in the right direction. They are definitely the most influential people we know.
13. Do you have an amazing or funny story to tell fans about life?
As sisters growing up together, Elissa and I were always sharing. We shared friends, a soccer team, clothes, and toys. I remember one day as a younger sister, about 5 or 6, I thought she should share her Halloween candy as well, but she wasn’t very happy to find me eating her stash! I thought he couldn’t get through it all by herself so she’d need the help. -Becca
14. What is the band’s greatest accomplishment?
I really felt blessed to accomplish our 3rd CD. We joined with producer and Dove award winner Don Koch and brought out our best musically and lyrically. The growth we’ve had since our first albums is obvious in the 11 tracks, but our mission has remained the same: to worship God and point the way to Him. It’s not a traditional worship album, but there is a theme of worship throughout.
-Becca
15. What is each member’s favorite food?
Elissa – I love strawberries
Becca – Italian food, chocolate, fruit
16. What is each member’s favorite hobby when not at work?
Elissa – that’s a hard one. I love spending times with friends when I’m not on the road!
Becca – interior design, and anything that involves the outdoors
17. Where is home for the band?
Foothills of the Rocky Mountains! In Colorado Springs, CO
18. What do you remember most about being a teenager?
Friendships. During those years is really when you form lifelong friendships and decide the kind of friend you want to be. Some friendships didn’t last, but the ones that did last were built on a foundation of honesty, heart for the Lord, and selflessness.
-Becca
19. What advice or words would you give to teen girls today?
Don’t be afraid to lead! The girls around you, at your school, church, hometown, are looking for someone to show them a better way to live. The world leaves us empty and dry if we put all our hope there. But as a woman of God you can lead by living as an example, showing your friends the value and love God has for them.
1st Timothy 4:12 “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.”
-Becca
20. What bible verse is the one you most like or feel connected to and why?
John 15:4 “Remain in me and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself, it must remain on the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.”
This is a verse that has always spoken loudly to me. Everyday I need to remind myself not to do things on my own, without God’s presence and guidance. If I am weak, he is strong, and if I am giving out in any way, he is my source. Especially as I have been traveling and performing concerts, I seek to abide in Christ so that I may be fruitful in all I am doing.
-Elissa
21. What song means the most to the band? Why?
Every song has deep meaning to us personally, but specifically, “My Adoration”. It is a worship song that I wrote on a day that was particularly hard to get through. It was a day that I felt overwhelmed with too much to do and I had to slow down to set my eyes on Jesus. It’s only when we empty ourselves at the feet of Christ, and allow the platform of worship to be where we live our lives from, that we can be free of the things that weigh us down. -Elissa
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