“The heavens declare the glory of God,” Psalm 19 tells us, “and the firmament sheweth His handiwork.” In this powerful vision from the Psalter, the sky is a great canvas upon which God’s colors are painted in spectacular colors: the sun, the moon, the stars, and all the other wonders of creation. In the video for “Anthem,” the latest single from modern gospel singer Quianna Crute, those verses from scripture come to life. The lyrics of the song – words of wisdom and devotion inspired by the Almighty – appear on the brilliant blue of the unscrolled sky in cloud shapes. It’s a message from above, and a profound one, and the singer is shown with her eyes and arms uplifted, ready to receive the gift.
As a praise and worship leader, choreographer, minister, motivator, and true believer, Quianna Crute has always put her devotion first. But she’s a bold and adventurous musician too – one dedicated to capturing a personal sound that reflects her unique relationship to the Lord Jesus Christ. Few artists have managed to fuse elements of urban music with gospel and church music as seamlessly or as gracefully, as she does. The songs on Created To Worship, her luminous debut set, harness the power of contemporary pop and apply it to words of unlimited faith. The result? A record that sounds as good in the streets as it does in the chapel, and a glimpse of gospel future.
“Anthem” is the sweetest fruit of Quianna Crute’s fusion yet. The melodies echo the hymnal, the choruses are ready for radio, and the trap beats push everything forward. The track features a warm, empathetic verse from Florida rapper and singer Canton Jones, one of the leading lights of Christian hip-hop, and a man with a well-established relationship to the anthemic. His connection to God is undeniable and his faith is unshakable.
Both the rapper and the singer appear in the vibrant clip for “Anthem” – a sunny, glorious day distilled into four minutes of pure worship. It’s timely, too: members of Quianna Crute’s outdoor congregation, masked against the coronavirus, hold up signs testifying to God’s presence in their lives. Total devotion is inscribed on the singer’s face as she performs, and it’s visible in her movements as she executes a praise dance on a stone staircase. Do those steps lead all the way to heaven? She believes that they do – and her belief is so palpable, and so powerful, that we bet she’ll dispel your doubt, too.
