bridge. I also love that the production nods to those classic CCM power ballads from the late 90s and early 2000s.
Creating new Christmas music can be daunting and intimidating, but these two songs feel like they both fit the project perfectly.
[ WM ] We’ ll come back to Christmas, but I wanted to ask you about CCM as a genre, as a career, and most importantly, as a calling. I’ ve been involved in it since joining my first Christian band in 1971. That’ s 54 years ago! I’ ve seen so many changes in the lyrics, music, marketing strategies, focus, and everything else. I’ m now concerned about the intrusion of AI into the mix. What are your observations and are you keeping an eye on the AI dynamic?
[ Natalie ] You’ ve lived through so many seasons of CCM- thank you for faithfully serving for so long! Even in my 26 years of doing this, I’ ve watched it change a lot too. Some of that is exciting, because every generation brings its own voice / sound. But for me, at the end of the day, this has never just been a genre or a career. It’ s always been ministry.
I pursued Christian music because I felt called to point people to Jesus through music. That’ s still the whole reason I do it. So even when the business side, the marketing, the technology shifts, the why is still the same.
And yes, I’ m definitely paying attention to AI. I’ m choosing not to be afraid of it- honestly it can be helpful with many things. But we must be protective of what we do. And of how we create. Worship isn’ t“ content.” A worship song doesn’ t start with a clever idea; it starts with a person who has prayed, struggled, trusted, hoped, and let the Holy Spirit breathe on their story.
AI can copy a style, but it can’ t carry the presence of God. It can spit out lyrics, but it can’ t offer a testimony. You can’ t generate anointing.
[ WM ] Well stated! It’ s different singing Christmas songs and hymns as we get older, isn’ t it? Perspective comes with age and experience brings deeper meaning and memories to those songs. Have you found this to be true?
[ Natalie ] Yes, 100 %. The older I get, the more these Christmas songs and hymns are important to me. Hymns, in particular, are really precious to me. Psalm 77 talks about looking back and remembering the goodness of God, and I feel like hymns help us do exactly that. They pull us back to the faithfulness of God over our lives.
10 December 2025 Subscribe for Free...