Music has always been a natural vehicle for ideas of faith, a way of expressing devotion, celebration, and belief. It’s no coincidence that some of the earliest music was made as a way of acknowledging such a higher power, something that helped shape the art form itself. While modern music now spans countless styles and myriad purposes, artists, like Stephen Royal, remain rooted in their calling, pairing spiritual conviction with a sharp understanding that faith-driven music must resonate with the same energy and accessibility as the wealth of secular music around it.
With “Pray,” we find Stephen Royal at a place where the seductive soul sound and gospel vibes that such devotional music traditionally draws on merge with the accessible pop-rock sonics. “Pray” is a song that feels as much a part of the modern music scene as it does a private communication and an expression of belief; the perfect blend of sonic fashion and unmovable faith.
But this soulful, R&B-vibed song is more than just a general declaration of an idea; it comes from a very personal and powerful place. After struggling with tragic loss in his life, rather than feeling at odds with the way of the world, Royal found himself drawn to a renewed, closer connection with his core faith.
The result is a song that stands up on its own two feet as a piece of modern music, but which, when its lyrics are more deeply explored, proves to be a powerful and purposeful expression of devotion.
