Tori Kelly’s Finds a New “Hiding Place” in New Album

I guess saying Tori found a “new” hiding place in her latest album isn’t quite accurate as the album title actually comes from a verse in Psalms that’s one of her favorites. [Keep reading to find out how you can win a copy of this album for yourself!]

You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. Psalm 32:7

I’ve been able to enjoy listening to this album for well over a week now. I sliced through the cellophane Tuesday evening of last week as I prepared to begin a late night drive from Nashville up to Indianapolis to visit my oldest brother. I won’t say I was overly familiar with the catalog of Tori’s work. I know she’s one of my daughter’s favorite artists, and she got to see her perform in Nashville last year at The Ryman Auditorium, a concert that she really enjoyed. When I found out that she was releasing a “Christian” album, and had heard that it was a “Praise & Worship” album. I knew I’d be interested in giving it a listen, and was certain my daughter would enjoy the opportunity as well.

I’m not sure where I first heard it described as being a worship album, but if you’ve already envisioned in your head what that would sound like, I can tell you it’s not really that. There’s probably only one song on the album that I could potentially see a church singing as a song during worship. That song would be Track #5 – “Psalm 42”.

What it is, as Kirk Franklin stated, is “hope-pop”. That’s a fairly accurate, yet simplified description. It’s an infectiously good sounding album that uplifts your soul and just makes you feel good. It certainly and without a doubt showcases Tori Kelly’s amazing vocal skills, but also gives her a Southern gospel feeling platform to really dig into soul-full R&B riffs and rhythms that further share the gospel message of God’s love for us and the sacrifice that Jesus provided us to reconcile us with our creator.

The album provides an opportunity for Kelly to connect her vocals with a host of other talented R&B, gospel and Christian artists. Here’s the full track list along with contributors:

Hiding Place by Tori Kelly

1. Masterpiece (Featuring Lecrae)
2. Help Us to Love (Featuring HamilTones)
3. Sunday
4. Just As Sure (Featuring Jonathan McReynolds)
5. Psalm 42
6. Questions
7. Never Alone (Featuring Kirk Franklin)
8. Soul’s Anthem (It Is Well)

In my opinion, the best three songs on the album are the last three. As I mentioned in the beginning of this post, I was listening to the album for the first time as I’m driving through the night up to Indianapolis to visit my oldest brother. You see, he was diagnosed with a very rare, inoperable cancer back in July and the aggressive chemotherapy and radiation treatments he’d been enduring for the last 6 weeks had not had the impact on the tumor as we’d hoped and the next steps were uncertain. After serious contemplation between him, his wife, two daughters and other family, the decision to try and balance quality of his remaining life with the crossed-hoping of results for more aggressive treatment options with worsening side effects was just too much. We’ve now transitioned to hospice care and will be enjoying the remaining time we have with him as much as we can. The lyrics of Tori’s “Questions”… “what happens when the healing never comes” pierced my emotions and heart through the drive. Here are the lyrics to “Questions” below:

[Verse 1]
I heard that there are seasons
To laugh and to cry
I struggle with the season
When You lived and You died
It’s hard to play this game
Because the rules, they don’t seem fair
If You care, God if You’re still there

[Verse 2]
Bombs falling in Syria
A child dying of AIDS
Fighting ’round the world
A daddy lost his girl
Still we kneeled and prayed
But Heaven can feel silent
And the floor beneath gets cold
When your soul refuses to let go

[Pre-Chorus]
But wait, tell me am I too late?

[Chorus]
What happens when the healing never comes?
Do we stand and curse the heavens
Or lift our hands and feel the sun
The mystery’s not clear
Just once, Your voice I’d love to hear
What happens when the healing never comes?

[Verse 3]
I know we love the seasons
Like summer and the spring
But I’ve been stuck in winter
Since the fall of misery
One day I’m full of anger
And the next I’m full of fear
Every year, there’s a new supply of tears

[Pre-Chorus]
But wait, tell me am I too late?

[Bridge]
Is there a chance for me to believe
We would dance together soon
If there’s a billion galaxies
I’ll count each one ’til I’m with You
They say where You are is better
But I want You here with me
Oh, this is for a purpose
But hurt won’t let me see

[Verse 4]
So now I must be silent
Your voice is in the wind
The hands that made the heavens
Will heal the storm within
I have so many questions
I don’t know where to begin
Since You were there at the beginning
You already know the end

[Chorus 2]
Ooh, what happens when the healing never comes
Do we stand and curse the heavens
Or lift our hands and feel the sun
The mystery’s not clear
Just once, Your voice I’d love to hear
What happens when the healing
What happens when the healing
What happens when the healing never comes

Powerful stuff right there folks! The following song “Never Alone” comes in as a promise from God and immediately lifts you up from the sorrow and pain you feel from “Questions” and delivers you right back into the strong protective arms of your Savior in this life.

The album ends with Tori singing her “Soul’s Anthem”. It’s what I feel is a re-imagining of a hymn that’s always been one of my favorites, “It Is Well With My Soul”. It provides yet another soothing reminder and cry-out of faith that we just need to hand it all to God to make it right for us as we’re tired of being wrong.

Do yourself a favor and pick up this album to enjoy it at your earliest convenience by using this link to connect to your favorite retailer or online streaming service.

Enjoy this extended version of “Never Alone” featuring Kirk Franklin video below to help convince you of grabbing the entire album.

Thanks for reading! Please share with friends and family. If you’d like to win a copy of this album, just leave a comment on this blog post or on one of our social media posts about this blog post and you’ll be entered to win!