Creating songs from Canada for Canadians and Canadian churches is what Royal Anthems hopes to do, and hasn't happened to this extent in the past.
As Canada is so spread out, Royal Anthems Director Matthew Grieve says that people in Toronto don't know what is happening in Vancouver churches and vice versa.
"It's bothered me for many years. I've had a unique opportunity based on being a professional artist myself in the Christian space and got to tour Canada from coast to coast and actually get to see this entire country," Grieve says. "Most Canadians never get to do that based on how big it is and the cost."
Grieve says that some of the most popular music that exists in the world happens to come right out of Canada, but in the Christian music world, "It was a little bit of like where is, where is it all?"
Walking into church on a Sunday, Grieve said there was normally one thing in common. "Canadian churches were singing Australian, British and American worship songs, and they're great songs, and God uses those songs. But we genuinely believed that Canada has a voice, that Canada has a sound that Canada has a song."
When the opportunity came up to work with Crossroads Media, home of 100 Huntley Street, Grieve said, "I got to shake the trees in the nation of Canada and find out what God is doing in worship. And I've got to tell you, it's extraordinary."
In Winnipeg, Grieve says, "Bread We Break in Winnipeg has 1,800 kids coming out on a monthly basis to actually worship God together."
In Ontario, he says, "There's an event called The River happening on a Tuesday where 2,000 to 3,000 people show up to worship God every Tuesday, making it the largest worship event in North America."
As Grieve wanted something to represent every province, Royal Anthems was born.
"So the call went out. We were looking for not just those people who had the great heart of unity, but genuinely integrity. God opened up the door from one person to another, and in April, 22 worship leaders from across the country all flew together to Burlington, Ont., to the Crossroads Media Center for three days to pray and worship and write songs for the Canadian Church."
Grieve admits they didn't know what would happen, but were amazed with the outcome. "Many of these people haven't really written together before, and don't know each other. But God did something amazing. The Holy Spirit really moved and we actually got 14 incredible songs that came out of that event, four that we decided to produce with an amazing producer."
The first song released, 'Thank You,' was released in June and Grieve says, "It's been great to watch Canadian churches from coast to coast singing this Canadian song in the churches."
He says the song is about, "It's just so very simple to be like of all the stuff the Bible says, the beginning of destruction is on thankfulness, and so often I think in worship we miss it, that we're trying to get something from the songs. True worship, which of course is something that comes out of our heart, that really costs us, is a gift to God. And I think it starts with a beautiful phrase of just like, thank you if you need something to remember, to be thankful for."
While Winnipeg's Alex Grant wasn't featured on 'Thank You,' he is a part of a song coming out next month Grieve says. "He just cries these songs and I could tell you he was such a standout in the event. What a worshiper. I genuinely believe that Canada has not discovered his gift and that God is going to completely release him all over the nation of Canada, genuinely feel like he's almost a kind of a Canadian Steffany Gretzinger. He's got that real heart."
Grieve is excited to see where Royal Anthems goes in the future and says, "A major part of what we want to continue to do is ongoingly build this camaraderie of it's just really the intentionality of getting us together. There's something that happens when we're physically being in the room together, and I think specifically with even building and crafting something, there's a vulnerability that happens when you have to put your baby on the table and go, 'Is this a good idea?' with somebody that you don't necessarily even know and have them go, 'Oh, I love that.'"
He says, "Six months later, we have a WhatsApp group with all 22 worship leaders. People are talking and sharing birthdays and just loving on each other."
The second release, 'Good, Good Day' is released July 26.