Multi-awarded Christian musician Jason Crabb dropped a new EP, inspired by the challenges he encountered last year during the pandemic.
Crabb released "Just As I Am" last January, under Jay DeMarcus' Red Street Records. DeMarcus also produced the EP.
Speaking to The Christian Post, the singer said that his newest record conveys his faith declaration to God in a time of adversity.
"Whenever I begin to work on a new project, I ask God for His direction and wisdom," he said.
He also recalled his grandmother's statement, saying that God can be trusted regardless of the circumstances because He is in control.
"She used to tell me, 'When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hold on to God.' So holding on to God, the project of making Just As I Am began," the musician added.
Crabb then shared about the things he went through, creating the EP.
"This record was born from adversity. Just about the time we went into the studio, the pandemic hit and the world stopped. I caught the virus; friends and family became sick, and we knew people who died," he said.
But in the midst of discouragement, the singer chose to lean on the Lord, holding on to His promises in Isaiah 61:3. The verse tells about God's provision of "a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair" for His glory.
"That's the wondrous thing about Christ - He takes what was meant for harm and turns it into good," he pointed out.
In conclusion, the musician disclosed that through his new songs, he and DeMarcus aimed to "share hope, encouragement and inspiration; that they point people to Jesus."
"From beginning to end, through every step of the recording journey, we worked to create something that I really believe will bless and uplift the listener, be an encouragement to the Body of Christ and glorify God," Crabb further stated.
The EP's title track single is currently among the Top 30 of Billboard's AC Monitored chart. The record's other songs include "Heart Wide Open," "Send Me (The One)," "Friend In The Fire," and "Before." The singer collaborated with a number of songwriters for his latest project, such as DeMarcus, Josh Bronlewee, Andrew Bergthold and Tony Wood.
Crabb is a Grammy award winner. He also won 21 Dove Awards, having been honored as the Gospel Music Association's Dove Awards Artist and Male Vocalist of the Year.
He was born in Beaver Dam, Kentucky on March 3, 1977. His parents, Gerald and Terri, divorced when he was 13 years old.
But his father remarried and in 1995, they launched The Crabb Family. It became one of the most popular Southern Gospel groups of all time, having 16 No. 1 songs, 11 Dove Awards and three Grammy nominations.
When the band retired in 2007, Crabb began his solo career and released his self-titled album in 2009, which won a Grammy for Best Southern/Country/Bluegrass Album in 2010.
He also released other albums such as "The Song Lives On" in 2011, "Love is Stronger" in 2013, "Whatever the Road" in 2015 and "Unexpected" in 2018.
In 2011, The Crabb Family reunited for a tour and the group released the studio album, "Together Again" the year after.
