Phil Wickham

When you’re raised in a Christian family, there’s always that integral moment when your faith eventually becomes your own. For California native Phil Wickham, that moment inevitably shaped his future as a worship leader when he was only 12 years old.

As Phil first started leading praise services at his local youth group, his parents (both members of bands in the Jesus Movement era) encouraged him not only to learn popular worship songs, but to write his own—a challenge he relished.

These early days of writing congregationally friendly songs paved the way for his future as a full-time musician. Drawing from a wide range of influences including mainstream artists Rufus Wainright, Keane and Coldplay, Phil earned rave reviews for his unique voice and soaring, atmospheric arrangements that weren’t always commonplace in worship music.

His critically acclaimed 2007 album, Cannons, featured beloved and passionate songs "Divine Romance" and "After Your Heart." Inspired by C.S. Lewis’ book "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader" from The Chronicles of Narnia series, Cannons was about how “the universe is exploding with the glory of God and how we as believers as compelled to join with its songs.”

Following Cannons, Phil partnered with Bart Millard of MercyMe in his 2009 single, "Safe," before releasing his next album, Singalong, a live praise project recorded at Solid Rock Church in Portland, Oregon. Available at no cost only through Phil’s professional website, the album was downloaded more than 8,000 times in the first week.

His newest single "At Your Name (Yahweh, Yahweh)" is off Phil's next worship album Response,  set to be released in October 2011. The album is a symbol of our answer to God when He reveals Himself to humanity.

“When I see the different aspects of who God is in different situations of life,” describes Phil, “a little glimpse of His love in how my wife and I continue to grow in our love for each other, His goodness when I find out I have a baby daughter on the way, his grace and forgiveness when I mess up for the hundredth time – my response to that love can be seen as jumping for joy where other times I respond by saying, ‘You are Hold and I am not,’ humbled and falling on my face.”