Song Review: Tasha Cobb Leonard and Lecrae Single Your Power

“We are just two artists coming together to make beautiful music and share a message of hope and encouragement. We believe that music has the power to inspire people, and we want to use our platforms to create messages of change, love, and unity.”

For May Mental Health Awareness Month, Tasha Cobbs Leonard and Lecrae came together for a talk about mental health and the state of Christian music. They also surprised everyone by releasing the single Your Power. According to Schure Media Group, this collaboration combines their two styles into an inspirational song of hope. Lecrae says,

“We are just two artists coming together to make beautiful music and share a message of hope and encouragement. We believe that music has the power to inspire people, and we want to use our platforms to create messages of change, love, and unity.”

Tasha Cobbs Leonard is a GRAMMY, Dove Award, and Stellar Award winner who is a champion for empowerment and positivity. She has collaborated with Common, Nicki Minaj, and Ciara. Lecrae is a Multi-GRAMMY Award-winning, platinum-selling artist who wants to take Jesus out of the pulpit into the wider world in hopes of restoring Faith. Lecrae has collaborated with Ty Dolla $ign and many others.

Music and Production

The piece starts with a gospel choir repeating the theme of the song with the lyric, “And by Your power, I know You made a way.” A strident piano and Hammond B3 organ back the choir, musically foreshadowing what’s coming. The piano and organ back out as the song moves into the verse, which stays bare with only a gated snare and tonal bass pad, along with some restrained elements moving in and out. With its sparse backing, Lecrae carries the verse with his rhythmic but smooth style, declaring how much we need God in different ways.

As the bridge and chorus expand with the organ and piano reentering the fray, the gospel backing is a complete joy to listen to. The musicians do not shy from musical creativity, which is a breath of fresh air. Tasha covers the bridge and chorus sections as the accompaniment grows. Her powerful voice, and treatment of the melody, is genius.

Theme

The theme portrayed in the lyric, “And by Your power, I know You made a way,” is powerful. Lecrae and Tasha stick close to the theme throughout, giving the collaboration continuity and a laserlike focus. They mix powerful rap with an even more powerful gospel to create an anthem for many struggling with mental health issues who feel alone and powerless.

Final Thoughts

In the interview that motivated the song, Tasha and Lecrae talk about the controversies surrounding their collaboration with secular, sometimes very, very secular artists in the past. Some will be accepting, and some dismissive of these choices, but what you can’t deny is that with Your Power they have offered a song of hope using creativity, talent, and passion. They’ve harnessed musicality in an industry that, more often than not, settles for boring, unoriginal music and musicianship. Your Power is a standout piece in the Christian music landscape.

Great focus and musicality

Less

Wouldn’t mind it going longer.

What's Your Reaction?

Helpful

Christopher Watson

Christopher Watson is an author of six books, both fiction and non-fiction. He is also a musician and composer with a B.A. in Music from Azusa Pacific University. For several years Christopher led worship at The Springs Church while attending Dallas Theological Seminary in Dallas Texas. He's been involved with worship in a number of churches in California and the Pacific Northwest both as a musician and in production and technology. Now he lives and writes in Washington State with his amazing wife, wonderful daughters, and highly intelligent dog, Ellie Mae.