CCMG Announces Debut Single From New Artist Stephen Stanley, 'No Hopeless Soul'
Capitol CMG announces today's release of "No Hopeless Soul," the debut single from their newest artist signing, Stephen Stanley. A music video is also out today, which can be viewed below, and the song will be impacting Christian radio January 15, 2021.
Originally hailing from McDonough, Georgia, it is Stephen Stanley's profound mission is to make music that gives an immediate emotional impact. When he learned to play his mother's guitar at just nine years old after suffering from a jet skiing accident that left him deaf in his left ear, he uncovered a remarkable gift for music and melody. By 13, he was playing piano and drums in addition to writing songs and leading worship at the church where his father served as a pastor and ever since, Stanley has honed a distinct and dynamic voice as a musician, artist, and songwriter, bringing both raw emotion and a profound sense of purpose to everything he creates.
Capitol CMG Co-Presidents Hudson Plachy and Brad O'Donnell are thrilled to include Stanley to the CCMG roster. "Stephen is such a unique talent," O'Donnell says. "He’s a world-class vocalist and a really compelling live performer. We were instantly drawn to him and are so excited we get to share his music with the world."
Plachy adds, "We are so excited to have Stephen join our Capitol CMG family. We feel honored to partner with him and can’t wait for everyone to hear why he’s so special."
“My whole life I’ve known that I wanted to be in the Christian music world, but it took me a few years of writing to figure out exactly what I wanted to say,” Stanley shares. “At some point I started to use my songs as a way to talk about mental health, and about how God has helped me to get through things like anxiety and depression. The way I write now is to try to be as introspective and open about what I’m feeling as I possibly can, with the idea that it will hopefully translate to other people who are going through something similar.”
And it is with "No Hopeless Soul" that he offers a powerful introduction to his sound and purpose. "'No Hopeless Soul’ came from thinking about how a lot of people feel condemned by things in their past, or by something about themselves that they’re not proud of,” explains Stanley, who co-wrote the track with Jeff Pardo, a GRAMMY Award-nominated songwriter (Lady A, Ben Rector). “We all have days where we feel like we’re not good enough - I know I feel that way sometimes - but God doesn’t just reject you because of something you’ve done wrong. The truth is that everyone is redeemable, and that’s the message that I wanted to send with this song.” "No Hopeless Soul" is the first of many new songs to come from Stanley, who will be releasing more content early next year with Capitol CMG.
As he continues to create music, one of his main intentions is to infuse hope and compassion into the musical landscape, especially at such a chaotic moment in time. “I feel like my generation wants to try to change the world, and we’re slowly learning that it’s not that easy,” Stanley says. “I really believe that love - and specifically the love that God offers - is the answer to so many of the problems we’re dealing with right now, whether it’s hatred or injustice or lack of unity. I hope my music helps to remind people of that, and helps them to feel a little uplifted and encouraged whenever they get overwhelmed.”