Dove-nominated singer/songwriter Misty Edwards released her newest and 4th studio album, Little Bird, amidst critical acclaim, Dec. 29 from Forerunner Music, the official record label of the International House of Prayer of Kansas City (IHOPKC).
With several songs from the album heard for the first time by 25,000-plus people attending IHOPKC’s Annual Onething Conference Dec. 28-31, the recording also spent time at No. 1 as the bestselling Christian/Gospel album at iTunes® during release week. Furthermore, the album is currently the fourth bestseller on the UK’s Official Christian & Gospel Albums Chart as reported by the Official Charts Company.
“What an amazing opportunity for Misty to share such a personal, intimate collection of new songs with a captivated audience hungry to participate in a live setting,” said Forerunner Music President Nick Syrett. “Listeners seemed to resonate not only with her musical creativity, but connected with the lyrical intimacy and worshipful expressions unique to Little Bird.”
“Misty pours her heart out in every single song which allows listeners to eavesdrop on her expressing her deep feelings, insecurities, and desires for holiness directly to God…If you like indie-pop style ‘gourmet’ singer-songwriters Sara Bareilles, Ingrid Michaelson, Regina Spektor and Audrey Assad, you need to check out Little Bird by Misty Edwards…This entire album is loaded with relatable lyrics, incredible singing and prayerful themes about what it means to be a child of God. Musically, the album features a great mix of laid-back indie-pop and singer-songwriter folk style music…I hang on every single word and the stirring vocals, prayerful lyrics and music arrangements are breathtaking. This is a great new collection of very heartfelt and introspective songs, in essence Misty’s love letters to God.” – NewReleaseTuesday.com (5/5 stars overall)
“Little Bird and Misty Edwards fly but not in a congregational direction, although a number of songs will serve with power and emotional effect as special music. This kind of honest, confessional, spiritual and emotional excavation is the bedrock of indie music, but rarer in worship, although David gave us a profound pattern, which Edwards emulates on songs such as ‘Invisible One’ and ‘Sound of a Heart.’ Edwards is hoping to encourage others in the worship movement to think beyond merely corporate expressions of worship.” – Worship Leader Magazine (4.5 stars/5)
“Edwards’ music are conversation pieces where she trade lines with the characters in her songs as they reflect upon the grace of God, the frailty of life, the eternity of promises and so forth. And never one to be domesticated by one genre of music, here you will find Edwards exploring various shades of musical styles from singer-songwriter folk to piano balladry to ethereal soft rock…Little Bird, on the whole, is an album that is not domesticated by the standard flares of today’s worship music. It’s creative, innovative, expansive (in its lyrical scope) and it’s heartfelt delivered from a worshipper is acquainted with the pulsating heart of God.” – Hallels.com
“Time fails me to tell you of each song. They are all creative and grab your attention. It is not a fast album, most songs are mid to low tempo, but each has a distinct musical touch that just shows the level of excellence Misty and her team are capable of producing. This is not an album you will be loading your Sunday set lists with, but it is an album you will keep readily available to just listen and enjoy. It’s bold and imaginative whilst also being deeply personal.” – AllAboutWorship.com
“Misty has stretched her musical boundaries and brought herself to new levels musically and lyrically…being more mature and organic in presentation. The musical direction Little Bird takes is one that reaches out to today’s culture through a musical style that is popular on the market…, but holds a message that the culture needs to hear.” – CMADDICT.com
The album features all-star production from the legendary, 14 Grammy Award-winning / 25 Dove Award-winning Brown Bannister, plus co-production from the Grammy-nominated Paul Moak (The Blind Boys of Alabama, Mat Kearney), who blend together Little Bird’s earthy innovation with analogue experimentation, alongside a vast myriad of subject matter. Independently-minded, Little Bird has the ability to take flight towards the spiritually thirsty of varying backgrounds that converge at the crossroads of musical and lyrical authenticity.
Citing the song, “Center of the Universe,” Misty notes, “I hope listeners will walk away knowing they’re part of this epic story, and once again, that life as we know it is not the end. Your life, your heart and your individual journey matters massively. Psalm 2 is the mosaic, the storyline of God, and it’s a call to find your strand in that tapestry.”
