Inspired By Psalm 23, Chandler Moore Bows a Worshipful, Earnest Solo Set
For his second solo effort, Chandler Moore could have easily recorded a collection of familiar mega-hits from his already impressive catalog. Yet, Moore opted to put in the work and drop a live album of all-new anthems. The result is “Chandler Moore: Live in Los Angeles,” his captivating follow-up to 2020’s “Feelings.”
Captured in May 2024 in the City of Angels, the live recording showcases why Moore has been a standout addition to Maverick City Music from day one. He’s a triple threat: a born leader, a profound lyricist and a gifted vocalist. Moreover, his signature velvet rasp feels right at home in just about any genre — a fact he’s affirmed more than once through collaborations with everyone from Elevation Worship to Justin Bieber. But on “Live in Los Angeles,” the award winner isn’t concerned with celebrity. Instead, this batch of songs strips back the artifice and lays bare a pure heart of worship.
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The husband and father wrote these originals during a challenging season that found him stepping back from Maverick City Music and re-evaluating his future — both personally and professionally. His earnest searching, wrestling and ultimate surrender can be heard throughout each fresh offering. Moore’s intentional time of solitude and reflection, which inspired his new music, was rooted in the imagery found in Psalm 23:2, which says, “He lets me rest in green meadows; He leads me beside peaceful streams.”
“God has stilled the waters, He’s calmed the noise, He’s shut everything down so that I can see what I need to see and let Him grow me up in ways He needs to grow me up,” Moore shares of the season that led to ‘Live in Los Angeles.’ “It’s about being still in your spirit and mind to allow God to speak to you.”
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The divine instruction the in-demand collaborator received during his hiatus undoubtedly informed the eight tracks that comprise his latest project. Enlisting friends Israel Houghton, Naomi Raine and Tasha Cobbs Leonard, Moore crafted a record that’s not defined by any one tone. Lyrically, ‘Live in Los Angeles’ is unquestionably a worship album. Sonically, however, it’s a celebration of all the different styles that influence Moore as an artist. From Gospel to R&B and Soul to worship, the effort seamlessly weaves one category with the next, with Moore’s warm, welcoming timbre forming the steady through line.
Introductory selection “I Have a Father” paints God as a mighty warrior, our protector and defender, fighting battles we can’t even see. The poignant declaration is followed by “Joy,” featuring Houghton, which lives up to its name and even interpolates youth group favorite “Trading My Sorrows (Yes Lord).” “Ok, we’ve got some church kids out here,” Moore says as he launches deeper into the Darrell Evans classic — the perfect complement to his modern twist on VBS bedrock, “I’ve Got the Joy, Joy, Joy, Joy (Down in My Heart).”
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Moore’s inner storyteller comes out on the confessional “What I Needed,” acknowledging that while God doesn’t always give us what we want, He always provides exactly what we need.
Colored by Afrobeats and tribal textures, “Omemma,” meanwhile, tributes Moore’s Nigerian heritage. Meaning “the God who always does good,” “Omemma” has quickly become a global anthem as Moore, quite literally, carried the song around the world on Maverick City Music’s “Kingdom World Tour” this summer, which saw the hitmaker perform in cities across Africa and Europe. Despite a runtime that exceeds 11 minutes, the contagious selection has already evolved into a rally cry exalting the God who leaves the 99, “always for the one.”
“Live in Los Angeles” closes with two versions of prayerful lead single “Lead Me On,” a worshipful moment of concession. The initial live rendering is followed by the shorter radio edit — now playing on Air1 — capping more than an hour’s worth of audio, despite the project’s tight tracklisting.
Moore has already hinted that a deluxe edition of “Live in Los Angeles” is imminent, but until we get additional new music from the GRAMMY® winner, fans will no doubt have the current set on repeat. Like his previous collaborative work, Moore’s latest endeavor ushers in an atmosphere of faith, urging listeners to assume a posture that’s both worshipful and human…because that’s the balance Moore always strikes with his songs. And on his second official solo outing, both praise and vulnerability take centerstage, paving a sure foundation for whatever the genre-bending trailblazer pursues next.
