David Leonard is in good company on “Just Jesus,” his third studio LP as a solo act. A deep dive into the credits reveals Brandon Lake, Josh Baldwin, Jon Reddick, Zach Williams, Passion Worship’s Brett Younker and Ryan Ellis to be among the numerous songwriters Leonard tapped to help craft the 12-track collection over a nearly two-year period.
The list of who’s who collaborators isn’t much of a surprise considering Leonard, himself, is an in-demand lyricist who’s co-written well-known songs recorded by CAIN, Katy Nichole, Brandon Heath, Matthew West, and MercyMe, among others.
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“Just Jesus” draws from Leonard’s experience both in the studio and on the stage. Throughout his career, the worship-leader-turned-singer-songwriter has worn a variety of hats, giving him a unique perspective few artists possess. Leonard previously toured as a keyboardist for NEEDTOBREATHE before fronting his own pop-rock band, Jackson Waters, for a season. The Arkansas native then went on to co-found highly revered folk-worship duo All Sons & Daughters with Leslie Jordan, with whom he penned mega-anthems like “Great Are You Lord” and “All the Poor and Powerless.” Through the years, he’s also quietly holed up in his studio in Franklin, Tenn., writing and producing for other artists via his production outfit, The Creak Music.
In 2019, he officially embarked on a solo career with the release of electro-pop detour “The Wait.” 2023’s “Plans” returned the “Every Hour” singer to his worship leading roots, and now, in 2025, “Just Jesus” feels like an organic successor, taking inspiration from every iteration of his musical journey thus far.
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While the record begins with anthemic radio single “God of This Place,” it ends with a vulnerable piano-led plea in the form of “I Run To You.”
Anchored by Psalm 139, Leonard acknowledges the Lord’s presence in moments big and small across each of the album’s dozen originals. With a tender vocal, he speaks of life’s inevitable valleys, but God’s unwavering faithfulness is always the cornerstone he comes back to time and time again. Lyrically, these songs showcase his natural strength as a songwriter. Sonically, they form an intersection for Leonard’s multidimensional artistry.
An easy, diverse listen, “Just Jesus” strips all of Leonard’s past, present and future endeavors down to the basics. “I don’t need the lights. Don’t need the stages. All I really, really want is You,” Leonard sings in the title cut’s first verse.
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The congregational-friendly “We’ve Got History” reflects on what a long, steady relationship with Jesus looks like and features up-and-coming female singer-songwriter Cecily. Meanwhile, on “Good Man” — an immediate highlight — Leonard dons a cowboy hat for a country-tinged confession that’s as much about his family as it is about his faith. “If they’re gonna follow me, then I’m gonna follow You. Lord, help me be a good man,” he prays, expressing a desire to be a faithful spiritual leader in his home. A similar thread of country instrumentation also runs through the hopeful “Keep the Light On” and the grateful “Look at What the Lord Has Done.”
Meanwhile, the achingly raw “Must Be Good” mixes lament with beauty as Leonard examines Romans 8:28, acknowledging that while he doesn’t always understand pain, he knows there’s purpose in it.
Shining a spotlight on some of the songs he’s been a part of that have been recorded by other artists, Leonard puts his own stamp on Reddick’s “I Believe It (The Life of Jesus)” and Williams’ “By His Wounds” — two powerful, Gospel-centric offerings.
Because Leonard is better known as a songwriter, it would be easy to dismiss his latest solo project. But listeners would be wise not to sleep on “Just Jesus.” It’s an album full of evidence as to why Leonard is such a rare multifaceted talent. His vocal is honest and fragile. His lyrics are simultaneously widely universal and deeply personal; and his sonic influences defy genre.
While many of the offerings represented on “Just Jesus” are tailor-made for Sunday morning or even solitary moments of reflection, Leonard doesn’t allow trends or expectations to drive his artistry. (His résumé is proof he rarely has.) Instead, his songs feel Sprit led — one note, one lyric, one recording at a time. “Just Jesus” isn’t simply his next solo endeavor, it’s Leonard’s next step of obedience.
