After months of experimenting with a remote quarantine setup, GRAMMY Award-winning singer/songwriter, producer and worship leader Israel Houghton is bringing the at-home intimacy of his Worship Wednesday sessions and the electricity of a live Israel and New Breed recording to listeners with Feels Like Home: The Quarantine Worship Experience, available globally February 26.
Recorded live, the 14-track Feels Like Home will be available to stream and to purchase in digital, CD and vinyl formats with a pre-order and instant-grat track available immediately. The Feels Like Home project blossomed out of Houghton’s idea in early 2020 to remotely stream worship services, the impetus behind what would become his “Worship Wednesdays,” after seeing an opportunity to explore and reinvent group worship dynamics online throughout the pandemic.
The Israel and New Breed ensemble of vocalists and musicians streamed Feels Like Home live from Houghton’s sister-in-law’s New York home in November after each member agreed to quarantine and test for COVID-19 prior to the gathering. Deftly led by Houghton alongside his wife, Adrienne, the ensemble performed while seated “in the round,” creating a warm improvisatory looseness reminiscent of Gospel music’s roots as a communal religious celebration and experience. This includes the new single “Hymn of Breakthrough,” a brightly burning, slow-building epiphany of the “sound of breakthrough” as it echoes throughout the ensemble.
“New Breed celebrated our 20th year together in 2020,” says Houghton. “And although the entire landscape changed with how we do concerts and touring, we knew it was still important to come together. I’m grateful for the sacrifices made by everyone on our team to carefully gather and participate in this offering. Truth be told, it’s one of the most rewarding worship experiences I’ve ever been a part of.”
Since the release of his first studio album in 1997, Houghton has pioneered a sound of worship that combines a variety of music styles and reflects the diversity of the Kingdom of God as well as his own multicultural upbringing as “a black kid in a white family growing up in a Hispanic church.” His storied career as a solo artist and the frontman for Israel and New Breed includes six GRAMMY Awards and a discography of bestselling albums including New Season, Live From Another Level, A Deeper Level, Alive in South Africa, Covered: Alive In Asia, Real, The Power of One and Love God/Love People. For additional information, follow Houghton on Twitter @Israelnewbreed, on Instagram @israelhoughton, and on Facebook @IsraelHoughton.Album Pre-order And First Single, “Hymn of Breakthrough,” Available Now.
Media Contact: Shannon Walker, shanwalkr@gmail.com
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This video and message has been my go to for months now. It is absolutely incredible. I am a 73 year old worshipper and have been a fan of Israel’s for many years, and this project has become my favorite assistant to prayer and worship time. Thank you for producing such a special project that has become so precious to me, and ushers me right into God’s presence. May the repeated blessings of the Lord continue to overwhelm you all.