When Tasha Cobbs took the stage on June 14, 2012 at Northview Christian Church, in Montgomery, Alabama, she did so neither as a nationally renowned vocalist, nor as a recording artist making her major-label debut. Instead, with microphone in hand, she ascended the platform prepared to do what she had done every week since her teenage years—lead the congregation into worship.
It is no surprise then that the result of her effort, Grace, stands as a moving example of the raw power of a live worship experience. Produced by multi-award-winning artist and producer VaShawn Mitchell, the eight-song project reveals Tasha at her best as a psalmist, songwriter, and minister.
From the opening chant “Get Up” through the powerful declaration “Break Every Chain” (featuring celebrated vocalist Timiney Figueroa) to the show-stopping “Confidence,” Grace is overflowing with moments that are sure to be recreated by worship teams across the nation.
A pastor’s kid and long-time worship leader, Tasha has developed her gifts as a songwriter and psalmist to become a nationally recognized minister. She currently serves as Worship Leader for the Young Adult Division of the Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship, while simultaneously holding the position of Worship Pastor at the dReam Center Church of Atlanta.
For the songs included on this recording, Tasha chose material of personal significance to her as well as songs from her own catalog. “The first time I heard ‘Break Every Chain’ I listened to it all night long,” she recalls. “I have ministered it at my church a few times, and it always has the same affect—chains are broken. I have messages on Facebook and Twitter from people who have been freed as a result of the song. It releases freedom.”
The upbeat, infectious “Happy” has quickly become a frequently requested, signature song for Tasha. “I have to minister that one everywhere I go,” she says. “That’s a song that I wrote about four years ago. One of my cousins called me one day and said, ‘I just wanna know if you’re happy.’ I started to think that there are things in life that would make me sad or that I don’t like, but at the core of who I am I have the joy of the Lord. That means I can command my circumstances. The attitude of the Believer is that we have the victory in everything.”
With the release of Grace, Tasha Cobbs is sure to become a recognized name in churchgoing households across the nation. Despite the broader exposure, for Tasha the goal remains clear: “I know my assignment as a worship leader is to, without fail, lead God’s people into His presence. A national platform only gives me a greater opportunity to fulfill that purpose.”