Young Christian musician brings much-needed beauty and hope to a troubled world

If I could choose one word to describe contemporary society, it would be “troubled.” The world is increasingly secular and sexualized. Young Americans are being taught how to live for themselves and remain victimized instead of taking responsibility for their actions. 

Abortion, gender ideology, euthanasia and casual sex are running rampant along with atheism and a growing lack of faith in God, even among those who identify as Christians. It’s discouraging, to say the least.  

But there is still beauty and goodness in this broken world—and the hope of the resurrection to get us through to the other side. I’ve always turned to music as a reminder of truth and beauty, so I was thrilled to be introduced to Anne Wilson, an up-and-coming Christian artist whose music is a light in the darkness and witness is an inspiration to young women and girls. 

Who is Anne Wilson? 

Anne Wilson is a 21-year-old who broke onto the contemporary Christian and country music scene in recent years. She is from Lexington, Kentucky and moved to Nashville, Tennessee to pursue a career in music. The call to become a musician came after Anne sang the well-known song, “What a Beautiful Name,” at her brother’s funeral.  

Grieving the devastating loss of her beloved brother—who died in a car crash—Anne poured her sorrow into combining her gifts of music and faith. In 2021, she released her first single, “My Jesus,” which rose to No. 1 on the charts and won the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) Christian Music Awards Song of the Year in 2022. 

Her follow-up album of the same title was also nominated for the Best Contemporary Christian Music Album Grammy award. She made her debut at the famed Grand Ole Opry in 2021. Per her website, Anne describes her work as “the heart of Christian Music, the sound of Country [and] the hope of Jesus.”

 
Christ-centered music in a secular world 

Though her first hit, “My Jesus” is far from Anne’s only song. It was the first I heard as my sisters began listening to her music, but I quickly fell in love with her other songs after seeing her perform at a local county fair.  

Because her career was sparked by the tragic death of her brother, much of Anne’s music carries the theme of praising and trusting God even in the darkness of this world. “Seventh of June” and “Just Because It’s Christmas” embrace humanity and all its sorrows while “Something About That Name” and “God Thing” point to God’s goodness and deep-rooted faith.  

She also sings about remaining firm in faith amid the challenges of life with singles like “This House” and “Sunday Sermons.” Some of my personal favorites include “That’s What We Need,” “Mamas” and “Mansions.”

The rest of Anne’s music can be found on her YouTube channel or other major streaming services.  

An inspiration for women and girls 

Her story and music are quite inspiring, but one of my favorite things about Anne’s mission is her specific outreach to women and girls. Following the release of her song “Hey Girl” in 2022—which calls on God’s daughters to recognize their worth as a “child of the King”—Anne launched something called “Hey Girl Nation.”  

Its website describes the mission as “a movement and community for girls and women of all ages to connect with new friends, find daily inspiration, and spread the message” of the song by the same name. It encourages women and girls to “feel empowered just as you are because your worth is defined in Christ alone.” 

Combined with her mission to remind God’s daughters of their worth is Anne’s powerful witness: praising God in the darkness, spreading the Gospel through approachable words and beautiful music and even dressing with dignity. When I saw her in concert, I was blown away by her simple beauty in a modest dress, country boots and her hair flowing as freely as her voice.  

I would encourage all young women and girls to add “Hey Girl” to their playlists and check out Hey Girl Nation.