On today's show, we chat with Melody Noel!

For Melody Noel, music is a life force. Born into a family of mariachis spanning across seven generations — with the earliest musician dating back to the 1870s — Melody forged her own path as the first to create music outside the Mexican folk genre. Melody began her journey in pop music as a member of teen girl group Runway MMC. This experience opened her eyes to the American music scene, working with the likes of Grammy nominated Alex Cantrall (“Leave (Get Out)” by JoJo) and Brandon Howard (“I Ain’t Gotta Tell You” by Ne-Yo) for Runway MMC’s debut EP “Forever Yours” (2008). Melody pursued higher education at NYU’s Clive Davis School of Recorded Music, graduating in 2014. Her class project, an EP titled “The Living Room Sessions,” sparked the interest of music publisher Imagem Music; they signed her soon after in 2012.

She continued her path as a songsmith in Los Angeles, toplining for songs such as “I

Don’t Wanna Love You” (Casablanca Records/UMG) by Prince Fox, “In My Head (feat.Georgia Ku)” (Mad Decent) by Party Favor, and “Paper Roses” (Spinnin’ Records) by Kura. In 2016, she co-wrote the single “Love Make the World Go Round” recorded by Jennifer Lopez and Lin Manuel Miranda. Released exclusively on iTunes, all proceeds were donated to those affected by the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando, FL. The song peaked at no. 72 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and no. 9 on the Digital Songs chart. After feeling the pull to write songs for something bigger than herself, Melody pivoted to the Christian music genre, establishing Influence Music in 2017. In 2018, Melody led the worship collective in creating iTunes no. 1 and Billboard no. 2 album “Touching Heaven.” Melody’s single “Mistakes” made it on Billboard’s Christian Airplay chart for 20weeks. She continues writing and performing songs that are utilized by churches globally. To date, Melody’s songs have been streamed 228 million times across DSPs. Whether writing music for pop icons, film and television or for local congregants, the banner Melody carries over it all is "Soli Deo gloria,” meaning “Glory to God alone.

With the release of “Back to Praise” via Influence Music (distr. via Capitol Christian Music Group), Melody is stepping out in faith to accomplish such a mission. This EP consists of five pop-infused worship songs that remind believers that no matter what life brings, God is good, and our response is to keep coming “Back to Praise.”

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On today's show, we chat with Sanctus Real!

If Sanctus Real has learned anything over the course of their career, it’s this: We’re all a work in progress. For Dustin Lolli (lead vocals) and founding members Chris Rohman (guitar) and Mark Graalman (drums), it’s a refining that’s been realized through hard-won seasons as a band. The

result is a bond of remarkable musicians that are making the best music of their career, and coming out on the other side more resilient than ever before. Since forming in Toledo, Ohio, in the mid-’90s, Sanctus Real has become one of the most well-loved artists in Christian music. With eight No. 1 songs, 19 Top 10 hits and more than 2 million singles sold, their catalog boasts well-known anthems like “Lead Me,” “I’m Not Alright,” “Forgiven,” “My God Is Still

the Same” and RIAA Gold®-certified single “Confidence.” With a pair of GRAMMY® nominations, a GMA Dove Award and massive streaming numbers that place them in an elite tier of Christian artists

garnering more than 2.5 million listeners a month on Spotify alone, the trio has carved out a name for themselves with their raw lyrics and deft musicianship, evidenced during their critically lauded live shows.

“The Difference” was built on top of a singular guitar riff Rohman created. Once the principle vibe was laid, the lyrics came easily as Lolli, Rohman and their collaborators — songwriters

Matt Armstrong and AJ Pruis — began talking about a key difference between believers and non-believers: Hope.

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On today's show, we chat with two-time guest, Sean Rodriguez!

Catapulted into the spotlight on 2023’s nationwide Winter Jam tour—one of Christian music’s biggest annual outings—Sean Rodriguez is known for his charismatic, high-octane performances and a rapidly growing, genre-spanning discography. With a ministry that seeks to honor the legacy birthed by his evangelist grandfather more than 40 years ago, Rodriguez served as a children’s pastor and youth leader before turning his focus to music. His 2023 pop anthem, “Center Stage,” has resonated with fans around the world, amassing more than 2.5 million streams to date. Rodriguez has opened for Michael W. Smith, for KING & COUNTRY, KB and Cain, among others, performing at such leading events as Kingdom Bound, Lifest, Big Ticket Festival and Off The Charts Music Festival.

Jesus Will, the inaugural release from WieRok Records and the long-awaited debut EP from genre-spanning singer/songwriter Sean Rodriguez, is now available. Showcasing his reigning #1 hit, “It Is Finished” (feat. Disciple), which has claimed the top spot on Christian Music Weekly’s Rock chart for a total of six weeks to date, the Jesus Will EP also features Rodriguez’s first single of 2025, “Rise.”

A pulsing pop anthem helmed by multi-GRAMMY and Dove Award-winning producer Chuck Butler (Tauren Wells, Micah Tyler) and penned by Rodriguez, Joshua Cockerham and Will Strotz, “Rise” is a timely message for a new year, underscoring God’s transformative power to renew and restore lives.

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