NASHVILLE, Tenn.—Turning heads with its undeniably infectious groove, “Just As You Are,” the latest single from GRAMMY-nominated, Dove Award-winning singer/songwriter Ryan Stevenson, released Friday and finds the Gotee recording artist entering a new era of creative freedom.
Immediately embraced by tastemakers, the carefree, windows-down track premiered Thursday on SiriusXM’s The Message. “Just As You Are” also landed on Spotify’s New Music Friday playlist—alongside songs from Olivia Rodrigo, Benson Boone, Kenny Chesney, Kane Brown and Pearl Jam—and took the #1 spot on Pandora’s FLIGHT: Today’s Christian Hits, where Stevenson is the featured artist.
Produced by Christopher Stevens (TobyMac, Crowder), who also co-penned the song with Stevenson, “Just As You Are” reunites the longtime friends to capture a defining moment in Stevenson’s faith journey: “I was making it my exception to try and earn Your affection/But that all faded away, when I heard You say/Ooooo child, don’t ya know I love ya/Just as, just as you are.”
“One of my favorite authors, Brennan Manning, who wrote The Ragamuffin Gospel and Abba’s Child, once gave a powerful message on the Gospel,” Stevenson explains of the song’s inspiration. “Sharing as if God was speaking directly to him, he said, ‘God loves you, just as you are, not as you should be; because none of us are as we should be.’ That was a profound statement for me, and one that has since shaped my perspective about God as well as the way I perceive others.”
“I believe this is paramount in understanding the Truth about the finished work of Jesus,” Stevenson adds. “His sacrifice made a way for us—not our own efforts and striving. Knowing that HE began a good work, we can take a deep breath and rest because He is faithful to His word to perform it.”
“As Chris and I were reminiscing about summertime grooves from our college days together, it felt like a no brainer to let the joy out; to create music that not only has an amazing feel, but also a deep, meaningful message,” explains Stevenson. “I believe the Lord has given me confidence and an assurance to share the music and sounds that move me most. This is the music I’ve wanted to put out for 12 years, and I finally feel the release to do it!”
ABOUT RYAN STEVENSON
A GRAMMY® and Billboard Music Award nominee with a Dove Award and multiple ASCAP Christian Music Awards to his credit, Ryan Stevenson’s music has provided a soundtrack of hope and encouragement for listeners around the world for more than a decade. Co-writer of TobyMac’s Platinum-certified, 2014 GRAMMY-nominated #1 hit “Speak Life,” Stevenson was further propelled into the spotlight with his own Gold-certified, Dove Award-winning 2016 chart-topper “Eye of the Storm,” which held the top spot at Christian radio for 16 weeks and has garnered more than 40 million streams to date on Spotify.
Spending seven years as a paramedic before signing with Gotee Records in 2013, the Pacific Northwest native’s fourth full-length Gotee set, ABLE, released last year. Known for such radio favorites as “No Matter What” (feat. Bart Millard), “Amadeo (Still My God),” and “When We Fall Apart” (feat. Vince Gill & Amy Grant), Stevenson’s music has achieved six #1 Billboard charting radio singles (four as an artist or featured artist and two as a co-writer).
He has toured with top artists including TobyMac, MercyMe and Newsboys, and Stevenson made his debut on the legendary Grand Ole Opry last year. Author of Eye of the Storm: Experiencing God When You Can’t See Him (Harvest House), he also hosts the “Weathering the Storm” Podcast on K-LOVE’s AccessMore, where his guests have included Amy Grant, TobyMac, MercyMe’s Bart Millard and The Shack author Paul Young, among many others.
For more information, visit ryanstevensonmusic.com, gotee.com or turningpointpr.com. Follow Stevenson on Instagram and Facebook.