Bio

Built as a virtual hymnbook, excavating songs, stories, and ideas from the spiritual underground, Common Hymnal has since spawned a constellation of partner ventures under the ‘common’ brand. Even so, its first flame continues to burn brightly, and the expanding ecosystem’s Christian-facing work maintains its vitality under the Common Hymnal banner.

As shifting ideological currents started pushing many gifted creatives to the margins, Common Hymnal stepped in to offer a landing place - a digital outlet curating content that centered life, justice, and an underground spirituality free of colonial residue. It soon outgrew its website and launched a label, Common Exchange, to more effectively distribute a growing catalog shaped by the converging journeys and lived experiences of its contributors.

Invitations for live performances followed and this eclectic mix of artists started taking these songs on the road. The care in the lyrics, paired with a heartbeat for justice, soon established the project as a vital voice in movements for liberation and human dignity.

Today, alongside its affiliates, Common People and Commonwealth, Common Hymnal is not only participating in the cultural conversation but actively reshaping it, bringing transformative underground art to the forefront and fostering a movement aimed at the common good.

Soundbytes

“Because of its clarity of message and refusal to sanitize truth, Common Hymnal has naturally aligned with the broader justice movement. From racial justice to gender equity, decolonization to ecological awareness, the songs provide a soundtrack for those working to birth a more just and humane world.”

“Our catalog - shaped by collaboration, prophetic imagination, and a commitment to marginalized communities - bridges praise and protest, documenting an emerging culture that refuses both escapism and empire-thinking.”

“With a growing presence in live events, a multiethnic community of contributors, and a steadily expanding body of recorded work, Common Hymnal is surfacing art from the margins and bringing it into the heart of the public discourse.”

“In a time when many creatives have been displaced from traditional faith spaces, Common Hymnal has become a refuge. A sanctuary where faith is not commodified, and where belonging is not gated by orthodoxy, but extended through relationship, shared vision, and courage.”

“These are the songwriters, poets, storytellers, and thought leaders whose work is too raw, too honest, too justice-centered for the religious industrial complex - but just right for this moment.”

Song Sampler

Seasons
[Jan] New Year’s Resolutions No More Wasted Years
[Jan] MLK Day When Will We Overcome, Be Love
[Feb] Black History Month God Of Color, My History Is Black
[Mar] Women’s History Month Get Up, Girl
[Apr] Easter Passover
[May] AAPI Month Big Enough
[Jun] Juneteenth Jubilee
[Jun] Pride Come To The Table
[Jul] Independence Day Stars and Stripes
[Aug] Summer Sunrise2Sunset
[Sep] Gospel Music Heritage Month God Will Prevail
[Sep/Oct] Hispanic Heritage Month Baila
[Nov] Get Out The Vote Rocks
[Dec] Christmas Mothers And Shepherds, Fall In Love With Christmas Again

Reasons
Caring For A Terminally Ill Loved One For The Time We Have
Celebrating A Win Born A Champion
Gun Violence Prevention T-Shirt Man
Healing From Church Abuse You’re Not Wrong
Healing From Sexual Abuse He Has Time
Processing Hardship No Vacant Thrones
Processing Trouble Our Pride, Do You Feel It, Too?
Responding To Forced Production In Church Services Show Us What’s Real
Responding To Racism The Medicine
Responding To A National Disaster Rise Up
Reflecting On The Sermon On The Mount The Kingdom Is Yours
Sneak Peek Of A Live Show With Tracks Dress Rehearsal for Live Free Tour
Sunday Morning Worship Yahweh Holy, Before We Put Our Trust In Human Kings / Exalted

Genres
Afrobeats Not Gonna Worry, Kama Si We
Classical Crossover God Is Not Abusive
Gospel God Will Prevail
Hip Hop Seat At The Table, Emmaus Cypher
Latin Pop Baila
Negro Spirituals Walk With Me (Otis’ Dream)
Reggae Irie (Sound Mind)
Singer-Songwriter Lines
Soul I Wonder
Spoken Word I Don’t Know Justice, America’s Gospel
World Music A Time