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TESTIFY Choir Provides Backing Vocals for Newsboys Single

Written by Trevecca Nazarene University | May 30, 2024

Trevecca’s TESTIFY Choir had the opportunity to perform on the new single “Heaven on Earth” for the award-winning Christian rock band Newsboys.

Keith Everette Smith, the song’s producer, reached out to TESTIFY Director Mark Hosny last fall and asked for the group to participate in the project. They recorded background vocals soon after that, primarily singing on the bridge of the song which focuses on God’s presence and power. 


The choir includes some students from Trevecca’s music programs, but half of the participants are non-music majors. Some students featured on the recording would name TESTIFY as their first ever choral experience. The choir’s mission, Hosny explained, is to be a light and a witness. 

“Recordings don't define us; we are here to make a difference and plant seeds for the Kingdom,” he said.

The choir has previously worked with Smith to record vocals for Tasha Layton, one of Billboard's top five female Christian artists of the year in 2021. 

The single “Heaven and Earth” has been played more than 700,000 times on Spotify, and is part of the Newsboys’ 22nd studio album, “Worldwide Revival,” released this year.