On the wings of a Dove In October 2020, popular gospel group Selah won the Inspirational Album of the Year award at the 51st Annual Dove Awards — gospel music’s top honor — for their album “Firm Foundation.” Rachel Hale (‘09) co-wrote the album’s title song. What inspired the song “Firm Foundation,” and who did you write it with? I co-wrote “Firm Foundation” at a retreat in 2016. I sat down with Piper Jones and Sean Fallon to write a worship song for our congregation to sing. Before writing, we prayed “God, what will your church need to be singing by the time this song is recorded and released?” Out of that prayer came the song “Firm Foundation.” In 2019, Selah recorded the song, and it became the title track to their album. In 2020, the world faced a global pandemic. Selah released the music video for “Firm Foundation” on March 19, 2020, which was smack-dab in the middle of the coronavirus hitting the United States. Talk about incredible timing. In James 3, our tongue is compared to the rudder of a ship. I believe our tongue directs our body where it will go. 2020 was called “The Year of the Mouth” according to the Jewish calendar. Seeing God put these lyrics into the mouths of people during the year of 2020 blew my mind. How did it come about that the song was recorded by Selah and then became the album title song? I was leading worship for Nashville Life Church (founded by acclaimed gospel singer CeCe Winans and Alvin Love II, her husband. Their son Alvin Love III serves as the lead pastor.) in Nashville, Tenn., and we recorded “Firm Foundation” as a single for our debut album, “Shine On Us” (which includes songs featuring Winans). Selah heard “Firm Foundation,” and they decided they wanted to record it. Selah had their fans vote for the title of the album, and their fans chose “Firm Foundation” to be the title track. What was it like for a band of Selah’s reputation to include one of your songs on its album? At the time, Selah had won 14 Dove Awards, and I was very excited to know they had chosen “Firm Foundation” to be the title track of their album. I knew they had a bigger asmsa.org
Photo courtesy of Rachel Hale (‘09)
audience to be able to share it with, and I was excited to know they would be able to carry the message further than I could! What was your reaction when you first heard that the album was nominated for a Dove Award, and how did you react when you heard the news it won the Inspirational Album of the Year Award? I cried when I found out the album was nominated for a Dove Award, and I cried when it won Inspirational Album of the Year. I also ran around yelling with joy both times as well! I wrote my very first song in Folk Music and Acoustics at ASMSA. I was also heavily impacted by career day at ASMSA. Erin Enderlin (a Class of 2000 alumna who is multiple Arkansas Country Music Awards winner) came and spoke. Enderlin is a songwriter in Nashville, Tenn., and her story inspired me to move to Nashville. In Nashville, I attended Belmont University and majored in songwriting.
I have had a dream of singing and songwriting since I was a child. To see “Firm Foundation” be nominated and win Inspirational Album of the Year was a lifelong dream fulfilled. What are you currently doing careerwise? I recently graduated ministry school in Redding, Calif. I am currently in Nashville, Tenn., and I am working on releasing new music. Do you still get recognized by anyone for your appearance in 2013 on season 12 of “American Idol”? Absolutely! And it still shocks me! Haha! People still want to take pictures with me, and I am still grateful to have fans from the show!
Visit rachelhalemusic.com to keep up with Hale and to listen to the release of her new song, “Promised Land.” 29
