East Tennessee indie singer-songwriter and worship leader Lily Hooten is set to release ‘Promise Land,’ her debut solo album arriving November 13. Produced by acclaimed songwriter and producer David Leonard (All Sons & Daughters, NEEDTOBREATHE) alongside Brad King and Collin Healer, the 10-track project captures Hooten’s intimate, prayer-like songwriting and her evolving understanding of faith, grief, and the hope of Heaven.
At just 21, Lily’s a powerful voice that’s emerged from Gen Z, tackling weighty themes not expected from such a young artist. Written after the loss of her grandfather, the album explores grief, eternity, and how to live fully in the present. Rather than treating heaven as an escape from the pain of this life, Lily sees it as a reason to be more present in it. Her recent single “Come Meet the Man” earned a No. 3 placement on Spotify’s All New Christian & Gospel playlist, alongside a feature on Apple Music’s New In Christian.
“I think the promised land is more than a place we are going. It is a promise that changes the way we live while we wait. It reminds us that death does not have the final word, that sorrow can deepen our capacity for beauty, and that the things we cannot keep can still teach us how to love. These songs are my attempt to make sense of that tension, to plant my feet firmly on this earth while keeping my eyes fixed on Heaven. I wrote them because I want to live awake to the beauty of this life without forgetting the life to come. And more than anything, I wrote them because I want to see Jesus. In the grief, in the goodness, in the ordinary days we so easily overlook, and in the moments that remind us how little time we have. Until the day faith becomes sight, may we learn to live here with open hands and Heaven in our eyes.” –Lily Hooten
Lily Hooten is a 21-year-old singer-songwriter and worship leader from Knoxville, Tennessee, whose music is a deeply personal extension of her faith and missionary roots. Her sound is often described as “letters to Jesus”—intimate prayers turned into vulnerable songs about moving from brokenness to healing. Lily creates from an authentic, “scrapbook” aesthetic, utilizing film photography and quirky, creative visuals to pull listeners into a “colorful” encounter with the kingdom of God. With a heart for the generations to experience the beauty of Jesus, she is currently developing her debut album with Anotherland, aiming to see a wave of spiritual renewal across America through her stories and songs.