Hiding Place is the second studio album by California singer Tori Kelly that was released on September 14, 2018, through School Boy Records and Capitol Records.. It is primarily a gospel album with influences of R&B and jazz music. The album also features collaborations from Kirk Franklin, Christian rapper Lecrae, Jonathan McReynolds and The HamilTones. The title, Hiding Place, is based off the scripture of Psalm 32:7 where it reads:
"You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with songs of deliverance."
Masterpiece (featuring Lecrae)
Masterpiece is where both Tori and Lecrae talk about God making one into a masterpiece, benefits from struggle, and clinging to God in times of trouble. Kelly sings on the first verse,
"When You look at me
Do You see a work of art in the making?Sketch of what I'll be
I wonder what You see in me
Like what do You think?
When my life is not a melody in the morning
And I feel off key, yeah
Do You still believe in me?
Like a symphony, hey
You know how to make all things work together
Crazy how mistakes can be miracles in disguise",
and then Lecrae exchanges his verse on the third verse with,
"Uh, now you know that you're a masterpiece
You probably feel like a catastropheYou think I'm totally kidding but hold up a minute
Don't compare yourself with none of them
You one of one and ain't no synonym
A Master Artist take a mess and make a masterpiece
And look at you, you been a gem (facts)
Shinin'".
Help Us to Love (featuring The HamilTones)
Tori collaborates with the singing group The HamilTones on this mid gospel track where they tackle on the bad things that they deal with in the real world while asking God to help them to love. They sing together on the chorus,
"There's a love so high (that you cannot get over)
That same love's so wide (it'll take forever just to get round it)But love died somewhere
Behind that cross you wear, you're afraid when you look at me
That ain't real love
Not the kind from above, hmm",
and then move on to the next verse with,
"But there's a friend of mine (that stays closer than a brother)
Oooh, love laid down his life (so why do we still fight one another?)All this hate I see on the TV screen
In my country ‘tis of thee
God help us to love, to love the way that you love me
Hmmm, God help us to love the way that you love me, oh oh".
Kelly comes on the bridge with something that we can all relate to when she sings,
"This world is weeping, hurting, broken and begging for change
Oh yeahBut still we marching, praying, dying, and things stay the same
When will we see?
Till everyone's free
There'll never be peace between you and me
God, your love is the cure
For the rich and the poor
God, please will you open our eyes?"
Here is the live music video for Help Us to Love if you're interested:
Sunday
Sunday finds Tori being tired of trying to mask her pain from the people of the church singing,
"When the world looks at me
I wonder what they seeUnderneath these eyes
Oh, smiles masquerade as pain
And grow up to be shame
Then leave me with a lie",
and then goes to the chorus with,
"I know they, they don't see my flaws
Or these hidden scarsAnd all the mess I've made
Oh, so don't, don't let Sunday fool ya
Here's my hallelujah
Every single day, I'm running to Your grace
Ey, ey, ey".
Tori also released the live music video for Sunday. You can check it out below:
Just As Sure (featuring Jonathan McReynolds)
Just As Sure marks the first collaboration for Tori Kelly and Jonathan McReynolds as they talk about going through the dark times. But despite all of this, God still loves them both as Kelly sings on the chorus,
"Just as sure as winter fades
And then it turns to springI believe deliverance, will surely come for me
Just as sure as my heart
Will someday be made anew
I know You love me
Just as I do love You
Mmm, just as I do love You",
then Jonathan comes in with his verse,
"Just as sure as the test
Is there to make me perfect in Your eyesIt may hurt for a while
But by faith I shall survive
Just as sure as the rain
Falls on me only to make me grow
No matter how I feel
Now I live by what I know".
I love how both Tori and Jonathan's voices come together like a harmony on the bridge with,
"I love You and I trust You
'Cause You know what's best for me
And even though the crowd sometimes gets loudAnd it's hard to hear You speak (Hear You speak)
Just as sure as Your grace
Is faithful even when my faith I lose
I know You love me (I know You love me)
Just as I do love You
I love You and I trust You
'Cause You know what's best for me
Even though the crowd sometimes gets loud
And it's hard to hear You speak, oooh
Just as sure as Your grace
Is faithful even when my faith I lose
I know You love me
Just as I do love You
Just as I do love You".
Here is the live music video of Just As Sure:
Psalm 42 is an inspirational piano driven track where the singer shares the message of one's heart striving for God. It's based off the biblical scripture Psalm 42. She opens up with,
"There's a quiet place
That gives me peace when I'm alone with YouThere's a hiding place
Your Spirit's always there when I'm confused
Only You can purify
All this world won't ever satisfy
My heart, it cries".
The chorus serves as a prayer for the singer and also contains a reference to Psalm 42:1-2 as she sings, "As the deer pants for the water/ So my soul needs you Lord/ When thirsty God, you're the living water/And my soul needs you Lord/ I need you, Lord/ I need you, Lord/ I need you, Lord/ I need you, Lord".
Live music video for Psalm 42 here:
Questions is the sixth track in which the singer has some questions for God about the bad stuff that is happening in the world right now singing,
"What happens when the healing never comes?
Do we stand and curse the heavens
Or lift our hands and feel the sunThe mystery's not clear
Just once, Your voice I'd love to hear
What happens when the healing never comes",
and then goes to the fourth verse with,
"So now I must be silent
Your voice is in the windThe hands that made the heavens
Will heal the storm within
I have so many questions
I don't know where to begin
Since You were there at the beginning
You already know the end".
Never Alone (featuring Kirk Franklin)
Tori taps Gospel singer Kirk Franklin as the singer sings about how she is not alone during the times of struggles because God is on her side. She begins on the first verse with,
"In my time I've travelled some roads
A rolling stoneNowhere feels like home
And I've seen people come, then they go
Life is just a story of some highs and some lows",
and then continues with,
"I've cried many rivers
I've walked through some painI've seen my world crumble
And I'll carry the shame
But I know somebody, He calls me His own
I can hear heaven singing out
Oh-oh-oh, you're never alone
Oh-oh-oh, you're never alone".
Soul's Anthem (It Is Well)
Soul's Anthem (It Is Well) serves as the closing track for Hiding Place. On the track, Tori asks God to show him his ways to her like how to love him or trust him. She sings,
"Teach me how to love you
Show me how to trust you
More than with my words or with a song
No, it's not been easyTo live life down on my knees
But with faith I know I'll carry on",
but through the hardship, she says on the chorus with,
"There is more to see than with my eyes
But fear sometimes can leave me paralyzedI realize that I'm not in control
Yet it is well with my soul".
I listened to Tori Kelly's new album the day that it was released and I ultimately fell in love with from beginning to end. Tori has really stepped it up with Hiding Place by mixing gospel music with R&B and jazz with tracks like "Sunday" or "Soul's Anthem (It Is Well). I would definitely recommend that you buy this album and let Tori help you to have a closer relationship with God like never before! I give Hiding Place a 10/10. All songs on the album are perfect. The production from singer Kirk Franklin on this project is amazing.
Make sure that you stream/purchase Hiding Place on Amazon Music, Google Play, iTunes, Spotify, Tidal, Pandora and Walmart:
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Hiding-Place-CD/359325121You can also go and see Tori on the Hiding Place tour by purchasing your tickets from her website or Live Nation right now. Here's the link for it:
http://www.torikellymusic.com/#/tour
Also, check out Tori Kelly's video for the White Chair film titled I Am Second where she talks about how she overcame her struggle with identity with the help of Jesus. You can watch it here below:
Here is the website for the I Am Second film starring Tori Kelly:
