In you have any affection for the deep-thinking, gospel-infused singer-songwriters from the past 30 years, then your list would most certainly include Andrew Osenga. The former lead singer for The Normals, and Caedmon’s Call, has become a prolific, faithful, content creator. The musician, producer, writer, podcaster and record label exec has been creatively connected with many familiar names such as Andrew Peterson, Sara Groves, Citizens, Sandra McCracken, Rend Collective, The New Respects, David Leonard, Leslie Jordan, and most recently Anchor Hymns and the Faithful Project. He also has a deep affection for developing new artists with Integrity Music.
Osenga says he decided to have some fun on his Fall 2024 album Headwaters, which features some terrific collaborations with Josh Wilson, Sarah Kroger, Taylor Leonhardt and Dwan Hill. One of the songs The Love of Jesus became a favorite on the MEL and was April’s most played song!
In a substack post, Osenga says, “On a deeper level, I’ve been trying to write this song lyrically for many years…It’s this idea of identity, and how most often we drag around with us all that we’re not, all the memories of our failures or embarrassments. Our ego and its aftermath. But who we really are at our core is not what we’ve done or haven’t done – or what was done to us – it’s who we were created to be as an image bearer of God, and that we are loved by Jesus.”
He adds that he wrote the song backwards. “I took the worst things that I’ve thought about myself, the ways I beat myself up or what I’m most ashamed of. Then I used those as the face that looks into the mirror. The chorus, however, gets to look back from the mirror with compassion, joy and freedom. Because we are loved by Jesus.”
And then Osenga says he has some fun with a guitar solo. Check it out!
Here’s the Top Songs Played on the MEL for April 2025.
|
Artist |
Song |
|
|
1 |
Andrew Osenga |
The Love of Jesus |
|
2 |
Painter’s Club |
Birdie |
|
3 |
Shaylee Simeone |
Hurricanes and Harbor Lights |
|
4 |
Gavn! |
Fork in the Road (w/ Trella) |
|
5 |
Mat Kearny |
Is It Just Me |
|
6 |
Tenielle Neda |
How Beautiful The Feet (w/ Citizens) |
|
7 |
Ben Rector |
I Got It Bad For You |
|
8 |
Sixpence None the Richer |
Thread the Needle |
|
9 |
Mumford & Sons |
Malibu |
|
10 |
Jon Guerra |
I See the Birds |
|
11 |
Blessing Offor |
Lift Me Up |
|
12 |
Trella |
Opposite Truths |
|
13 |
Rachael Nemiroff |
What If |
|
14 |
Drew & Ellie Holcomb |
Take Courage My Heart |
|
15 |
Yam Haus |
One Bullet Left |
|
16 |
Joshua Luke Smith |
Flowers (Stop & Smell) |
|
17 |
Grace Gonzalez |
Red Sea |
|
18 |
Ellie Holcomb |
Spring Sings |
|
19 |
Chris Renzema |
Holy Ghost |
|
20 |
JOHNNYSWIM |
I’m Alright |
|
21 |
Allison Eide |
Light Inside You |
|
22 |
Shalom Malee |
Rewind |
|
23 |
One Common |
What I’m After (Give Me Jesus) |
|
24 |
Terrian |
Give It Time |
|
25 |
Coqui |
Only Idol |
|
26 |
Forrest Frank |
Nothing Else (w/ Thomas Rhett) |
|
27 |
Natalie Layne |
Strong Enough To Surrender |
|
28 |
Leslie Perez |
Echo |
|
29 |
T Bone Burnett |
He Came Down |
|
30 |
Hunter Plake |
Sweet By and By Goodbye |
|
31 |
Grace + Max |
More Like You |
|
32 |
Ellie Holcomb |
I Need Your Love |
|
33 |
Forrest Frank |
Sunrise |
|
34 |
John Mark McMilan |
Heart’s Delight (w/ Sara McMillan) |
|
35 |
Josiah Queen |
Can’t Steal My Joy (w/ Brandon Lake) |
|
36 |
The Young Escape |
Older |
|
37 |
Jason Gray |
Sparrows (Acoustic) |
|
38 |
Wilder Woods |
Kind Of Magic |
|
39 |
Connor Price |
I Need Help (feat. Nick Day) |
|
40 |
Sons of Sunday |
Runnin’ With Angels |
|
41 |
John Van Deusen |
If Only |
|
42 |
John Mark Pantana |
New Day |
|
43 |
Brandon Lake |
Hard Fought Hallelujah (w/ Jelly Roll) |
|
44 |
Hunter Plake |
Heartbreak Feels Like Home |
|
45 |
Dave Barnes |
Symphony |
|
46 |
Dave Barnes |
No Way to Say Goodbye |
|
47 |
Stephanie Staples |
Reconstruct |
|
48 |
Ryan Lee Jones |
Grapefruit |
|
49 |
Bodie |
whisper and the wind |
|
50 |
Charlie Peacock |
Always A New Start (w/ True Dat Collective) |
|
51 |
John Mark McMillan |
Ancient Love |
|
52 |
The Young Escape |
Drives |
|
53 |
Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors |
Memory Bank (w/ Ellie Holcomb) |
|
54 |
Wilder Woods |
Time On My Hands (w/ Jim James) |
|
55 |
Josiah Queen |
Alone With You (w/ Jervis Campbell) |
|
56 |
Dave Barnes |
Thinkin Bout You (w/ The Shadowboxers) |
|
57 |
Ross King |
I Don’t Know |
|
58 |
Leslie Perez |
Catch My Breath |
|
59 |
Wilder Woods |
Love Last |
|
60 |
Thomas Austin |
Let There Be |
|
61 |
Strings and Heart |
Evergreen Love |
|
62 |
Stephen Stanley |
hell or high water |
|
63 |
Hunter Plake |
Daylight (w/ Britt Nicole) |
|
64 |
Terrian |
Hope Road (w/ Toby Mac) |
|
65 |
Fielder |
Good Things Come |
|
66 |
John Mark McMillan |
Beauty Of The Lord |
|
67 |
Emma Nissen |
Flesh and Bone |
|
68 |
Strings and Heart |
Empty Airport |
|
69 |
Hulvey |
Miracles |
|
70 |
Josiah Queen |
I Am Barrabas |
|
71 |
Mike Farris |
I’ll Come Runnin’ |
|
72 |
Shalom Malee |
One Little Word |
|
73 |
Surfaces |
Miss Sunshine |
|
74 |
David Dowdell |
Vanity |
|
75 |
Allison Eide |
Still Afraid |
|
76 |
Jettee |
Postcard People |
|
77 |
Emma Nissen |
Gotta Have Faith |
|
78 |
Chris Renzema |
Springtime |
|
79 |
Rend Collective |
Blessed Are The Ones (w/ Jess Ray) |
|
80 |
Max McNown |
Hotel Bible |
|
81 |
Fielder |
Overthink It, Baby |
|
82 |
Fine China |
Mauve Decade |
|
83 |
Strings and Heart |
Honeydew (praise the Lord) |
|
84 |
Ron Artis II |
Pick Me Up |
|
85 |
Citizens |
Morning glory, don’t you worry. |
|
86 |
Graham Jones |
In the Arms of a Loving Father |
|
87 |
Madison Ryann Ward |
Rolling Stones |
|
88 |
JJ Heller |
Gardening |
|
89 |
Madison Ryann Ward |
Psalm 91 |
|
90 |
Mudhouse |
Kerosene |
|
90 |
Jon Foreman |
I Propose A Toast |
|
92 |
Sarah Kroger |
Something Greater |
|
93 |
Judah & The Lion |
Long Dark Night |
|
94 |
The Arcadian Wild |
Welcome |
|
95 |
Coqui |
My Lord Provided (w/ Jimmy Clifton) |
|
96 |
Josiah Queen |
Love You To Death (w/ Strings and Heart) |
|
97 |
One Common |
Stand |
|
98 |
Josh Garrels |
Seek Hi Seek Lo |
|
99 |
Joseph |
Starting Over At The End |
|
100 |
Madison Ryann Ward |
Amen |
