Hillsong Chapel

Hillsong Church saw a powerful opportunity: their large Pacific Islander community had never experienced worship songs in their own language, created specifically for them by Hillsong Church. Rather than simply translating lyrics, they wanted to create a project that fully embraced the Pacific Islander sound—one that felt authentic, resonated deeply, and ministered to the people in a way that honoured their musical traditions.

We kicked things off with a deep dive into the heart of the project. We explored the vision, sonic direction, and, most importantly, how to highlight the power of Pacific Islander voices. Their harmonies and choral arrangements are central to their culture, so capturing that essence was our top priority. From there, we set up a collaborative workshop, arranging songs and developing rough ideas before refining them into polished demos. Each track called for a unique vocal approach, but one standout moment was working with the Māori choir—a dynamic mix of male and female voices across generations. Their contribution became the emotional peak of one of the songs, delivering a breathtaking and powerful sound.

A music project that resonated deeply with Pacific Islander communities at home and abroad. The impact extended beyond the church, with the Fijian version of I Will Exalt You performing exceptionally well on YouTube and even making its way onto live TV in Fiji. More than just an album, this project became a movement—giving a voice to a community and a soundtrack to their worship.