Michael Cochren releases album blending faith with Ray Charles and soul

Michael Cochren, a Christian musician from southern Indiana, released his album Runs in the Blood in May, bringing together influences ranging from his grandparents' church singing to Jackson Browne, Ray Charles, Adele, and Chris Stapleton. After years playing covers in bars and clubs in his early twenties, Cochren shifted his songwriting toward what he describes as journal entries about his faith journey—confessional songs about struggle and God's grace. The album title carries dual meaning: his family's faith legacy, which he honored by shooting the cover in his 98-year-old grandmother's woods with her own photographs and belongings, and the redemptive work of Christ. Cochren spoke about his artistic philosophy that the church deserves the highest musical quality, and that Christian artists bear responsibility to continually improve their craft while maintaining timeless theological truths. He discussed how his music centers on hope and second chances. After eight years of infertility, Cochren and his wife had a son born in January. He reflected on Romans 8:28 and maintaining faith through waiting, cautioning listeners not to interpret his answered prayer as the sole measure of God's goodness—emphasizing that God was equally good during the difficult years of longing.

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Source: Relevant Magazine — https://relevantmagazine.com/culture/music/the-church-deserves-the-best-music-michael-cochrens-new-album-is-his-argument-for-it/