Listening to the musical styling of Michael Colton takes you to a new stream of praise and worship that is profusely enhanced with a rich mix of Contemporary Christian Music and an intimate, passionate drive to feel what it means to be in communion with God. Fresh out of the studio with his captivating and prayerful debut album Planned, Michael introduces a powerfully real rendition of a worship album. Loaded with vibrant vocals, melodic-hooking melodies and innovative, electrifying production, they will compel you to embrace a music style that is captivating and transforming audiences everywhere. More importantly, it will move listeners to a deeper level of their worship, purpose and journey with Jesus Christ. This is music that can and will find an audience with many listeners. At its core, Planned is all about individuals and the personal relationship to Jesus we each have and cherish. It is a work of intense devotion and faith, loaded with an energy that seeps out of the speakers. Songs such as the album track “Planned,” along with “My Days Are Ordained,” “Everyday,” “Forever,” “Thank You,” “Your Love’s So Great,” and “Like a Flood” are tied together through the common themes of intimacy, praise, celebration and purpose. The single “Planned,” Michael explains, is about “discovering and living God’s best purpose for our lives, as it cannot exist without the central, intimate relationship with Jesus at the core.” One cannot be without the other. “All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things and in Him all things consist.” (Colossians 1:15-17). The song poignantly acknowledges that in life’s uncertainties, we need to keep our visions large, to “worship and cling to Jesus, pray without ceasing and fervently decree His Word that will not return void ,” and to press on into God’s best plan for our life, “no matter what life brings our way.” Contemporary Christian Music would have seemed an unlikely vocation for Michael. His initial career path and goals included professional acting and owning a business. For quite a while, this is just what the man did, and it was no mean feat for someone raised in small-town Aurora (just north of Toronto, Ontario) with many like-minded friends and colleagues vying for the same target. Jumping ahead, a crossroad in Michael’s life led him to his true purpose as a worship leader and writer. The ten tracks that comprise his album show that his past ambitions were a mere prelude to bigger and greater things. For several years now, he has been passionately involved in his local congregation in Toronto, the King of Glory International Ministries. As his home base, and coupled with his routine attendance, it has been a healthy environment for his music ministry to develop and bloom. A uniquely bilingual Spanish and English congregation, Michael’s involvement is a testament to his faithfulness and commitment to both local and global community. His all-new album is about what it means to have an intimate relationship with Jesus, as well as all the glorious mysteries, wonders and blessings that are hidden in the secret place of the Most High, which lives in us in and through Christ. Put another way, “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added unto you” (Matthew 6: 33). The passion behind these tracks emanates through a series of incredibly polished songs, almost U2-esque in their tone and influence, though Michael counts other bands and worshippers, notably Marcos Witt, Danilo Montero, Michael W. Smith, Lincoln Brewster, Paul Baloche, Jesus Culture, Jesus Adrian Romero, Hillsong United and others in his repertoire of talent. To slightly older ears, his music sounds like it has been transported from the absolute, very best of the 1990s, with its pulsing bass lines, crisp drumbeats and passionate oratory. “The Lord has been continually perfecting my spiritual development, song writing and vocals, these past few years,” Michael reflects. Needless to say, this shows too. The songs highlight his ability to transform his personal revelations – a relationship, a walk with God, the power of His Word – into key truths that, he says, will reverberate with every believer. Michael crafted mostly all of the songs’ lyrics, as well as most of the melodies. He received assistance from a team of exceptionally talented producers. It was they who cleared up the embryonic tracks and lyrics, complimented the melodies and courses, and improved the overall musical direction of these pieces. “These guys were an absolutely indispensable team,” Michael says. He travelled to Houston in early February 2010 to work with them. One of the album’s singles, Like a Flood, reiterates a simple, yet profound, return to the theme of intimacy. “With all of the stuff in this world that overwhelms us, no matter what happens, all I want and need is to be flooded in His presence and Word, as I am walking through this life,” says Michael. “Then, I will be complete and empowered each day, and everything else seems to always fall into divine order.” When asked about the album’s title, Michael says it emanates from the intimacy that is our relationship with God, and vice-versa. “God has planned great things for us,” he says, “and these songs are about this relationship and process of walking out our ordained path.” Michael says that the Lord called him to create this album for His purposes and glory. In the title track, he sings that, “Deep within me You buried a treasure…Now my life is filled with Your purpose.” “I spend precious time in the presence of God, getting instruction from the Lord of what He wanted these songs to say, so the words and phrases [that] the church and God’s people sing have power, purpose, and meaning.” So much of Michael’s song-writing time is actually worship, prayer, decreeing, meditating and receiving revelation from His Word and having blissful conversation with Jesus. "I want to make music that anyone can relate to, connect with and see results.” Now, with Michael’s present and future work as a worship leader and songwriter, which will include various types of worship services, seminars and such, to come from conferences and events that he is planning, his place and legacy as one of today’s freshest worship artists and songwriters is assured. “Worship sets the environment for salvation, miracles, anointed teaching, breakthroughs, victories, and so on,” he reflects. “I want to take the power of worship, and use it to travel into so many other areas of God’s glory, and [to] see greater things than what we have yet experienced.” Five years now into music ministry, and now with the release of his debut album, this work of love and art is a remarkable mark on what has become an equally remarkable journey. There are tour dates throughout North America already in the pipeline. “The future is set,” Michael says. “Our days are ordained. We just need to cling to Christ each day, stay filled with His presence, decree His Word, let His love and glory work through us, be faithful, love one another as ourselves, and to do our part each day. God will do His part, and fulfill His best purpose in our lives.” © 2010 Peter Bjel