Tiffany Hudson Debuts Solo Project 'Hidden Here' After Grammy-Winning Success with Elevation Worship

Tiffany Hudson, from Elevation Worship, makes her solo debut with her first full-length album, "Hidden Here." The Grammy Award-winning artist sat down with Efrem Graham from CBN's Studio 5 for an exclusive interview on the project's release day.

"So, it is July 21st and this is the day of release for your solo project, right?" asks Graham.

"Yes, I feel so grateful," Hudson said, "I mean, all of the emotions kind of all at once, but the main emotion I feel is just gratitude that the songs are here." After the better part of a year, her original songs are out to the public and she's grateful the personal songs have made it to the ears of the public.

Originally, Hudson had no plans to pursue a solo career. "I never had 

a desire to do my own projects or to write my own songs necessarily," she says, "but I felt like the Lord had invited me into this process." The singer/songwriter sat at the piano in early 2022 and began writing songs. Those songs, she says, were not the typical worship sound you would hear at her home church, Elevation, on Sunday mornings. The songs came from Hudson's original sound, and that's when she decided to pursue the solo project.

"It felt more like a personal, devotional type of song that I would want to say to the Lord," Hudson explained. She also credited Elevation for encouraging the project and partnering with her. "That kind of gave me the ability to say, "Let's chase after this. Let's see what the Lord wants to do to this song"," she shared.

The project's title track, "Hidden Here," tells the theme of the whole album which comes from the scripture passage Psalm 91, "Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty" (Psalm 91:1, NIV). Hudson tries to address the question, "What does it look like to remain hidden in the shadow?" That concept is in the theme of the album: being hidden in the presence of God and in a secret place with Him.

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by tiffany hammer hudson (@tiffanyhudson)

Another track on the album is titled "Break the Bottle," featuring a fellow worship leader Steffany Gretzinger, who has had her own share of popular hits. "It means a lot to me," Hudson says, "I got to sing it with one of my heroes." The two vocal heavyweights co-wrote the song, and it holds a special place in her heart.

Worship leader Joe L. Barnes also makes an appearance on the album with the track "Togetherness." They wrote this song back in 2020 amidst a season of divisiveness. "It was just a cry for unity for the body of Christ to have one heart, one faith, one gospel," Hudson explains.

Working with Barnes was a dream come true for her. "He's one of my favorite people to write with," she continues. "He just has a heart of gold and I feel like whenever we get a chance to sit down and write together, the things that happen are so sweet."

Hudson explains that with all the songs on the album, it all starts at the piano. Her time with the Lord and time sitting at the keys creates the original melody and lyrics. "I felt like I was in a season of creative drought. I would sit at the piano and feel like nothing I would write would be good, I just didn't like any of it, and I felt like somewhere God had flipped the switch," she explains. "He was speaking to me and putting themes on my heart so then when I would sit at the piano, it felt like songs just came with such ease."

The tracks on this project are her personal responses to the messages she felt God was delivering to her. That would start in a personal private place and, "then usually bringing those little starts, whether it's a chorus or a verse to a group of co-writers, and then they really come to life."

Her songs that started in a hidden private place are now being played in arenas around the country.

"When you're in the middle of that and you're hearing people sing songs that you have a hand in writing, what's that like?" Graham asks.

"It is completely humbling to think that we have any part in putting a confession in someone else's mouth," Hudson admits. "I get so emotional thinking about it... to stand in an arena full of people just all together singing a song is so impactful, and I don't think I'll ever get used to that feeling. It's so humbling."

Hudson has heard many stories from people who have heard her music. "The things that I hear from people that mean the most are, 'I felt the presence of God for the first time and I was just in my car.' And that is like all you could ever ask for," she said, "so when people say they experience God's presence, it's all I could ever ask for."

Hudson's faith journey started at a young age. She grew up in a family in ministry as a preacher's kid in Pennsylvania. Growing up in the church, she filled in wherever she could and admits her role as a worship leader started out of necessity. "I always knew I had a desire to serve the church," she says, "when it comes to worship leading, I always love to sing, but it was never about singing for me." It all began with a priority to serve the church. She recalled, "For our youth group, we didn't have anybody that could play the piano, so I learned four chords and I got by, and that's kind of my start of learning to lead worship almost out of necessity."

After a powerful moment in worship, her life was completely changed. "I remember being on my knees and saying to the Lord, like, However I can create or steward these atmospheres that changed my life. That's what I want to be a part of for the rest of my life." That is what leading worship means to her, "I was changed through that. So how can I just help steward these beautiful moments for other people's lives?"

She credits her faith-based family, particularly her parents, for a lot of the success she is currently experiencing. "I feel emotional, so forgive me, but they're so proud," Hudson shared, reflecting on her parents' influence. "It goes so much further back to being a child and then recognizing, oh, you have this gift, let's fan it into flame. And so for them to see so much of these dreams realized and so much of these prayers answered, it's just such a beautiful feeling."

Some may call her connection to Elevation Worship a coincidence, but Hudson calls it God's provision. After college, where she studied ministry, she happened upon an internship opportunity at Elevation, going from intern to artist. "Looking back, I'm like, oh, it was a part of His beautiful plan for my life," she says, "I did an internship with the church for a summer and little did I know God would have me plant my life there."

During her time at Elevation, she has been a part of some of their biggest songs. One of those songs is the smash hit titled "Graves Into Gardens." She recalls, "It just kind of came with ease and we just began to... sing those declarations." Another hit Hudson helped write is "Wait on You." Hudson shared, "This song really ministers to me to this day." Another hit, "Never Lost," came from her songwriting sessions and has been heard all over the world. "Just to see our church receive it so well, it was really cool," Hudson said. 

And now, after her Grammy-winning success with Elevation Worship, Hudson releases her solo project with a simple prayer. "I would say my prayer is that these songs will lead people to a deeper devotion to Him," she continues, "I can only live for Jesus; no other life or no other person is worthy. It's only Him."