Is that a beautiful smile I see on your face? Somebody check my MySpace Top 8 and let’s all take one big millennial breath, because The Afters are back. The band you remember is still here, but their sound now has evolved to a more intentional, modern, and Christ focused music.
Their seventh studio album, New Day New Life, arrived October 16 via Fair Trade Services, bringing 12 new songs about faith, redemption, second chances, and the promise that the best chapters of our lives may still be ahead.
And while the hairstyles, social media platforms, and music industry have changed dramatically since we first heard The Afters, the heart behind their music hasn’t.
“God doesn’t need a blank page to write a new story. He can take the chapters we wish we could erase and make them part of a story we never dreamed was possible,” says lead singer Josh Havens.
“We’ve seen God write hope into places where we thought the story had ended, and we’ve met people around the world whose lives are living proof that broken stories can become beautiful ones.”
That’s really the message behind New Day New Life. Whatever happened yesterday doesn’t have to determine tomorrow.
The album features the hopeful declaration “My Hope Is in Jesus,” the encouraging “It’s Gonna Get Better,” and “Eve of a Miracle,” alongside the title track’s celebration of new beginnings.
There’s also “Made for Greatness,” a collaboration with Christian hip-hop artist Steven Malcolm, the radio favorite “God Is With Us,” the worship anthem “Where Heaven Touches Earth,” and “What God Is Gonna Do,” a particularly personal song written for the band members’ children.
And speaking of children, here’s something that might make the MySpace generation feel particularly ancient: The Afters have now been making music long enough that an entire generation has grown up with their songs.
We’re talking more than one billion global streams, six No. 1 radio singles, nine Top 15 hits, three Dove Awards, and over 2,500 live performances around the world.
The Afters aren’t simply revisiting the sound of our youth. They’re making music for the people we’ve become. The teenagers who first heard “Beautiful Love” are now adults navigating careers, marriages, children, disappointments, and all the unexpected turns life throws at us.
And that’s a pretty beautiful thing.
New Day New Life is available on all major streaming platforms.