Chris Blue was destined to sing from his earliest moments in this world. Imagine little Chris, at two years old, standing in front of the television at his grandmother’s house, mesmerized by a VHS recording of The Canton Spirituals. All the cousins were outside playing in the yard, but all he could say was “Again! Again!”

This old soul toddler began performing at the age of three, fronted a family band by the age of four up through his teens and performed with legendary gospel artists like Fred Hammond and Kirk Franklin in his youth. Then, in 2017, Blue captured the hearts of listeners around the world on season 12 of NBC’s “The Voice,” where he was crowned the winner.

But destiny and the promise of a meteoric rise, he soon found, can’t begin to compare to knowing who you really are.

Set for release on June 7, Chris Blue’s debut album, Foundations: The Hymns of My Heart, is as natural as it is a spiritual place to start. “This is where my life, my story, my faith began. I really want people to know who I am, at my core, so why not start at the beginning?”

Produced by Kevin Williams and Matthew Holt, for Gaither Music – a label formed by gospel icon Bill Gaither – this “back to my roots” project may seem an awkward career step to those on the outside looking in, especially after his winning of “The Voice.”

“It’s hard to articulate how surreal it is to be surrounded by the most gifted musicians, singers, stage producers and vocal coaches,” Blue says of “The Voice” experience. “But what I walked away with is the knowledge that I am enough. Not from a place of arrogance, but finding a real place of peace and confidence in the gift God has given me. I’m just so grateful because I know what He’s given me is enough.”

 But like so many “Idols” and “Voices” before him, for whom the whirlwind of the experience didn’t lead to instant fame and fortune, Blue was met with the question of “what next?” He and his wife, Stephanie, had just moved to Chicago. The pandemic was rocking the entire world. And with it came the arrival of a beautiful baby girl. Epic disillusionment meets epic life changes. So Blue took a step back from music to breathe, regroup and rediscover his roots.

Enter Bill Gaither, who was captivated over a catfish dinner by Blue’s soulfully-raw delivery of his and Gloria Gaither’s 50-year-old gospel classic “Because He Lives.”

“Every now and then a unique talent comes along that has that certain something and Chris has it!” Bill Gaither says. “He brings a special spirit in our nightly concerts, and it has been a joy to watch how God uses his gifts.”

“In our house, growing up, Mr. Gaither was the Billy Graham, the godfather of gospel. It didn’t get any bigger than that,” Blue says. “Songs like ‘Because He Lives,’ ‘He Touched Me,’ and ‘Center of My Joy’ — I thought they were written by black artists. They were in the hymnbook.” So when the opportunity arose to record the songs that had most shaped his spirit, it meant the world that the opportunity came by way of the godfather.

Bursting with churchy energy, the opening track “Wait’ll You See My Brand New Home” captures the high-performance contagion that Blue is known for. “When we talk about bringing people into my story, this is an instant connection with me. The first thing you need to know about me is that I am very churchy.”

From there, “Near the Cross,” “I Am Redeemed” and Gaither’s “Center of My Joy” are soul-filled tracks that highlight Blue’s interpretive balladry. The organic ease of his delivery – with choral and B3 backing – only add to the timeless lyrical power of these classics.

Blue takes on the Bill Withers’ classic “Lean On Me,” fully understanding the weight of its importance, as well as the genius of Withers. “If you go down the list of his hit songs, you know you’re hearing creative genius. ‘Lean on Me’ is one of the hardest songs to sing and sing well; the lyrics are so heavy. I really wanted to do it justice because it’s such a ‘We Are the World’ kind of song that brings people together.”

The southern gospel staple “I Can’t Even Walk (Without You Holding My Hand)” is pivotal in Blue’s roots journey. “My dear friend Fred Langley introduced this song to me. He said, ‘There’s a song by Jessy Dixon you need to sing; and if you sing it, it will change your life.” 

I thought number one would surely be me
I thought I could be what I wanted to be
I thought I could build on life’s sinking sand
But I can’t even walk without You holding my hand

–”I Can’t Even Walk Without You Holding My Hand,”
written by Colbert Croft and Joyce Croft

Blue memorized the song on a Sunday night in 2019, got on stage almost immediately and opened his mouth to sing. “It was a real kairos moment,” he recalls, “a moment where God takes over and something unexpected happens.” Millions of views on YouTube and Facebook later, it was the singer’s first viral moment ever, outside his performances on “The Voice.” “Langley was right. That song changed my life. I get requests to sing it everywhere I go. I’ll probably always sing it.”

In every song, in every note, Blue says, Foundations: The Hymns of My Heart is not only his way of introducing people to who he is at his core, but also a reflection of his calling in life.

“My mission in life is simple,” he says, “to be a light in dark places, a conduit that brings people together – a bridge builder – bringing all people and cultures together, because I believe we are still one nation under God.”

And ultimately, once listeners are in the room, the message is one Blue has come to depend on himself: the truth that God loves you unconditionally and you are enough. “I want people to experience what God’s love feels like,” he says. “Because love answers all things, conquers all things and love will win in the end. That’s my story, and these songs take me back to that foundation.”