Hillsong UNITED Reveals the Inspiration Behind "Touch the Sky"

By Timothy Yap Apr 08, 2015 08:31 AM EDT

Hillsong UNITED is readying the release of their new album "EMPIRES" on May 26. The album follows ZION(2013), the group's most successful and fastest selling album to date, selling over 400k units, and includes the Platinum selling single, "Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)." The mega-church band has just premiered the album's lead single "Touch the Sky."

Joel Houston who fronts UNITED talks about the inspration behind "Touch the Sky:" "Before we knew what the album was going to be called, before we knew really what is was gonna be about, all I knew was that I felt like we had to, as a foundation, start with attitudes," Houston explains. "I love the idea that Jesus and his disciples climbed up a mountain and Jesus decided to start talking about the Kingdom of Heaven. We live in a culture now, much like back then, where status was based on who you were and what you looked like and who you knew or what labels were attached to you, much in the same way as back then."

The band leader went on to share his observations of people around the world who crave happiness and meaning, but seek them through earthly desires - always striving for the top.

"Even in church, as Christians, we think, 'If only I was a better person. If only I was a pastor or a leader or talent or abilities maybe God would accept me, but it's the opposite," Houston added. "God said, 'No, it doesn't matter who you are,' and because of that, we don't have to try and elevate ourselves in order to find God. We find God from a position of surrender."

UNITED has also revealed the tracklisting for "EMPIRES:"

TRACK LISTING
1. Here Now (Madness)
2. Say the Word
3. Heart Like Heaven
4. Touch the Sky
5. Street Called Mercy
6. When I Lost My Heart To You (Hallelujah)
7. Even When It Hurts (Praise Song)
8. Prince Of Peace
9. Empires
10. Rule
11. Captain
12. Closer Than You Know