I’ve struggled for hours to find the right words to begin this article about Anne Wilson.
What was supposed to be a routine interview about another epic Nashville release turned into a thought-provoking conversation that weighed on my heart for days.
Anne, a woman of profound talent, is also a woman of profound anointing. And let me tell you, there is a difference.
Raised in the heart of Kentucky, Wilson’s musical foundations were unknowingly laid in church pews and the rugged countryside, places where gospel hymns and country ballads often intertwine.
Wilson, however, wasn’t the one singing them.
“I wanted to be an astronaut,” she said. “I was naturally gifted at math and science. I had no idea I would be doing this.”
Wait, what? How on God’s green earth could someone with a voice as uniquely powerful as Anne Wilson’s have no idea of the greatness inside of her?
But that’s the beauty of this story.
Of all the interviews I have conducted over the years, every single artist I’ve spoken to, knew. They knew what they wanted; they knew what they were made for. They sang into hairbrushes, broomsticks, performed in their basements, and dreamed out loud to anyone and everyone who would listen. They were going to be a star. Not so with Anne Wilson.
OUT OF THE BLUEGRASS
Anne Wilson had no idea she could sing.
That revelation didn’t come until she was 15 years old, standing in grief at the funeral of her older brother, Jacob, who was tragically killed in a car accident. Anne was asked to sing a song at the service, marking her first public performance.
It was in that moment God took a humble and heartbroken young woman with eyes on the stars and turned her into one.
A recording of the moving moment went viral, changing the course of Anne’s life forever. She accepted the calling and went on to release her debut single, “My Jesus” which became a GOLD-certified No.1 on Billboard’s Christian Airplay chart. The track made Wilson the first debut female solo artist in chart history to reach No.1 and went on to be named ASCAP’s 2022 Christian Music Awards Song of the Year.
Now, some of you might be thinking, “That’s nice but there are worse things God could call you to besides tour buses and fame.” If that’s you, I can understand why you might think that, but man, would you be missing it…and missing God in it.
In such stories of spiritual greatness, we often forget that the testimony is powered not only by what a person is called to but by what they are called away from.
“IT WAS ULTIMATELY A SURRENDER TO GOD AND TO SAY I’M GONNA LAY DOWN MY DESIRES AND THE OTHER THINGS I WANT TO DO WITH MY LIFE JUST TO GO FOLLOW YOU [GOD]”
-Anne wilson
Being a famous singer was never Anne Wilson’s dream.
God lovingly said “No” to the plan she had for herself since she was a little girl. Everything she had wanted in a career, everything she had a natural and comfortable bend towards, God closed behind a door that she had to be willing to shut. Think for a moment what that would feel like? Think about the faith and trust it would take to be willing to walk away from your lifelong dream and walk through a door you never planned for.
A door that came with sacrifice.
In her new album “REBEL” Anne opens her grieving and grateful heart to share her story with gut-wrenching honesty and a pure country sound.
“The songs that were from my heart were leaning more country,” she said about writing for “REBEL” in 2022. She co-wrote on each of the 16 tracks, teaming up with some of Nashville’s best to deliver an album that intentionally and masterfully links the arms of Christian and Country music. “I’m not going to please Christian music. And I’m not going to try to change who I am to please country,” Wilson said of the project. “I’m just going to be authentically who I am.”
REBEL
With that resolve, Anne penned the title track “REBEL,” setting the tone for the album and sparking a fire in the hearts of her listeners.
I’m not sure if it’s appropriate to say I raged in my car to a Christian/Country song…but that’s exactly what I did when I heard “REBEL” for the first time.
“REBEL” serves as an anthem, a heart cry, hell, a fight song for those of us caught between the spiritual and the temporal, between church pews and dirty boots, between God and Country. Because while God has never left country music, much of today’s country seems to have forgotten about Him.
Anne Wilson stands in the gap, capturing the hearts of listeners in both genres, sharing the redemptive story of her life in a way that resonates deep within the heartland human experience.
“REBEL” not only boasts rich themes of grit and grace but powerful collaborations that serve as a testament to the strength of the project.
Anne pairs with country superstar Lainey Wilson for the powerful “Praying Woman,” with Jordan Davis on “Country Gold,” and with CCM royalty Chris Tomlin on “The Cross.”
In “REBEL,” we find not just music, but a soul-stirring saga of transformation and trust. Blending the essence of country soul with spiritual depth, Anne not only sings from the heart but also speaks to the spirit of rebellion and resilience that defines a true artist.
As Anne Wilson continues to bridge the gap between gospel truths and country roots, she does more than just sing; she inspires us to listen closely to the subtle divine whispers that guide us towards our authentic selves. In a world where voices clamor for attention and conformity pressures the soul, may we all find the strength to be rebels like Anne—bold, faithful, and unequivocally true to the paths we are called to walk.
Even if they’re not the ones we planned for.
READ MORE:
What Will Cars Look Like In The Future? AI Predictions For Jeep, Toyota and More
Top 10 Most Anticipated Movies of 2025: From Superman to John Wick
