Band members
* Leeland Mooring - Lead vocal, Guitars
* Casey Moore - lead guitar, background vocals
Touring musicians
Josias Badillo - bass guitar
Payden Hilliard - drums
David Ramirez - keys
Former Band members
* Jack Mooring - Backing vocal, Keyboard (2004-2015)
* Mike Smith - Drums (2004-2015)
* Shelly Mooring - Backing vocal, Bass (2011-2015)
* Jeremiah Wood (2002-2006)
* Austin Tirado (2006-2007)
* Matt Campbell (2007-2009)
* Jake Holtz (2002-2011)
Beginnings
At the age of 11, Leeland Mooring wrote his first song, "Shine". After having a successful performance of it at a church in Illinois while the Moorings were touring the United States as evangelists, he felt a spiritual calling towards music. His mother, Cyndy Mooring, entered him in a contest in Nashville, Tennessee at the age of 14, and was a finalist in the songwriting and artist divisions. Although he did not win, one of the contest judges, Kent Coley, took interest in the young teen. He is now their manager. Later at the age of 15 he attracted the attention of Eddie DeGarmo, President of EMI CMG Publishing, and signed a songwriting contract with EMI CMG Publishing. While practicing after youth group, Leeland, his older brother Jack, their cousin Jake Holtz, and two close friends from church, Mike Smith and Jeremiah Wood, realized they had become a band. They decided to use Leeland's name for the band because they liked the way it sounded. They later started practicing in the night at a funeral home.
The band has worked closely with Christian music legend Michael W. Smith. Leeland Mooring co-wrote seven songs on Smith's new album, Stand, while Jack Mooring married Smith's daughter Whitney Smith-Mooring on June 1, 2007.
Discography
* Sound of Melodies (2006)
* Opposite Way (2008)
* Love Is on the Move (2009)
* The Great Awakening (2011)
* Invisible (2016)
Sound of Melodies (2005-2007)
The band's debut album, Sound of Melodies, was released in the USA on August 15, 2006. At the 49th Grammy Awards on December 7, 2006, the album was nominated for "Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album". Sound of Melodies was also released in Japan on March 21, 2007, with the title song "Sound of Melodies" peaking at #6 on the general Japan radio chart.
Opposite Way (2008-2009)
Their second album Opposite Way, released on February 26, 2008, received success in its first few weeks of release. In its debut week, Opposite Way reached #1 on the iTunes Christian Albums chart. By March 15, 2008, it had reached a peak position of #72 on the Billboard Top 200 albums. Since September 2007, Leeland has been on "The Altar and the Door Tour" with Grammy Award-winning band Casting Crowns, which will continue until May 1, 2008.
Love Is on the Move (2009-present)
Leeland's third studio album, titled Love Is on the Move, is scheduled for release on August 25, 2009 in the United States.
Changes in membership and label
In early 2011, only a few months before the release of their fourth studio album, bassist Jake Holtz left the band to pursue a career with the US Army.Leeland's fourth studio album, The Great Awakening, was released on September 20, 2011.
In September 2015, Leeland announced via YouTube that they would be joining Bethel Music as part of the Bethel Music Collective,after Leeland Mooring and Casey Moore established an organic friendship with Bethel's founding member, Brian Johnson.Leeland's fifth full-length studio album, Invisible, was released on July 22, 2016. It is the first album the band has released under the Bethel label, with Brian Johnson featuring on the song "Son Was Lifted Up".
Touring
Leeland performed at all the Student Life "Clarity" conferences in 2007. In late 2007, they were on The Altar and the Door tour with Casting Crowns and John Waller, which started September 27, 2007 and ended December 2, 2007. They are currently on the spring leg of the tour, which began on January 31, 2008 and will end May 1.Leeland made their Canadian debut in Ottawa, Ontario at the Life Centre during the annual Shift Conference on March 10-11, 2007.
In September 23, 2009, the band will launch their "Follow You Tour", co-headlining with Brandon Heath and featuring Francesca Battistelli as an opening act.
Grammy Award nominations
2007: Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album - Sound of Melodies GMA Dove Award nominations
In 2007 they were nominated for five GMA Dove Awards in the categories New Artist of the Year, Rock/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year (for the song "Sound of Melodies"), Worship Song of the Year (for "Yes You Have"), Rock/Contemporary Album of the Year and Praise & Worship Album of the Year.
In 2008, their song "Tears of the Saints" was nominated for two Dove Awards: "Song of the Year" and "Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year". Leeland Mooring was nominated for "Songwriter of the Year", and co-writer with Michael W. Smith for "Be Lifted High" in the "Inspirational Recorded Song of the Year" category.
Let It Out Now
Leeland Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Got to talk like her
Got to be like them
Everybody knows you follow the crowd
Or get singled out
But God says who you are
Not the world or movie stars
Don't you know He holds the answers in his hands?
We're stuck in a system
Is there anybody different?
Is anybody listening?
Is anybody listening?
Everyone has their own sound
Let it out now, let it out now
There's nothing wrong with living loud
Let it out now, let it out now
I'm drawing the line between
Being them or being me
I'm not ashamed
To call myself one of yours, Lord
But it's a narrow path
I've got to break from the pack
No turning back
No turning back
Yes, God's looking for a people
With a passion in their hearts
We're God's children
We need to shine bright
We need to shine bright
Everyone has their own sound
Don't you know all God's children have their sound?
The lyrics of Leeland's "Let it Out Now" bring attention to the societal pressure to conform and the need to find one's true identity in God. The song highlights how people feel the need to fit in by imitating others to avoid being singled out, but by doing so, they lose their unique qualities that make them who they are. The song refers to both the pressure to conform and God's role in helping one find their true identity. It preaches that God decides who we are and not the world or celebrities. He holds the answers to our identity in His hands.
Leeland expresses his frustration about being stuck in a system where people follow the crowd or else, they get singled out. The song pleads for people to let go of their fears and be themselves, loud and proud. The lyrics suggest that everyone has their unique sound that needs to be heard, and the world needs to listen to understand its beauty. It's a reminder that everyone has a purpose, and individuality should be celebrated and not hidden.
In conclusion, "Let it Out Now" highlights the importance of being oneself in a society where conformity seems the only way to fit in. It emphasizes that God is the one who decides who we are and what our purpose in life is. By being unique to ourselves, we can fulfill the divine plan that God has for all of us.
Line by Line Meaning
It's like you got to walk like him
It feels like we have to mimic the behavior of others
Got to talk like her
We feel pressured to adopt the speech style of others
Got to be like them
There's an unspoken expectation to conform to the norms of a group
Everybody knows you follow the crowd
It is commonly understood that following the group is the path of least resistance
Or get singled out
Those who resist the group norms risk being ostracized or criticized
But God says who you are
Our identity is determined by a higher power than society or culture
Not the world or movie stars
The values of societal icons or fame are not the sources of personal identity
Don't you know He holds the answers in his hands?
God has the answers to life's questions and can guide us to our true purpose
We're stuck in a system
We are trapped in a cultural or societal system that limits our self-expression
Is there anybody different?
Are there people who dare to stand out from the crowd?
Is anybody listening?
Is anyone paying attention to the unique sounds of each individual?
Everyone has their own sound
Each person possesses a distinct voice and perspective
Let it out now, let it out now
It's time to unleash our authentic selves and express our individuality
There's nothing wrong with living loud
It's not bad to be bold and colorful in who we are
I'm drawing the line between
I am making a clear distinction
Being them or being me
I must choose whether to follow others or be true to myself
I'm not ashamed
I am not embarrassed or afraid to be who I am
To call myself one of yours, Lord
I proudly identify myself as a follower of God
But it's a narrow path
The path to personal authenticity and spiritual fulfillment is not easy
I've got to break from the pack
I need to separate myself from the crowd to discover my true identity
No turning back
I am determined to follow my own path, no matter what
Yes, God's looking for a people
God is seeking individuals who are true to themselves and to Him
With a passion in their hearts
People who have a burning desire to live their best lives and to help others do the same
We're God's children
We are loved and valued by the Creator of the universe
We need to shine bright
We must let our unique light shine in the world to inspire and bless others
Don't you know all God's children have their sound?
We are all called to express ourselves authentically and creatively in our own unique ways
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
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