No Stranger (2020)

No Stranger is the tenth studio album by Christian singer - songwriter Natalie Grant, released on September 25, 2020 by Curb Records. Grant's husband Bernie Herms produced the entire album, except for the track "Even Louder" which Herms co-produced with Chris "Dirty Rice" Mackey and Joseph Prielozny.

Grant returns with her first album of the 2020s and her first new album in five years after taking a sabbatical. Between releases, Grant was recovering from Thyroid cancer from which she was diagnosed in 2017. Her recovery was the primary inspiration for No Stranger. Grant has been a featured artist on a couple of tracks prior to this album: "Isn't He (This Jesus)" by the contemporary worship band The Belonging Co and "Even Louder" by Christian hip hop artist Steven Malcolm. Both tracks have been reworked for this album.

No Stranger was preceded by the lead single "My Weapon," which was released on February 21, 2020 and is in two versions: the regular studio version and the sacred version. The music video for the sacred version was recorded live at AIR Lyndhurst Hall in London, U.K. with the London Studio Orchestra. It was released on YouTube the next day. Another highlight is a cover of the Casting Crowns hit "Praise You in This Storm," which was also made into a music video. "Even Louder" features Malcolm and Christian R&B/hip hop artist Mr. TalkBox. The track "Presence of the King" features American musician Fleurie.

No Stranger was her highest charting album to date on the Billboard 200 Albums chart peaking at number 13 where it spent one week before disappearing entirely. The album debuted and peaked at number 2 on the Billboard Top Christian Albums and at number 4 on the Independent Albums charts. In the fall of 2021, Grant was nominated for a Dove Award for Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year and in early 2022 was nominated for a Grammy for Best Contemporary Christian Music Album.

Track listing

1. Face to Face (Natalie Grant, Bernie Herms, Paul Duncan) -4:10

2. My Weapon (Natalie Grant, Ryan Ellis, Jonathan Jay, Benji Cowart, Andrew

Bergthold) -4:22

3. Do It Through Me (Natalie Grant, Bernie Herms, Paul Duncan) -3:36

4. Praise You in This Storm (Mark Hall, Bernie Herms) -5:34

5. Who Else (Natalie Grant, Becca Mizell, Sam Mizell) -4:45

6. Isn't He (This Jesus) (Natalie Grant, Seth Mosley, Mia Fields, Andrew Holt) -4:55

7. Even Louder (featuring Steven Malcolm and Mr. TalkBox) (Steven Malcolm,

Jonathan Jay, Benji Cowart, Leeland Mooring, Chris "Dirty Rice" Mackey, Joseph

Prielozny, Matt Armstrong, William Reeves, Tony Brown) -3:42

8. No Stranger (Natalie Grant, Bernie Herms, Paul Duncan) -6:27

9. Presence of the King (featuring Fleurie) (Natalie Grant, Bernie Herms, Lauren

Strahm, Matt Redman, Jonas Myrin) -4:31

10. My Weapon (Sacred Version) -5:14

11. Amen (So Be It) (Bernie Herms) -2:13

Production credits

Bernie Herms -producer (all tracks)

Chris "Dirty Rice" Mackey and Joseph Prielozny -co-producers (track 7)

Radio singles

2020 "My Weapon" -#25 Billboard Hot Christian Songs, #21 Billboard Christian

Airplay, #23 Billboard Christian AC Airplay

2020 "Praise You in This Storm -#31 Billboard Hot Christian Songs

2020 -2021 "Face to Face" -#30 Billboard Hot Christian Songs, #26 Billboard

Christian Airplay

2021 "Who Else" -#43 Billboard Christian Airplay

Previous release: Be One (2015)

Next release: Seasons (2023)

Watch the music video of "My Weapon" (Sacred Version) here:

Watch the music video of "Praise You in This Storm" here:

Watch the music video of "Face to Face" here: