With churches and Christian universities raising up countless worship leaders and the ease of releasing music digitally, there is no shortage of aspiring worship artists. The ones that set themselves apart tend to find success leaning towards a radio-friendly pop sound (a la Lauren Daigle) or by embracing corporate worship (Amanda Cook, Kari Jobe). Emerging somewhere in between is the 2016 International House of Prayer University graduate, Lauren Alexandria. Debuting through Forerunner Music (the music label for IHOP), Lauren Alexandria's five-song Victorious In Love EP does a great job setting her up for a big career in the worship music industry.

Lauren has pretty vocals that will immediately draw you in. She isn't a powerhouse vocalist per se (though there are a few times she belts out), but there is a lot of attention to detail in the way she uses her voice. The slower paced "Flood My Soul" and "Found" do a nice job highlighting her dynamic vocals with a pleasant combination of piano, strings, and drums over a slight R&B vibe. Thematically, "Flood My Soul" pleads to God to fill her life with His presence, while "Found" speaks of the dichotomy of being both lost and found in God: "I'm lost in you, but I'm the most found I've ever been." The lyrics are relatively simplistic (and not void of commonplace metaphors), but they are earnest. "Clean Hands" gets into radio-friendly territory, making you think she would be a great fit on popular Christian radio stations like KLOVE.

Lauren Alexandria has made an impressive debut with Victorious In Love, and only has big things ahead of her. If you are a fan of Lauren Daigle, Kari Jobe, or Misty Edwards, this album comes with an easy recommendation.

- Review date: 5/15/17, written by Christopher Smith of Jesusfreakhideout.com