Following her 2025 debut single, Lisette Shaffer returns with her debut EP, Songs I Need To Sing - a perfectly fitting title for a talented young artist whose recent foray into writing and recording her own songs blossomed out of a felt need to sing her prayers, to write lyrics like journaling, and to use music to help her process life's questions and tragedies. She'd already spent years honing her skills as a singer and guitarist as a worship leader, which she then redirected into self-producing this 5-song set. The productions are quite simple and straightforward, sometimes featuring no more than her voice and one guitar, but they offer an unassuming, unpretentious presentation for these lovely tunes.

My favorite thing about Songs I Need To Sing is that it keeps getting better as it goes along. Its weakest track is the opener, a rendition of the "Doxology," with a few extra verses that Shaffer added onto the classic melody. This moves into "Trust In the Lord," a highly singable adaptation of Proverbs 3:5-6. From here, the songwriting continues to grow more complex and more personal. "There's More" is written from God's perspective, opening with the striking question, "Why are you striving My child / To find something better than Me?" This is the song where listeners will begin to see the full potential of Shaffer's talents, and it's also where one of Shaffer's biggest influences, Bethany Barnard (née Dillon), can be observed clearly.

If anyone thought this EP was a strictly congregational affair, "Hiding Me" sees Shaffer bringing her romantic hopes and frustrations to the Lord with daring openness and honesty. Lastly, "Daisy" closes out the EP with its most poetic and dynamic song, exploring the ways that life goes differently than we'd hoped, while still ending on a hopeful note. Gentle synth pads sit beneath most of these songs, colored by occasional flourishes of keys, harmonies, or vocal effects. If anything, I wish the EP leaned further into these musical adornments, yet I am excited by how Shaffer's arrangements may diversify as her production confidence grows or as she collaborates with other musicians. She has a knack for melodies, a gorgeous voice, a strong lyrical instinct, and a sturdy backbone of guitar skills. I imagine she's only a few releases away from turning "Songs I Need to Sing" into, emphatically, "Songs You Need To Hear!" In the meantime, if you live on/near the East Coast, keep an eye on Shaffer's socials, as she plans to play coffeehouses up and down the coast in the months to come.

- Review date: 8/10/26, written by Chase Tremaine of Jesusfreakhideout.com

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