Gresha Schuilling is a Sri Lankan-born producer, singer, songwriter, and worship leader who is making her CCM debut with
whispering HOPE. Working alongside Pio Anandappa and Shimron Fernando, Schuilling has put together an 8-track worship album about God's mercy and grace, and the praise that springs from experiencing such riches. The style and structure of the songs is very reminiscent of early 2000s worship where one verse gets repeated along with a chorus and occasionally a bridge. This may sound like it could get repetitive, but Schuilling and company manage to keep the yawns away with competent musicianship and engaging vocals. The lyrics don't offer much that hasn't already been done before, though there are flashes of actual theology and not just generic praise ("Your Love" being a prime example). All in all,
whispering HOPE may not win a "Worship Album of the Year" award, but that doesn't negate that this is a solid debut from Gresha Schuilling that shows abundant promise for future releases. Fans of worship music looking for something more familiar should find something to like here.
- Review date: 4/2/24, written by
John Underdown of Jesusfreakhideout.com
(JFH Sponsor Spot)