Aodhán King and Benjamin William Hastings Just Released "Happy To Be Here": Their First Album Together, Made in Just 10 Days

It is out today. And the story behind how it was made is just as worth knowing as the music itself.

What it is: Happy To Be Here is the collaborative debut album from worship leaders Aodhán King and Benjamin William Hastings - born out of a 10-day writing and recording session between the two longtime friends. It releases today, May 29, via Anotherland and Capitol CMG.

Who they are: Both trace their roots to the Hillsong music movement. Hastings is a key contributor to Hillsong Worship and Hillsong UNITED, while King is a founding member and leading voice of Hillsong Young and Free - together they have helped shape the sound of modern worship over the past decade. Between them, they have earned multiple Grammy nominations, with Hastings securing his first Grammy win in 2026 as a co-writer alongside Brandon Lake. 

How the album came together: The project was born from a spontaneous question - what would happen if they stepped away from their usual contexts and created something entirely from the ground up? That idea became reality as the pair committed to an intense 10-day writing and recording process, isolating themselves to focus solely on the music. "We've written so much together over the years - Young and Free, UNITED, each other's solo projects," King reflected. "But we've always talked about making something just ours. This was finally that moment."

What the songs sound like: Three days after completing the album, Hastings road-tested two of the tracks - "Hollow Grave" and "Wondrous Cross" - while leading worship in Albuquerque, and both resonated immediately with the crowd. The album features collaborations with Cody Carnes and Tiffany Hudson of Elevation Worship, alongside contributions from their Hillsong community.

The song that stands out: "Saturday" - one of the pre-release singles - was described by the artists as living in the in-between: the quiet, uncertain day between the cross and the resurrection. It captures the tension of trusting God when nothing seems to be happening - the space between the worst thing that has ever happened and the best yet to come. Its message is simple: even in the silence, something is unfolding, because Sunday is coming.

Happy To Be Here is available now on all streaming platforms.

Related Article: Benjamin William Hastings And Aodhán King Announce New Album Happy To Be Here With New Song "Saturday" Available Today