For a generation of Christians who came of age in the early 2000s, Tree63's "Blessed Be Your Name" was practically a soundtrack to their faith. But behind the hit song was a frontman quietly running on empty - and it nearly cost him everything.
John Ellis, founder and lead singer of the Dove Award-winning South African rock band, recently opened up about the exhaustion that led him to walk away from music nearly two decades ago. The turning point came around 2008, when fellow worship leader Matt Redman gave him simple advice: "Man, you need a break."
What Ellis expected to be a six-month sabbatical stretched into nearly 20 years.
"It was physically and emotionally and spiritually draining," Ellis said of his years touring nonstop. "What was really needed was time to let God remind me why I was doing what I was doing."
During his years away, Ellis said he immersed himself in quiet reflection, describing the experience as feeling like "a monk." That season of stillness became the foundation for VOYAGE, Tree63's first full-length album in 11 years, released this summer.
The album's title track reflects Ellis's belief that faith isn't a single decision but an ongoing process. "So many Christians think, 'I got saved on this day, and ever since then I've been sanctified and restored,'" he said. "But what I've found is that it can't just be about that one day."
Now performing again for the first time in years, Ellis hopes VOYAGE reaches listeners who've grown disillusioned by recent struggles within Christian music circles. "I know what it feels like to be disillusioned," he said. "But we know [faith] is not nonsense. It can just feel challenging."
Related Article: Tree63 Returns After 11 Years With New Album VOYAGE, Marking a Powerful New Chapter
