Stephen Stanley’s “Exile” Almost Stayed Unreleased—Then “The Chosen” Gave It a Home

Stephen Stanley wrote "Exile" years before an invitation arrived to contribute to Songs Inspired by The Chosen: Seasons 1-5. The song nearly appeared on an earlier album, missed its place and remained unreleased. Now, its arrival brings the story back to the television scene that first inspired it.

Speaking with ChurchLeaders, Stanley traced the song's beginnings to the first episode of The Chosen, particularly its depiction of Jesus rescuing Mary Magdalene. After watching, he wrote down the title "Exile" and continued exploring the series.

That origin gives the release a more personal dimension than a commissioned contribution to a television project. Stanley was responding to a scene that had moved him before he knew an album inspired by the series would provide a destination for the song.

"This has been one of my favorite songs," he told ChurchLeaders. "It was almost on my album that came out last year and it didn't end up working out."

The missed opportunity eventually became part of the song's release story. When representatives approached him about the project years later, the unreleased recording already had a direct connection to The Chosen.

"I'm so glad it's got a home now," Stanley said.

The circumstances lend themselves to a reflection on providence: a song inspired by an encounter with Jesus waited for an opportunity that would reconnect it with that same story. Stanley expressed gratitude for the timing, although his account does not explain why the earlier album placement fell through.

The deeper issue in his interview concerns the people who might hear themselves in the title "Exile." Asked what he would say to someone who feels abandoned by God or disconnected from church, Stanley addressed the pressure Christians can place on themselves-and one another-to appear spiritually complete.

"Christians try to act perfect sometimes, but we're not," he said. "We're not perfect and God loves us anyway."

His response places the emphasis on grace before appearances. For someone who associates church with the need to conceal failure, that distinction matters: the invitation to encounter Jesus begins while a person still needs restoration.

Mary Magdalene's story, as dramatized in the series, supplies the starting point for that message. Stanley's comments suggest that what stayed with him was the act of being rescued and received. His encouragement to disconnected listeners carries that concern into the present, directing attention toward God's love amid human imperfection.

Stanley also praised the series' artistic ambition. Describing himself as a movie enthusiast, he told ChurchLeaders that The Chosen sometimes exceeds the expectations associated with contemporary film and television. In his own experience, a screen portrayal prompted a response that continued through songwriting years later.

Released October 30, Songs Inspired by The Chosen: Seasons 1-5 brings together 11 original tracks through a partnership between 5&2 Studios and Capitol Christian Music Group. Contributors include Phil Wickham, Anne Wilson, Lady A, Boyz II Men, Tyler Hubbard, Blessing Offor and Franni Cash. The project invited artists to respond to scenes, characters and themes that had personally resonated with them.

For Stanley, that response began long before release day. "Exile" now reaches listeners with a history of its own: an immediate creative response, a missed album placement and a later invitation that finally brought the song to an audience.