Brooke Fraser’s homecoming present was a success – the ‘Something in the Water’ star carried out with the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra late final month. Her present reportedly drew the largest ever crowd for a New Zealand solo artist at Spark Area.
However the viewers was drawn from extra than simply Fraser followers from twenty years in the past. She has an enormous following amongst Christians.
Now based mostly in Los Angeles, Fraser performs Christian songs beneath her married identify ‘Brooke Ligertwood” and has been one of many main members of Hillsong Worship, the music arm of the controversial Hillsong Church.
LA-based Kiwi journalist David Farrier believes that’s not broadly identified.
“I’ve been wanting to write about this other aspect to her for a while now and it just seemed that her performing this record-breaking solo concert in New Zealand was a good opportunity to talk about it,” he says.
“She’s had this really close, interesting relationship with one of the biggest megachurches on the earth – Hillsong – and I think that’s just something that a lot of people don’t know and I think it’s worth addressing,” he says.
Hillsong has been within the information over latest years for its controversies – its chief Brian Houston left after allegations of inappropriate conduct with two girls.
“There are some deeply problematic power dynamics in these churches,” Farrier says.
“There are numerous views {that a} church like Hillsong carries – under no circumstances inclusive in direction of the LBGTQI group, they’ve some actually dicey ideas on the function of girls.
“I would argue that Hillsong is not a good place to be involved in and [Fraser] has been a big part of their marketing campaign. I just think we should acknowledge that, she has profited a lot off this church.”
The Element additionally speaks to Graham Burt, the manager director of Christian music gathering, Competition One. Competition One is now in its eleventh yr, beginning in 2015 after the demise of Parachute the yr earlier than.
Burt says allegations round Hillsong and thru different megachurches like Come up are “heart breaking” and “terrible”.
He says he’s making an attempt to create an inclusive tradition by means of his pageant.
“I believe by being extremely deliberate about the way you do issues, you may keep away from the excesses that you just’re speaking about and that break each of our hearts, which is the place you find yourself with a extremely hierarchical construction the place individuals are taken benefit of, which is simply plain incorrect.
“What I’m longing for is to write the protest songs again … I’m encouraging people around me to go ‘Look at the excesses in our own community, look at what’s going on – call it out, write about it’ … I’m beginning to see that as a new trend.”
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“Well bless their hearts.”
