  photo credit: Mary Caroline Mann
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PASSION: White Flag Debuts To Widespread Praise and Popularity with Biggest Passion Street Week to date, selling over 48,000 units and landing at No. 5 on the Billboard Top 200, No. 1 Christian SoundScan
Critics and Fans Champion Project that
hit No. 4 on iTunes® Top Albums Overall Chart
Lead Single “White Flag” Rising Through Charts with Strong Start at Radio
PASSION: White Flag has debuted to widespread praise and popularity with the highest street week to date for a Passion recording, selling more than 48,000 units, a 61% increase above 2011’s PASSION: HERE FOR YOU, while landing at No. 5 on the Billboard Top 200 and No. 1 on Christian SoundScan. In addition, this marks sixstepsrecords’ second album this year to debut in the top 5 of the Billboard Top 200, following David Crowder* Band’s No. 2 entry this past January.
Some of the most celebrated and respected worship leaders of today, including Chris Tomlin, David Crowder*Band, Matt Redman, Christy Nockels, Kristian Stanfill and Charlie Hall, led the generation of tomorrow in collective praise, as captured on PASSION: White Flag, recorded at Passion 2012 earlier this year. This 14-track worship celebration (deluxe edition contains 3 additional tracks, plus extras), live from Atlanta’s Georgia Dome, features the aforementioned sixstepsrecords artists along with the voices of more than 42,000 college students. PASSION: White Flag skyrocketed to No. 4 on iTunes® Top Albums Overall Chart upon its release, with the deluxe version of the project currently No. 1 on the Christian iTunes® chart and the regular version holding the No. 2 position. PASSION: White Flag can be downloaded here or purchased at retailers and digital outlets nationwide.
PASSION: White Flag is lead by the rallying title-track single, “White Flag,” featuring GRAMMY® winner Chris Tomlin. The song was the most added track at Christian AC radio in its debut week and is currently at No. 17 on the National Audience chart, while being the most added at both AC Monitored and Indicator this week. The album features some familiar songs while also highlighting brand-new music spurred from Passion 2012.
Passion 2012 was a four-day gathering, attended by over 42,000 college students, led by Passion founder and pastor, Louie Giglio along with renowned speakers John Piper, Beth Moore and Francis Chan, as well as artists and worship leaders Chris Tomlin, David Crowder* Band, Charlie Hall, Matt Redman, Christy Nockels, Kristian Stanfill, Hillsong United and Lecrae. Passion 2012 helped students representing 31 countries and more than 1,700 campuses learn about the horrific realities faced by the 27 million people worldwide who are enslaved as forced laborers, child laborers or trapped within the all- too prevalent sex trade. In total, $3.3 million was given to support more than 20 projects around the world by organizations that are focusing on prevention, rescue, and restoration for the millions of men, women, and children entrapped in modern day slavery.
Media are also taking notice of PASSION:White Flag, saying…
“White Flag rises up and delivers a powerful set… Assisted by stellar vocalists like Kristian Stanfill and Chris Tomlin, tracks like “Not Ashamed” and “No Turning Back” ring out with an epic rock swagger that draws heavily from the sound of artists like U2 and Coldplay. David Crowder*Band steps in…adding anthemic fuel to a fire that’s already burning pretty hot.” – iTunes
“Featuring modern worship’s usual suspects, sixstepsrecords fills the musical component of its annual Passion conference with bigger anthems, bigger production and all-star roster…the 2012 CD showcases Passion’s best yet tracks… producer Nathan Nockels does a stellar job of sonically placing the listener in the middle of the action. White Flag plainly positions Passion as the leader in new corporate worship.” – CCM
“Passion’s heart to craft reverent and relevant praise remains the same….this is a tightly performed blend of electronic rock, Brit pop, and booming ballads that work well with a congregation, though the calmer cuts could just as comfortably accompany personal prayer time.” – Christianity Today
“If you have a time or place to sit alone and spend some time singing praises to a loving Creator, this album is amazing. To close your eyes and sing along with some of these remarkably powerful lyrics, with no other thoughts or distractions, will take you to a true place of worship. Passion has always excelled in this area and they continue to do so, even after 14 years.” – Jesus Freak Hideout
“Like previous offerings, this project delivers a set of songs that bring the listener to a fresh sense of gratefulness for God and what He has done for those who belong to Him. It’s no exaggeration to say there is not a single track on this recording not worth downloading and carrying with you.” – Worship.com
Alongside the release of Passion: White Flag, Passion founder and recent GRAMMY ® nominee Louie Giglio debuted the latest in the 900,000+ selling Passion Talk Series, SYMPHONY, I LIFT MY HANDS, last week. As seen by over 200,000 people on Tomlin’s 50-city “And If Our God Is For Us…Tour,” SYMPHONY is one of Giglio’s most compelling talks and one that left audiences spellbound. To experience a preview of SYMPHONY, click here.
The Passion World Tour will stop in Vancouver this Friday, March 23, and features Giglio, along with Chris Tomlin, David Crowder and Kristian Stanfill with future 2012 dates soon to be announced in Rwanda, Uganda and South Africa.
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About Passion:
Centered on Passion’s core scripture, Isaiah 26:8, the unique purpose of Passion is to gather college students from campuses and churches across the nation, uniting them across ministry and denominational lines to seek the face of God together in worship and prayer. Affirming and valuing the work of local churches and campus ministries, Passion seeks to foster unity and connectivity among them, encouraging them to draw strength and encouragement from each other, resulting in a louder anthem of God’s renown.
About sixstepsrecords:
Founded in 2000 by Louie Giglio, sixstepsrecords is a worship label and a division of Passion Conferences. sixstepsrecords’ artists include Chris Tomlin (How Great Is Our God: The Essential Collection) David Crowder*Band (Give Us Rest), Charlie Hall (The Rising), Matt Redman (10,000 Reasons), Christy Nockels (Life Light Up), Kristian Stanfill (Mountains Move), and Passion (Passion: White Flag). The label partners with Sparrow Records/EMI CMG Label Group for A&R, marketing, sales and distribution operations.
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