Award-winning Singer-songwriter Brandon Heath, known for chart-topping songs “I’m Not Who I Was” and “Give Me Your Eyes,” has once channeled personal grief and reflection into his music with his ninth album, “The Ache.”

The album, which released last week, features 11 original tracks co-written by Heath, is described as a “snapshot of the season” he is currently experiencing. The singer admits that the project was born out of a time of mourning, particularly after witnessing the final days of his mother’s life.

“I thought this was going to be a record about mourning,” Heath shared. “But I’ve learned that two things can exist at the same time. You can talk about heavy things with a joyful spirit, and I have totally embraced the paradox in this season.”

This tension between sorrow and joy is woven through the album. Heath’s music often reflects his deep faith, and this latest project is no exception. The title track, “Gospel Truth,” summarizes how Heath reconciles life’s harshest realities with his unwavering belief in God. “It’s one of my favorite songs I’ve written in a long time,” Heath confessed. “It just fits me so well, and it tells the story of who I am and what’s important to me.”

“The Ache” also includes the single “He Does (Oh By the Way),” a celebratory reminder of God’s steadfastness, co-written with Kyle Williams and produced by a team that includes Williams, Micah Kuiper, Cason Cooley, and Andrew Bergthold. The song has already begun resonating with fans, reminding them of the comforting consistency of faith even amid life’s challenges.

“Scars,” one of the album’s most poignant tracks, was inspired by the tragic shooting at The Covenant School in Nashville, where Heath’s daughter was enrolled. It’s a tribute to Matthew Solomon, the school’s chaplain and a personal friend of Heath. On March 27, 2023, the day of the shooting, the singer and his family were grappling with a decision — whether to continue their daughter’s enrollment at the school despite the tragedy that had unfolded.

“We had already been admitted into The Covenant School for my incoming kindergartner, and just that morning, March 27 — we call it ‘that Monday’ — we got a little welcome bag on our front doorstep for our daughter who was to go to Covenant,” he said. “We had to make a decision. Do we lean into this community who’s been traumatized? The kids, you know, witnessed something that no human should ever have to witness. But we decided that we were called to that school.”

A few days later, Heath reached out to Solomon, checking in on his well-being. “On my way into writing, I couldn’t write about anything other than him and the mourning that we were all feeling as Nashvillians, and really the world was feeling it at that time,” Heath recounted. “So I wrote a song that I saw as medicine, not only for Matthew but for our friends who go to The Covenant School.”

“The Ache,” however, is not just an album of sorrow. It’s a project that also highlights resilience, community, and the enduring power of faith. “If you could have seen a few weeks ago, we did a play, ‘Peter Pan’,” Heath said, describing a moment of healing for the Covenant School community. “Our fifth and sixth graders, they were all on stage singing in that very building where something awful happened. And one of them sang a song that basically says, ‘I don’t want to grow up.’ If you thought that innocence was lost that day, there’s still a lot of innocence and beauty in these kids and this community.”

Heath’s daughter recently completed kindergarten at The Covenant School, marking a milestone in their journey of healing. “We are back in the building,” Heath stated. “Typically, they bulldoze buildings when something like this happens. We decided to reclaim our school because the enemy is not going to run us out, nor is the fear that he loves to delve out.”

In addition to his music, Heath still finds time to encourage and mentor new artists, remembering how recent it was that he was the one seeking advice.

“It’s my favorite line, ‘I grew up on my music’,” he said. “I always see it as this huge honor. I love helping (new artists) on their early road to figure out what their message is going to be. And I always like to say, ‘Look, your story is enough. Just tell your story and (share your) music’.”

“The Ache” is currently available through digital outlets from Centricity Music.