Sarah Kroger is back in 2024, adding yet another release to an incredibly prolific year that featured a full album and numerous unrelated singles. This time she’s joined by Christian artists Matt Maher and Leeland, who not only helped write Kroger’s latest song, “Giving Up,” but also performed on the recording.
The song speaks of a struggle of faith and trying to overcome a feeling of staleness, embodied in “praying these same old prayers.” Despite this feeling, Kroger emphasizes the importance of trusting in God for the solution. She sings that she “might be in a valley, but I know you’ll lead me out.”
In an explanation video, Sarah said that she feels the subject matter of the song is best encapsulated in the bridge section, during which she sings:
I feel your light is breaking
Through the shadow of my doubt
You’re asking me to follow
Not to figure you all out
As the song progresses, the listener realizes that the title “Giving Up” does not mean that she’s giving up on faith, but that she’s giving up on her reservations and doubts. She explains that she’s “seen too much” of the goodness of God in the world and that the real “Giving Up” is in the surrender to the Lord, placing all her trust in God’s love.
Musically, the song is a standard modern worship song, setting rapidly plucked, muted guitar lines to Maher’s broad and ringing piano chords. Many of the instruments, and the vocals, are supported by a reverb effect that gives everything an ethereal feeling. The slight echo to Kroger’s vocals makes her voice sound more distant during the verse, metaphorically coming closer to God as she proclaims her surrender during the chorus section.
Sarah Kroger has released a whole lot of music in 2024, and there are still a couple of months left for new songs. Follow Kroger on Spotify, YouTube, Apple Music, or your preferred streaming service to keep up with her prolific release rate.
And today we celebrate...