At just 23 years old, Anne Wilson has lived more lifetimes than most artists twice her age: she’s topped Christian and country charts, earned a Grammy nomination, released two books and crossed 2 billion global streams.
As her third album, Stars, and her first devotional, Hey Girl, hit shelves within weeks of each other, the Kentucky native reflected on how she’s learning to stay steady and rest in God’s faithfulness in the middle of it all.
“I think a lot of it is the wear and tear of a faith walk with God,” the artist, who recently toured with Morgan Wallen, told The Christian Post. “There are times where everything’s great, and then there are times you’re doubting or off track. This record was me wrestling through some of that, doubting, making mistakes, and learning to keep going even when I don’t feel like I’m in a good place.”
That honesty runs through Stars, a 12-song coming-of-age collection that blends the grit of Nashville’s country storytelling with Gospel truths.
Produced by Jeff Pardo, with contributions from Matthew West, Trannie Anderson, Blake Pendergrass, Emily Weisband and others, the album completes what Wilson calls a trilogy: her 2022 breakout My Jesus introduced her as a new voice in Christian music, while 2024’s Rebel bridged faith and country with collaborations featuring Lainey Wilson, Jordan Davis and Chris Tomlin.
Stars, she said, reflects her path of growing into what she sees as a calling from God.
The title track, “Stars,” weaves together Wilson’s childhood dream of becoming an astronaut with the loss of her brother, Jacob, who died when she was 15 — a tragedy that set her on the path to music.
“I wanted to work for NASA,” she recalled. “Then Jacob died, and everything changed overnight. I had to lay down my dreams for God’s dream and that dream was music. Stars captures that idea of losing your dream, but finding God’s dream for you instead.”
According to Wilson, the album’s themes of grief, surrender and childlike wonder reflect her own process of healing. She wrote much of Stars in May, just five months before its release. “It was emotional and vulnerable,” she said. “But it was healing, too. Writing these songs helped me sit with my emotions and process everything.”
“The song ‘Still Do’ is about coming back to knowing that Jesus loves you and that you’re loved by Him,” she said. “This album feels more mature, maybe because I’ve grown and experienced more. It’s still about faith, but it’s from a different perspective.”
“When Jacob died, I felt like, let’s stop with the butterflies and rainbows, let’s talk about real life,” she added. “A lot of Christian music at that time felt like everything was perfect, but that’s not reality for most of us. Life is hard. People lose loved ones, go through divorces, deal with depression. That’s where Jesus meets us.”
Reflecting on the questions she’s had in her own spiritual walk, the artist also stressed that faith doesn’t mean the absence of doubt.
“Christianity is believing in a God we can’t physically see or touch,” she said. “There are going to be moments of doubt. But honesty and vulnerability can transform lives.”
“I want people to listen to this record and feel that childlike wonder we all used to have,” she added. “To believe again that God can do more than we could ever dream or imagine.”
Wilson also recently released a new 40-day devotional, Hey Girl: You Are Seen, Loved and Made for More, published by K-LOVE Books. She described the book as a guide for young women, like herself, navigating identity, friendship and faith in the age of social media.
“I wanted to create something for girls, middle school, high school, who need to know who they are in Christ,” she said. “The Bible can feel intimidating, and I wanted this to be a resource they can relate to.”
Hey Girl follows her bestselling memoir My Jesus: From Heartache to Hope and ties closely to her new music. “It’s interesting; when I write books and albums, they always end up connected,” Wilson said. “It’s not intentional, but it’s all coming from what I’m walking through personally.”
The devotional’s title stems from her 2021 single “Hey Girl” and the growing “Hey Girl Nation,” a community where young women encourage each other online. Recently, Wilson hosted a “Hey Girl High Tea” in Franklin, Tennessee, where 200 fans previewed both the devotional and songs from Stars.
The stories she’s heard since releasing the book have, at times, moved her to tears. “A young girl once came up to me weeping,” Wilson shared. “She told me she struggled with bullying and suicidal thoughts, and that she listens to ‘Hey Girl’ every day as a reminder of who she is in Christ. That day I thought, this is why I do what I do.”
Despite the whirlwind of fame, Wilson, who recently kicked off her “Stars Tour,” said she remains anchored by family, faith and a commitment to her roots. Recently, she headlined a benefit concert that raised more than $100,000 to aid tornado recovery efforts in Lexington, Kentucky, her hometown.
“My sister’s my best friend, and my parents keep me grounded,” she said. “I have a great church community that prays for me, and Matthew West, my manager, has been such a rock in my life. When I’m on the road, I journal, read Scripture, and make sure I’m spending time with God. It’s my lifeline.”
“I pray about everything; tours, book offers, even individual shows,” she said. “If I have peace, I move forward. If I don’t, I don’t. And every time, God’s been faithful.”
Stars and Hey Girl are now available.
Leah M. Klett is a reporter for The Christian Post. She can be reached at: leah.klett@christianpost.com
