BRVNDONP Brings Gospel, Hip-Hop and Worship Together With Anthem Nights
The founder of Anthem Nights has released a new single, «Thank You Chant», featuring gospel singer Lisa Knowles-Smith, and plans to expand the worship event to major cities worldwide.
A musical movement that blends traditional gospel, worship, hip-hop and contemporary culture is gaining momentum, and its founder is now setting his sights on a global stage. BRVNDONP, the creative force behind Anthem Nights, has released a new single titled «Thank You Chant» featuring gospel singer Lisa Knowles-Smith, while outlining plans to establish the event in major cities around the world.
Anthem Nights was conceived not simply as a concert but as a gathering for creators. BRVNDONP described it as an event where artists can come together to worship, sing and build a shared moment in time. «Anthem Nights is really an event for creators to just come together and worship and sing and create an amazing moment in time», he said. «And songs come from it.» That creative process is already bearing fruit, with «Thank You Chant» emerging directly from the atmosphere the event fosters.
Knowles-Smith, whose musical roots lie in the traditional quartet sound, said the event brings together styles that are not usually placed side by side. «You kind of get old school, new school, trap, worship», she said. «It’s all in one conglomerate of a moment.» For her, the appeal of the project lay in participating in something larger than herself while preserving the musical identity that has shaped her career. «I appreciate him for allowing me space to be myself in their world», she said.
The collaboration has also introduced Knowles-Smith to a younger audience. She recalled attending an Anthem Nights event where young people stood and danced throughout the experience, joking that she wondered whether «Auntie» would be allowed to join in. That intergenerational exchange is central to what the event aims to achieve: a space where different ages, musical traditions and expressions of faith can coexist.
The origins of «Thank You Chant» were similarly organic. BRVNDONP came across a music clip that was gaining attention online and decided to record a verse. The idea gradually developed into a full song. After hearing Knowles-Smith’s music, he knew he wanted her involved, though he was unsure how the connection would come about. «God just brought it together at the right moment», he said.
With the single now available on streaming platforms, BRVNDONP is looking beyond a single release. He wants to establish Anthem Nights hubs in major cities around the world, including Chicago, Atlanta, London and cities across Africa. During a recent conversation on Get Up Mornings with Erica Campbell, both Campbell and Knowles-Smith made sure Los Angeles was added to that vision.
The ambition reflects a broader shift in gospel and worship music, where traditional sounds increasingly share space with hip-hop, trap and other contemporary genres. Anthem Nights positions itself at that intersection, aiming to create room for different generations and musical expressions of faith to meet. For BRVNDONP, the goal is not only to produce songs but to sustain a community of creators who worship together and, in doing so, generate new music that reaches beyond the walls of any single tradition.
As «Thank You Chant» begins its run on streaming services, the event’s expansion plans suggest that the blend of faith and culture at the heart of Anthem Nights may soon be heard far beyond its current audience.
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