Mt. Zion

After finding quick success with his independently released 2024 debut album *The Prodigal*, Josiah Queen returns with this sophomore record, his first for a major label. The Tampa-born singer-songwriter largely sticks to a similar formula here, crafting the kind of poppy, inspirational CCM that first brought him attention. Highlights include opening track “Yesterday Is Dead,” a rollicking, Lumineers-esque celebration of redemption, and fan favorite “Dusty Bibles,” which finds Queen considering the tension between a life of faith and the comforts of the modern world. A handful of guests join Queen on *Mt. Zion*, including former Maverick City Music member Brandon Lake on “Can’t Steal My Joy” and fellow CCM singer-songwriter Gable Price on “Thief in the Night,” while Northern Irish Christian singer-songwriter Benjamin William Hastings lends his voice to the stomp-clap anthem “I’ll Fly Away.”