Julianna Zobrist ‘Shatterproof’

Written by: Justin Morden (7/1/2016)

If you follow baseball, you may recognize the last name of Christian singer Julianna Zobrist. The wife of World Series champion Ben Zobrist, Julianna blends pop with electronic elements. Following two EPs, Zobrist has released her independent debut album Shatterproof. Hailing from a small town in Iowa, Zobrist’s path eventually led her to Nashville where she began a career in music. The message she sends in Shatterproof is that “we are to be sacrifices” and that Christ “supplies the strength to be bold, fearless, and confidently vulnerable.”

The upbeat title track kicks off the album with the main theme of getting rid of your fear and shame through security in Christ. Zobrist boldly states “I know what I’ve done, but I won’t let my past define me.” She continues this message in “Alive” where she recollects on past mistakes but has been given a “brand new start” by God. The song focuses on the transformation in our lives due to God’s love, and that we longer have to be haunted by our past. It was inspired by one of Ben Zobrist’s teammates whose reaction to being saved was “It’s like I’m alive for the first time.” Zobrist provides more encouragement in the anthemic “The Dawn” where she reaches out to those who need peace in Christ, the One who helps us face our fear.

“Cosmic Sanctuary” is a song about longing for the day we are in heaven with our Savior, where we will find true satisfaction. Zobrist sings in “Jester” about the fear of vulnerability and failing in front of others. However, God changes “the beat to my song” and leads her to allow her own vulnerability to shift the attention to Him. “Over and Over” comes from the perspective of someone discouraged from her failures, but Zobrist sings of God constantly reminding her of His love and forgiveness. “When I stop and listen above the noise, I start to hear Your healing voice. That’s when everything else fades into the distance.”

The themes of fear and deliverance continue in “Always the Same.” Zobrist points to examples of Jesus’s miracles to encourage us to trust in Him. In “Heartbeat,” she sings about the hope and the light that comes from God during the darkness. The song “Promises” was written by Zobrist the day after safely escaping with her children from a car robbery attempt at a gas station. As she sings in the song, Zobrist was reminded that no matter what happens to us, “one thing that will never change are Your promises.” Closing the album is “Common Ground,” which is a great wakeup call for believers. Zobrist sings that there is disunity and arguments amongst Christians, but the truth we must focus on is “He is our common ground” and brings us unity and clarity.

Shatterproof gives listeners a great look at what Julianna Zobrist has been experiencing in her own life. She sings about fear and shame that many Christians face, but she directs our focus to the fact that God is our Deliverer and the One whom we can put our trust in. What makes Zobrist’s album differ from other Christian pop albums is her fusion of the genre with electronic dance music. A remix of “The Dawn” is included as the final track on the album, and honestly I enjoyed that version more because it is what makes Zobrist stand out. While the album themes and pop style may be familiar, I am excited by the fact that Julianna Zobrist has something different to bring to CCM fans. The electronic dance music elements are something I hope she will continue to expand on in her future music because they are the clear highlights in this debut record.

3.8/5