A longtime member of TobyMac’s touring band, Diverse City, Terrian steps out front on “Give It Time,” her highly anticipated full-length debut. But rest assured, the same magnetic energy she radiates while singing background vocals for Toby is present across the album’s 12 diverse tracks, all co-penned by the powerhouse vocalist.
While 2021’s “Genesis of Terrian” gave listeners a small taste of the Memphis native’s extraordinary musical abilities, it didn’t do the breadth of her talent justice. Thankfully, “Give It Time” offers a broader, more complete picture of who Terrian is — not just as a full-fledged solo artist, but also as a daughter, friend, wife and follower of Christ.
“Give It Time” is a deeply intimate project unraveling all sides of the multifaceted newcomer. Perhaps no track is more personal than the title-cut itself. The introspective pop gem feels ripped straight from Terrian’s journal as she sings:
Just a girl with some lofty dreams
Wrote ‘em down in 2014
I can still recreate the scene
Curtain down, as they stood to their feet
Wanted the stage, wanted the lights
Wanted to climb to the Hollywood sign
On top of the world in the blink of an eye
But I had to give it time
The song divulges her long-held artistic ambitions in great detail, culminating in an important life lesson that weaves its way throughout the entire project: Good things take time.
On another personalized note, she also shares a voicemail of sweet encouragement from a family member on “Hold Me Up (Papa-lude).” Her “papa” isn’t the only one to make a cameo on the LP though. Hip-hop titan Aaron Cole appears on lighthearted R&B track “It’s All Good.” Meanwhile, award-winning Messianic Jewish singer Joshua Aaron joins the songstress for the worshipful, bilingual “Forever Holy.” Additionally, Terrain’s bandmate and label head, TobyMac, takes the second verse on the blunt “Hope Road.”
Toby does more than duet with Terrian on one song, however. His undeniable fingerprints are all over “Give It Time.” Not only is Toby credited as a co-writer, he’s also listed as a co-producer. This comes as no surprise, considering the seasoned hitmaker has been Terrian’s biggest fan from day one, signing her to his label even before he invited her to be a part of Diverse City.
With Toby helping to steer the project, “Give It Time” is no doubt an accurate rendering of Terrian, but it’s also one of the freshest sounding faith-centric recordings in recent memory. The pristine production is punctuated with bold, experimental tones and textures (Don’t miss the ocean waves that open tropical-flavored, jazz-infused album closer “Worth the Wait.”). Furthermore, the collection is saturated with an eclectic blend of styles.
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Optimistic pop permeates selections like the high-octane “Feel It All,” the breezy “Just Give Me You” and the sunny “Big God,” while hints of hip-hop show up on “Matthew 5,” Terrian’s creative take on the Sermon on the Mount. Meanwhile, “He Sees You” gives soulful, old-school Gospel choir vibes. No matter the genre detour, each twist and turn along the way is uniquely and authentically Terrian.
If you’ve ever seen Toby in concert over the course of the past seven years, then you already know Terrian is an extremely gifted singer. If you haven’t heard her live, it’s easy to recognize her immense vocal ability from the jump, but “Give It Time” also reveals Terrian to be quite a burgeoning songwriter with the ability to transform real life into a work of art.
Current single “Honestly, We Just Need Jesus” provides one of the record’s best lyrical moments that’s both self-aware and ubiquitous. “We’ve been preaching, we’ve been drinking in the vanity,” she sings on the moody, passionate ballad that addresses the angst caused by a perfect storm of technology, headlines and current affairs. “Now it’s got us questioning our sanity. And we wonder how we get all this anxiety.”
Like the other 11 selections that comprise the tracklisting, “Honestly, We Just Need Jesus” points listeners to the only Person powerful enough to solve our problems — our Big God. With every song, Terrian testifies that our Creator’s timing is always perfect, and His ways can be trusted.
“Hits Deep 2024” concertgoers will be among the first to hear some of these new selections from “Give It Time” as the 30-city tour launches Jan. 26, the same day her album drops. Terrian’s solo set will open this year’s “Hits Deep” outing, during which the rising star will also support TobyMac nightly for his headlining performance preceded by additional sets from Cory Asbury, Mac Powell, Tasha Layton and Jon Reddick.
