“We wanted it to show the beauty of God’s creation, and I feel that’s exactly how it turned out.” –Aliceson Jude, KCU Collective
BY PHILL BARNETT
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN
GRAYSON — Kentucky Christian University (KCU) Worship Collective, or KCU Collective for short, recently unveiled “Miracles,” a soul-stirring contemporary Christian song that encapsulates the acts of Jesus through an Appalachian-inspired melody and vocals.
This release is a showcase of the Collective’s exceptional talent and a remarkable story of faith and dedication.
Martin County native Aliceson Jude co-wrote and performed lead vocals for “Miracles.” Jude’s journey from attending Western Kentucky University to writing and performing with the Collective reveals the power of collaboration and creative independence.
“Miracles” is the result of the KCU’s collaborative approach to musical worship and songwriting, born from Jude’s vision to create a song that vividly conveys the gospel of Jesus. The process of bringing “Miracles” to life involved Jude, worship director Mike Cochran, and Hope Whitt, who together wrote, arranged and finalized the song within just a few short weeks.
“I started writing it, but I only got through one verse at that time,” recounted Jude. “I asked my worship director if he would want to co-write and he was up for it. So, we sat down, wrote the song, made the arrangement, and completed it after about 2-3 weeks. Then, we recorded a demo of the song and got the ball rolling.”
The production journey of “Miracles” is a testament to the collective’s ingenuity and resourcefulness, utilizing KCU’s own recording studio for the entire process. The song’s development, from initial concept to recording, mixing and mastering, was all completed in-house by members of the Collective.
“After we got the final recording of the song, we started with the idea for a video,” explained Jude. The Collective reached out to “Thomas McClure, who is a videographer and also owns a coffee shop here in Grayson. We wanted it to show the beauty of God’s creation, and I feel that’s exactly how it turned out.”
“When the time came and it was out, the amount of love people showed it left me speechless,” Jude recalled in astonishment. “It was amazing to see how God was working in me, the KCU Collective and everyone involved.”
“At the release party, we showed the video, sang the song along with some others, and just enjoyed fellowship together as it launched a start to a new chapter for the Collective.”
The story of Jude’s arrival at KCU adds a personal dimension to the Collective’s achievements, detailing a decision led by faith that redirected her path to KCU and, subsequently, to a leading role in the creation of “Miracles.”
“I was supposed to attend WKU to finish my bachelor’s degree. I drove down to Bowling Green on a Monday, I parked my car, and it just did not feel right. I sat and prayed and prayed and finally I knew I wasn’t supposed to be there. I drove back home and my first thought was KCU. So, a friend of mine at my church, who is an alumnus of KCU, got me an audition with the KCU collective. Two days after driving back home, I auditioned and had a scholarship to be a part of KCU Collective and attend KCU. It was truly a God thing.”
The KCU Worship Collective, through “Miracles” and other initiatives, not only engages in worship services and events but also forms a tight-knit community fostering growth, fellowship, and spiritual development among its members. The release of “Miracles” celebrates their faith-driven creativity and collective effort, as well as the profound influence of music.
“Music has always played a huge role in my life,” said Jude. “I give all the credit and success of my journey to God.”