What 40 years of making faith-based music has taught Michael Stosic about connecting with audiences

For musical artists, connecting with audiences is a critical part of building a fan base. For those writing faith-based music, the stakes are even higher. The message in their music is meant to bring hope and healing. And as Christian singer-songwriter Michael Stosic has experienced again and again, making a strong connection through music can even change lives.

Stosic recently released a new album, “Still A Brand New Love,” which has given him a unique opportunity to reflect on the ways he has connected with audiences over the past 40 years. The album, which was released on August 21, 2026, is a reimagining of songs Stosic originally released in 1986. As Stosic revisited the songs, he was reminded of the power they had in connecting with audiences when they were first released.

“I hadn’t listened to the songs from ‘Brand New Love’ for a long time when I came across the original charts,” Stosic recalls. “As I started to play and sing them, I got pretty emotional. It wasn’t just thinking back on the experiences I had when I was writing and performing all those years ago. It was just as much about the way the songs made me feel. Their message of unmistakable love was powerful then. And what I was feeling told me it is still powerful today.”

Michael Stosic’s audience grew quickly after the release of ‘Brand New Love’
“Brand New Love” was not the first album Stosic had released. But as his first faith-based album, it took his career in a new direction. The album got immediate radio play on his local station in the Seattle area, which opened doors for more live performances.

“Back in 1986, cassette tapes were the media musicians would use to get their songs out there,” Stosic recalls. “After I finished recording ‘Brand New Love,’ I walked my tape into KCMS in Seattle and dropped it off. Within the week I got a call from the station saying they wanted to interview me. After the interview, my phone started ringing and things took off.”

Opportunities to connect with audiences came quickly after that. Stosic’s accolades, which included winning a KCMS People’s Choice award in Seattle for his song “Surrender,” led to him being selected as one of the Top 16 New Christian Artists in the Country by Praise Ministries in Los Angeles. Soon after, he was invited to perform with Pat and Debbie Boone at the Anaheim Convention Center for Praise Celebration ‘87.

Over the next 40 years, Stosic continued to record and perform, sharing his message with new fans in countries around the world. And the feedback he received from fans made it clear that he was connecting in powerful ways.

“I started getting letters from people who were at my show and bought my cassette,” Stosic shares. “They often wrote about how the music had impacted their lives. One letter was from a couple who said they were going through a divorce, but decided to stay in their marriage because of the message of love on the album. Another letter was from a man who said he wanted me to know he gave his life to Christ after listening to my album.”

Michael Stosic sees authenticity as a key to connecting with audiences
When Stosic first started performing live music, which was before he released “Brand New Love,” he believed coming across as an entertainer was the key to connecting. “I was playing lots of nightclubs in Reno, Nevada, and thinking I needed to act like Joe Slick, with just the right look and perfect banter between songs to make a connection,” he recalls.

But as his career progressed, Stosic found that authenticity, not showmanship, was the true key to connection. “I have found over the years that the best way to connect with audiences is to truly be the person I am, the person who God made me to be,” he says.

At one point early in his career, Stosic was offered a chance to work with a well-known producer who wanted him to change his look, musical style, and even his name. Stosic declined the opportunity, believing that even if it led to more fame, it wouldn’t result in authentic connections.

“I really need to just be who I am, my lousy name and all,” Stosic says. “Just being genuine is how I connect with people. It lets them see who I am. My best songs are always about things I truly feel, believe, or live. That becomes real to people because they can relate to it. They have experienced it, too, or they feel that way, too. I might laugh or cry because I’m relating something real to them, and I see them laughing and crying with me. That’s being people together. That’s my connection with my audiences.”

Stosic’s new album is enjoying streaming success around the world on Play MPE, with the single “So Easy To Love” reaching No. 1 on both the streaming and download charts in South Africa, No. 2 on both the Nordic streaming and download charts, and No. 2 on the streaming chart in Canada. Music lovers who want to connect with Stosic can find information on his music and shows at his website, :michaelstosic.com.