As Harry Styles’ latest release sweeps through youth culture, Nesu Kwaramba shows Christian parents how to engage with their teens on playlists, fandoms, and faith
Teenage girl: (gasping frantically) “Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, this is not happening, I can’t believe it!”
Nesu: “What, what is it?”
Teenage girl: “People have been commenting ’HS4 at midnight’ on social media, but I can’t believe it’s actually happening”
Nesu: ‘What is HS4 at midnight?’
Teenage girl: “Harry Styles’ 4th album is coming out and the rumour is that he would announce the release on a particular day at midnight… he hasn’t released an album for four years(!) … and it’s just been announced that his new album is coming out in March…oh my gosh, oh my gosh, I can’t believe it!”
Teenage girl’s friend: (she sighs and sniggers) “Nesu, see what I have to deal with”
Nesu: (chuckles resignedly) ”Oh my days!”
I wish you could’ve seen the euphoria that overwhelmed this teenage girl in our youth group as she heard the news! This 4-year hiatus from Harry Styles has produced a well of longing for his next release. ‘HS4 at midnight’ is all over the internet.
As we seek to love, serve, and guide young people in 2026, we need to be acutely aware of the hugely significant position music has in their lives
A few days later, a teenage boy in our youth group was thrilled to share that he had just purchased two VVIP tickets (£500 for both) for his favourite artist’s London concert this year; whilst another teenage girl proclaimed that she had bought two tickets (just under £250 for both) to see another musical artist in summer of this year. It seems as though the colossal and unparalleled role of music in the lives of Gen Z young people continues. As we seek to love, serve, and guide young people in 2026, we need to be acutely aware of the hugely significant position music has in their lives.
Music is the soundtrack to everything Gen Z does, accompanying them everywhere, it’s now more readily available than at any other time in history. Research shows that, for Gen Z, music functions as an ‘emotional support and mood enhancer’ and that particular music or artists can create community. Music has also been found to be tied to identity. What’s more, clearly, there is a robust connection between one’s heritage or culture and the corresponding musical choices. Taken all together, today music is strongly linked to young people’s identity, their cultural expression – whilst also acting as a source of emotional support and community.
music is strongly linked to young people’s identity, their cultural expression – whilst also acting as a source of emotional support and community
Small wonder, then, that young people can plan months in advance to attend concerts, parting with sizeable amounts of money for these experiences. In fact, research has revealed that live concerts and shows have pride of place in the hearts of some young people in so far as they provide a deeper connection with an artist and/or their music – a prospect that may be even more enticing given the advent of AI generated music, and the overall digital fatigue of Gen Z.
The connection between artist, or the artists’ music, however, often goes beyond a single event to produce an entire contingent of fans and superfans - like Beyonce’s famous ‘BeyHive’, or Taylor’s ’Swifties’ – who appear to derive both a sense of community and identity from association with an artist or their music. To be sure, for many young people today, music is mandatory! Well… I don’t think God is surprised. I would argue that God always intended music to be a powerful influence in our lives – as even us adults can appreciate.
The Word on music
The Bible, from the Old Testament to the New, is full of examples of God’s encouragement and assent to use music to celebrate, draw strength and even fight. Moses, Miriam and the Israelites – as well as Deborah and Barak – sung God-inspired songs of deliverance (Exodus 15:1-21; Judges 5). God used the musical sound of David’s Harp to deliver Saul from spiritual torment (1 Samuel 16:23), as well as to bring victory during war (2 Chronicles 20:22). It always amazes me how the prophet Ezekiel was specifically instructed to deliver certain prophecies by way of song (Ezekiel 27:1, 28:12). In the New Testament, we are told to avoid intoxication occasioned by excessive alcohol consumption and instead be ‘filled with the Holy Spirit, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs’ amongst ourselves, ‘making music’ in our hearts to the Lord (Ephesians 5:19).
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God has emphasised, time and again, the power of music throughout His Word. I also believe music can communicate and minister to our hearts and minds in ways that mere words sometimes can’t – whilst also being an amazing way to keep our minds fixed on those thoughts that bring peace in our lives (Philippians 4:8) The corollary is that there are thoughts that bring destruction into our lives (Romans 8:6). Dare I say our spiritual well-being is inextricably linked to the sounds we entertain.
I was out for dinner last week and the question was posed: what one thing, apart from your relationship with God, could you not live without? Three of the six people (myself included) said music. Yet, what we have on repeat, can really ruin. So, for those of us who are walking with young people on the journey of life and faith, perhaps it’s worth:
1. Discussing the profound power of music with young people;
2. Finding out from young people why certain music resonates with them;
3. Asking young people to consider what kind of fruit their music has produced, is producing, and will produce, in their lives; and
4. Recommending some great Christian artists that produce their kind of music, for example: Lauren Daigle for pop; Limoblaze for afrobeats; CAIN for country; Jess Ray for folk; Lecrae for hip hop; Terrian for R&B; or the inimitable Forrest Frank – to name but a few!
