Matt Maher is a Canadian singer-songwriter of contemporary Christian worship music, rooted in the Catholic tradition. Born in Newfoundland in 1974 and now based in the United States, he has written songs sung in countless churches, including Lord I Need You and Your Grace Is Enough. Nominated nine times for a Grammy Award, he has also received several Dove Awards.
Matthew Guion Maher was born on November 10, 1974, in Newfoundland, Canada. His family later moved to Arizona, where he studied jazz at Arizona State University while becoming a musician at St Timothy Catholic Church in Mesa. It was there that he began writing songs for the congregation, before releasing several albums through the Catholic label Spirit and Song.
In 2005, a publishing deal with EMI opened the door for many artists to record his compositions. Signed to Essential Records, he released his album Empty and Beautiful in 2008, which brought him recognition beyond the Catholic world. Since then, his songs Lord I Need You, Your Grace Is Enough, and Because He Lives (Amen) have become standards sung in churches of every tradition, Catholic and evangelical alike.
- Origin
- Newfoundland, Canada (based in Nashville, Tennessee, USA)
- Style
- Contemporary Catholic worship
- Active since
- Early 2000s
- Good to know
- Lord I Need You, one of the most sung worship songs across Christian traditions
How did Matt Maher get started?
Trained in piano and then jazz at Arizona State University, Matt Maher grew up musically within St Timothy Catholic Church in Mesa, Arizona, where he served as a liturgical musician. He released his first albums through Spirit and Song, a label devoted to Catholic music, before a 2005 publishing deal with EMI began circulating his songs among other artists.
The real turning point came in 2007, when Essential Records signed him for an album aimed at the wider Christian market. Empty and Beautiful came out in 2008 and launched a career that now spans eight studio albums.
What makes Matt Maher stand out?
Matt Maher is one of the few songwriters who bridges Catholic and evangelical worship. His songs were born in the Catholic liturgy but are sung both at World Youth Day gatherings and in North American evangelical churches. He has co-written or performed with artists as varied as Chris Tomlin, Needtobreathe, and Switchfoot, proof of music that crosses denominational lines.
Where should you start with Matt Maher?
Start with the three songs below, drawn from his most recent work, then explore Empty and Beautiful (2008) and All the People Said Amen (2013), two albums that contain several of his most widely sung congregational songs.
songs
Finished Work
A song built on a central idea of the Christian faith: the work of Jesus on the cross is finished, and all that remains is to receive it.
Gonna Be Alright (Todo Estará Bien)
A song of hope that Matt Maher also recorded as a duet with artist Simon Dumas, in English and Spanish versions.
Wait
An invitation to wait on the Lord to renew your strength, drawing on the words of the prophet Isaiah.
Discography
- 2022The Stories I Tell Myself
- 2020Alive & Breathing
- 2017Echoes
- 2015Saints and Sinners
- 2013All the People Said Amen
- 2011The Love in Between
- 2009Alive Again
- 2008Empty and Beautiful
Read also
Frequently asked questions
Who is Matt Maher?
Matt Maher is a Canadian singer-songwriter of contemporary Christian worship music, rooted in the Catholic tradition. Active since the early 2000s, he has written several songs that have become standards in churches around the world, Catholic and evangelical alike.
What is Matt Maher's most famous song?
Lord I Need You is considered his most widely sung song. Co-written with members of the Passion worship team, it has become a standard sung in Catholic and evangelical churches around the world.
Is Matt Maher Catholic or evangelical?
Matt Maher is a practicing Catholic: he grew up in and serves within Catholic parishes, and for many years led the music at World Youth Day gatherings. Yet his songs are just as widely sung in evangelical churches, making him a rare figure who bridges the two traditions.
Where can you listen to Matt Maher?
His albums are available on Spotify, Apple Music, and Deezer, and his official YouTube channel, mattmahermusic, features lyric videos and acoustic clips. He also continues to tour across the United States and appear at major Christian gatherings.
Has Matt Maher won a Grammy Award?
No, Matt Maher has been nominated nine times for a Grammy Award without winning, but he has received several Dove Awards from the Gospel Music Association, including Songwriter of the Year in 2015.
Which artists have collaborated with Matt Maher?
He has co-written or performed songs with Chris Tomlin, Needtobreathe, Switchfoot, and artist Simon Dumas, with whom he recorded a bilingual English-Spanish version of Gonna Be Alright / Todo Estará Bien.