Tasha Cobbs Leonard Says ‘Break Every Chain’ Was Born From Her Battle With Depression
Tasha Cobbs Leonard Says ‘Break Every Chain’ Was Born From Her Battle With Depression. Award-winning gospel artist Tasha Cobbs Leonard has revealed that her breakthrough anthem, Break Every Chain, was born out of one of the darkest seasons of her life, sharing how the song first ministered to her before it became a global worship movement.
Speaking about the song’s origins, Cobbs Leonard recalled driving home alone after ministering at a church in Warner Robins, Georgia, while the rest of her team slept in the vehicle. At the time, she was serving as a worship pastor and routinely listened to worship playlists during long drives to discover songs she could introduce to her congregation.
It was during one of those drives that Break Every Chain unexpectedly came on.
“I was battling with depression. I had anxiety, all these fears, and I was really, really struggling,” she said, explaining that the song immediately overwhelmed her with emotion.
She described struggling to compose herself behind the wheel as tears streamed down her face, prompting her to ask, “What is this song?”
After arriving home, Tasha Cobbs Leonard said she played the song continuously for two weeks. She believes it became the first spiritual tool that helped break years of emotional darkness and depression.
“For years, I had been going back and forth with this darkness,” she recalled. “It was the first tool that was used to cause a breaking for me.”
Convinced that others needed the same message of hope, Cobbs Leonard insisted that Break Every Chain be included on her next live recording. At the time, she said she was not thinking about commercial success or reaching a global audience—only about sharing a song that had profoundly impacted her own life.
Shortly after recording the song, an unexpected opportunity changed the trajectory of her ministry.
Cobbs Leonard said she woke up one morning to find her Twitter notifications flooded after T. D. Jakes posted a message asking followers who should minister at the upcoming Woman, Thou Art Loosed! conference.
According to Cobbs Leonard, social media users overwhelmingly recommended her.
She said Bishop Jakes’ team later informed her that approximately 98% of the responses had mentioned her name, leading to an invitation to minister at the internationally recognised conference.
Despite the opportunity, Cobbs Leonard faced an immediate challenge.
Having only recently recorded Break Every Chain, she said her team had not yet prepared the production materials typically required for a major live performance, including tracks and stems.
Nevertheless, she remained determined.
“I’ve got to do Break Every Chain,” she recalled telling her team.
The performance became a defining moment.
Cobbs Leonard said the song was sung during every service throughout the conference, quickly spreading beyond the venue. She remembered seeing videos of women singing the anthem in train stations and other public places, declaring its now-famous refrain, “There’s power in the name of Jesus.”
What began as a deeply personal source of healing soon evolved into one of contemporary gospel music’s most recognisable worship songs, resonating with audiences around the world and cementing Cobbs Leonard’s place as one of gospel music’s leading voices.
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