Cory Asbury Explains Why He Put His Country Album On Hold for Worship
Cory Asbury Explains Why He Put His Country Album On Hold for Worship. Cory Asbury has opened up about the decision to put his country music ambitions on hold and return to worship, explaining that the two musical directions could have existed side by side, but obedience required him to choose what he believed God was asking of him in this season.
The singer, best known for the global worship hit “Reckless Love,” had spent years developing a country record, writing dozens of songs and working toward what could have marked a significant new chapter in his career. However, as his worship music began taking shape again, Asbury felt compelled to step away from the country project.
“It’s not that they couldn’t. They absolutely could,” he said. “But I think obedience for me in this season looked like giving the country thing up to come over here and do this worship thing because that’s what God was asking me to do, and I felt that clearly. So to ignore that would have been wrong.”
For Asbury, the decision was not about declaring country music wrong or abandoning the songs he had written. Instead, he described it as a matter of timing and responding to what he believes God is saying to him now.
“It’s not that they both can’t exist, and maybe one day those country songs, we just drop the whole record out of nowhere,” he explained. “I don’t think it’s sinful by any means. It’s not. It’s not wrong. It’s just wrong timing for me right now.”
The choice comes after a significant period of transition in Asbury’s career. Following the success of Reckless Love and his subsequent album To Love a Fool, the singer stepped back from the worship space and explored a different creative direction through Nashville’s country music scene.
During that period, Cory Asbury immersed himself in country songwriting and built an extensive collection of material, bringing him close to releasing a full country album. His growing connection to the genre even led to the emergence of the “Country Cory” identity among fans.
His return to worship eventually became the focus, culminating in Outsing the Angels, released in September 2026. The project represents a new chapter for Asbury after years of wrestling publicly with his relationship with worship music, the industry and his own sense of calling.
What stands out in Asbury’s explanation is that he does not view the country material as a mistake. He also does not suggest that pursuing worship makes the country songs less valuable. Instead, he sees the decision through the lens of obedience.
For now, that means allowing the country record to remain on the shelf while he gives his attention to the worship assignment he believes God has placed before him. Whether those songs eventually emerge remains uncertain, but Asbury has left the door open to the possibility that fans could one day hear the music he spent years creating.
For this season, however, his choice is clear. Worship comes first, while the country chapter can wait.
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