| Tauren Wells | |
| Background: | solo_singer |
| Birth Name: | Tauren Gabriel Wells |
| Birth Date: | 7 April 1986 |
| Birth Place: | Battle Creek, Michigan, U.S. |
| Genre: | CCM, Christian Pop, Pop Rock |
| Years Active: | –present |
| Label: | Capitol · Reunion |
| Associated Acts: | Lakewood Music, Royal Tailor |
Tauren Gabriel Wells is an American contemporary Christian singer, songwriter and pastor from Houston, Texas.[1] Wells was the frontman of former Christian band Royal Tailor.
After the group's disbandment in 2015, he released Undefeated EP in 2016, followed by his first studio album Hills and Valleys, released in June 2017. The album and its lead single "Hills and Valleys" received nominations at the 60th Grammy Awards in 2018. Its fifth single "Known" topped the Billboard Christian Airplay chart and was nominated for Top Christian Song at the 2019 Billboard Music Awards.
Wells' second studio album Citizen of Heaven was released in January 2020. The album and one of its singles, "Famous For (I Believe)" – his third Christian Airplay No. 1 – were nominated at the 63rd Grammy Awards in 2021. His third album Joy in the Morning was released in June 2022, followed by his second EP Take It All Back in 2023. In 2024, Wells became a lead pastor at a church in Austin, Texas, which was planted by him and his wife Lorna.
At the age of sixteen, Wells felt called to serve God.[2] He was a founding member of Royal Tailor along with DJ Cox and Blake Hubbard while they were attending Indiana Bible College A Oneness Apostolic Collegehttps://indianabible.college/ in 2004.[3] Jarred Ingram later joined. Wells toured with Christian band Casting Crowns in 2012.[4]
In 2016, Wells signed with Reunion Records as a solo artist[5] and released his first single "Undefeated" in May, featuring rapper KB.[6] It served as the soundtrack for Dude Perfect's "World Records Edition" video on YouTube.[7] Wells released his second single "Love Is Action" in August[8] and his first EP, titled Undefeated EP, on September 12.[9] "Love Is Action" was No. 1 on Christian Hot AC/CHR Radio for nine weeks.
In January 2017, Wells released "Hills and Valleys", which reached No. 8 on the Christian Airplay Chart and No. 3 on the Hot Christian Songs chart.[10] His first studio album Hills and Valleys was released digitally on June 23, and physically on July 21.[11] The fourth single, "When We Pray", was released on October 20[12] and peaked at No. 7.[13] He was featured on Crowder's "All My Hope".[14] The single peaked at No. 3 on the Christian Songs chart and No. 1 on the Christian Airplay chart, becoming his first number one.[15] In the summer of 2017, he accompanied American singers Lionel Richie and Mariah Carey on their All the Hits Tour as the opening act.[16] [17]
In 2018, Wells received Grammy nominations for Best Contemporary Christian Performance/Song and Contemporary Christian Album of the Year, but did not win either. In the same year, he also became a worship leader at Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas.[18]
The fifth single, "Known", was released on June 23, 2018.[19] The song peaked at No. 3 on the US Hot Christian Songs chart, becoming his fourth Top 10 single from that chart.[20] It topped multiple Christian radio charts including Christian Airplay and Christian AC Songs, and it was nominated for the 2019 Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song.[21] It was also nominated for Top Christian Song at the 2019 Billboard Music Awards.
In January 2020, Wells released his second studio album Citizen of Heaven. The album was supported by lead single "Like You Love Me",[22] accompanied by "Famous For (I Believe)", featuring Bethel Music singer Jenn Johnson.[23] A music video for "Millionaire (Good Like That)", featuring Kirk Franklin, released on August 24.[24] "Famous For (I Believe)", which had its own EP released in December 2020,[25] topped the Billboard Christian Airplay chart in January 2021,[26] and received a nomination along with Citizen of Heaven at the 63rd Grammy Awards that same year.
In March 2021, Wells collaborated with American R&B singer H.E.R. to release "Hold Us Together (Hope Mix)".[27] He released Citizen of Heaven LIVE on April 16, 2021, through Essential Records.[28] To accompany the album, he released four music videos which were recorded during Citizen of Heaven
On February 25, 2022, Wells released "Fake It", featuring Christian rapper Aaron Cole,[30] as the lead single to his third studio album Joy in the Morning, which was released on June 10, 2022.[31] "Empty" and "Come Home" was released as singles.[32] He released his third EP Take It All Back on August 18, 2023.[33]
In April 2023, Wells revealed plans to launch a church in 2024 with his wife Lorna.[34] [35] In 2024, the Church of Whitestone was launched in Austin, Texas, where they both serve as lead pastors.[36]
Wells married his wife Lorna Brittany (née Macey) Wells in 2011.[37] [38] Wells served on the staff of his father-in-law's church in Houston known as Royalwood Church until 2018. Wells and his wife Lorna started the Prisma Worship Arts School, to train musicians.[39] Together, they have four sons.[40] [41] The oldest, Kanaan, was born in 2013. Their second son, Lawson Mayer, was born in 2016.[42] Their third son, Navy Elliot, was born in 2018.[43] Their fourth son, Banner Paul, was born in 2021.[44] The family lives in Austin, Texas.
| Album details | Peak chart positions | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US [45] | US Christ [46] | ||||
| Hills and Valleys |
| — | 5 | ||
| Citizen of Heaven[47] |
| 169 | 3 | ||
| Joy in the Morning |
| — | 3 | ||
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart | |||||
| Album details | ||
| Citizen of Heaven (Live) |
|
|---|
| EP details | Peak chart positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| US Christ | |||
| Undefeated EP |
| 33 | |
| Conocido EP |
| — | |
| Take It All Back EP |
| — | |
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart | |||
| Year | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Album | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Bubb. [49] | US Christ. | US Christ. Airplay [50] | US Christ. AC [51] | US Christ. Digital [52] | |||||
| "Undefeated" | 2016 | — | — | — | — | — | Hills and Valleys | ||
| "Love Is Action" | — | 49 | 30 | — | — | ||||
| "Hills and Valleys" | 2017 | — | 3 | 8 | 12 | 3 | |||
| "When We Pray" | — | 7 | 2 | 2 | 19 | ||||
| "Known" | 2018 | — | 3 | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| ||
| "God's Not Done with You" | 2019 | — | 6 | 2 | 2 | 10 |
| ||
| "Like You Love Me" | — | 17 | 14 | 11 | — | Citizen of Heaven | |||
| "Famous For (I Believe)" | 2020 | 15 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 5 |
| ||
| "Until Grace" | — | 11 | 7 | 8 | 18 | ||||
| "Millionaire (Good Like That)" | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| "All God's Children" | — | 29 | — | — | 11 | non-album single | |||
| "Hold Us Together (Hope Mix)" | 2021 | — | 20 | 50 | — | 18 | |||
| "Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays" | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| "Fake It" | 2022 | — | 16 | 17 | 17 | 15 | Joy in the Morning | ||
| "Joy in the Morning" | — | 27 | 27 | — | 6 | ||||
| "Something Better" | 2023 | — | — | — | — | — | non-album single | ||
| "Take It All Back" | — | 8 | 1 | 14 | 1 | Take It All Back | |||
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart | |||||||||
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Christ | Christ Airplay | US Christ. AC | US Christ. Digital | ||||
| "All My Hope" | 2017 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | non-album single | |
| "War Cry" | 2018 | 32 | 27 | — | — | Into the Night | |
| "Echo" | 18 | 11 | 9 | 17 | Hallelujah Here Below | ||
| "O Holy Night" | 2020 | 34 | 27 | 11 | — | The Birth of a King | |
| "Like You" | 2021 | — | — | — | — | Two Up Two Down | |
| "Deeper" | 2022 | — | — | — | — | Life After Death | |
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart | |||||||
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Christ | Christ Airplay | ||||
| "Miracle" | 2019 | 38 | — | Citizen of Heaven[56] | |
| "Close" | 43 | 28 | |||
| "Perfect Peace" | — | — | |||
| "Trenches" | 2020 | 41 | — | non-album single | |
| "Empty" | 2022 | 48 | — | Joy in the Morning | |
| "Come Home" | — | — | |||
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart | |||||
| Single | Year | Chart positions | Album | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Christ | NZ Hot [57] | ||||
| "Citizen of Heaven" | 2020 | 48 | — | Citizen of Heaven | |
| "Joy in the Morning" | 2022 | 33 | 31 | Joy in the Morning | |
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart | |||||
|-! scope="row" | 2012| Black & White (with Royal Tailor)| rowspan=2|Best Contemporary Christian Music Album| |-! scope="row" | 2015| Royal Tailor (with Royal Tailor)| |-! scope="row" rowspan="2" | 2018| "Hills and Valleys"| Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song| |-| Hills and Valleys| Best Contemporary Christian Music Album| |-! scope="row" | 2019| "Known"| Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song| |-! scope="row" | 2020| "God's Not Done With You (Single Version)"| Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song| |-! scope="row" rowspan="2" | 2021[58] | "Famous For (I Believe)" (featuring Jenn Johnson) | Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song| |-| Citizen of Heaven| Best Contemporary Christian Music Album| |-! scope="row" | 2022| Citizen of Heaven (Live)| Best Contemporary Christian Music Album| |}
|-! scope="row" | 2019[59] | "Known"| Top Christian Song | |-! scope="row" | 2021 | "Famous For (I Believe)"
| Top Christian Song | |}
|-! scope="row" | 2012| Royal Tailor (as former frontman)| rowspan="2"|New Artist of the Year| |-! scope="row" | 2017| Tauren Wells| |-! scope="row" rowspan="3" | 2019| "Known"| Song of the Year| |-| Tauren Wells| Contemporary Christian Artist of the Year| |-| "Known"| Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year| |-! scope="row" rowspan="3"| 2020| Tauren Wells| Contemporary Christian Artist of the Year| |-| Citizen of Heaven| Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year| |-| Citizen of Heaven| Short Form Video of the Year| |-! scope="row" rowspan="3"| 2021| "Famous For (I Believe)"| Song of the Year| |-| Tauren Wells| Contemporary Christian Artist of the Year| |-| "Famous For (I Believe)"| Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year| |-! scope="row" | 2022| "Fake It"
| Short Form Video of the Year (Performance)| |-|}