DARLENE ZSCHECH

Darlene Zschech (born September 8, 1965 in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia) is an Australian Charismatic/Pentecostal worship leader and singer-songwriter who primarily writes praise and worship songs.

Zschech is a Worship Leader at Hillsong Church (an Assemblies of God church) in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, formerly Worship Pastor until 2007. Hillsong made global headlines when their 2004 live CD release, For All You've Done, reached number one in the Australian national music charts.

As a young adult, she sang jingles for a number of international companies including McDonald's, KFC and Diet Coke.

Currently, she and husband Mark Zschech have three daughters, Amy Jaye, Chloe Jaz, and Zoe Jewel.

Zschech's best known song is Shout to the Lord, sung by an estimated 25–30 million churchgoers every week. Darlene composed the praise anthem inspired by Psalms 92–96 at the time that she was feeling discouraged. "I felt I could either scream and pull my hair out — or praise God" she said. This song is the title track for the first live album co-produced with Integrity Music featuring Darlene as a prominent female worship leader. Shout to the Lord was nominated as "Album of the Year" for the 1997 Dove Awards and "Song of the Year" for the 1998 Dove Awards. It has been recorded on over 20 different albums. In 2000, Darlene received a Dove Award nomination for "Songwriter of the Year" and has received the "International Award" from GMA (Gospel Music Assoc., USA).

The top 8 American Idol Season 7 contestants closed the Idol Gives Back show performing Shout to the Lord. They changed the name "Jesus" to "Shepherd". The following evening, on April 10, 2008, the American Idol Top 8 again performed Shout to the Lord. This time, the name "Jesus" was placed back into the song. A recorded version of Shout to the Lord, sang by the Top 8, was also posted for sale on iTunes. It, too, had the name "Jesus" in it.

Proceeds from iTunes sales went to the Idol Gives Back charity. The song, sang by the top 8 debuted in the Top 50 of the US Billboard Charts, a feat for a Christian song

In the early 1990s, Darlene Zschech released her debut solo album entitled Pearls and Gold. The album had some success, but was not widely sold as Zschech and Hillsong Music was still new in Christian circles.

In 2003, Zschech released a solo album entitled Kiss of Heaven. This album saw Darlene Zschech recognised as a solo artist. This was followed by her 2005 album, Change Your World.

In addition to writing songs, Zschech has written three books: Worship (1996), Extravagant Worship (2001) and The Kiss of Heaven (2003).

Zschech has been involved in Hope Rwanda and is an advocate for Compassion Australia.

Her husband Mark is CEO of The Grove Studios, a Sydney recording studio.

Don’t miss their collection of WOW CDs, Accompaniment Tracks, and music DVDs.

BiographyMinistries has partnered with ChristianBook.com (the world's largest Christian products distributor) for your convenience if searching for any of this band/artists’ products.

(1) Christianbook.com has an impressive proven track record of over twenty-five years experience providing the best in Christian products at the lowest discount prices along with outstanding customer service.

(2) They are Customer Certified, meaning (over 1,000,000 customers have rated this store since 1999), with an overwhelming, overall Rating of: 'Outstanding' (in every category) according to Bizrate.com

(3) Christianbook.com is also a Circle of Excellence Sixth-Time Award Winner! (Bizrate)

return from Darlene Zschech to Christian Music Artists