NASHVILLE, Tenn. (JANUARY 30, 2026) Worship leader and songwriter Alexander Pappas releases his first new single of 2026 today with “Hands Up.” The track arrives ahead of his forthcoming EP, SUNDAY, due this spring with Integrity Music. “Hands Up” follows Pappas’ 2025 release “Everything With Breath,” which will also appear on the upcoming EP. Listen to “Hands Up” now.

 

Born out of a Hillsong Young & Free writing camp, the high-energy, joy-filled worship song was written during a season when truth felt increasingly subjective. Anchored in John 14:6, “Hands Up” points to the unchanging reality of Jesus as the way, the truth, and the life. The song reflects the everyday walk with God, reminding listeners that they need Him from their first breath in the morning to the end of the day, and it celebrates the freedom found through praise, surrender, and fixing our attention on His name. As faith matures, the need for Jesus only grows, capturing the joy and power of lifting our hands and trusting Him again and again.

 

“I hope that through simplicity, people recognize the authority and freedom that come from a life of surrender,” shares Alexander Pappas. “That despite our mistakes, and even on our worst days, His mercies are new every morning. Praising the name of Jesus with your days and your decisions is the way to walk in the freedom that Jesus has designed for us.”

 

With a proven history of writing influential worship music alongside Hillsong Young & Free, Pappas brings the same heart, depth, and credibility to his solo artistry—music that will continue to impact believers around the world for years to come. He is a writer on numerous CCLI-charting songs, including “Alive,” “Wake,” “Real Love,” and “Echo” (Elevation Worship).

 

ABOUT ALEXANDER PAPPAS: Alexander Pappas is a world-renowned worship leader, songwriter, and a founding member of the twice GRAMMY-nominated band Hillsong Young & Free. He is best known for penning songs like "Alive," "Wake," “Real Love," “Echo”(Elevation Worship), and “A Great Awakening,” which have served the global church. Alexander lives in Los Angeles and is also an active contributor to Lakewood Music. He is managed by 1606 Management.

 

ABOUT INTEGRITY MUSIC: Integrity Music is part of the Cook Media Global family, a nonprofit global resource provider serving the Church with life-transforming materials. With offices in both the US and the UK, Integrity Music, based in Franklin, Tenn., and Brighton, East Sussex, is committed to bringing songs that magnify the name of Jesus to the Church and its leaders worldwide.

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