JFH News: Tree63 Releases First Album in Nearly 11 Years, VOYAGE

TREE63 RELEASES FIRST ALBUM IN NEARLY 11 YEARS, VOYAGE

NEWS SOURCE: Hoganson Media
June 26, 2026

Internationally renowned, Dove Award — winning South African rock band Tree63 releases its eighth full-length album, VOYAGE, today (June 26) through Just Music, a label of Next Music Group. The album is available now at streaming and digital outlets everywhere from https://orcd.co/t63_voyage.

After more than a decade-long hiatus, Tree63 brings back its signature, faith-informed rock & roll with founding vocalist, songwriter and guitarist John Ellis at the helm joined by fellow voyagers Angus Warden (drummer) and Deon Knipe (bassist). The trio formed in 2024 following Ellis's relocating to Cape Town from Durban and a season of teaching English, earning a Master of Arts degree and releasing a solo album.

"These 10 new songs on VOYAGE are notes on the journey, responses to conversations along the road, testaments of someone who survived the hazards of the journey and who is still walking," reveals Ellis. "I never imagined I would write more Tree63 music after Land (2015), but I secretly hoped I would, because the voyage is never over and there are a lot of stories to tell."

The newly formed trio began touring throughout South Africa and beyond with new songs organically beginning to develop. Eventually, Ellis had 30 songs to choose from when the opportunity to make a new record arrived. The final 10 tracks on VOYAGE reflect the perspective of an artist who has travelled through victories, disappointments, uncertainty and renewal.

"I am no longer a young believer, singing about the excitement of a life-changing spiritual discovery," shares Ellis. "I am many miles and victories and defeats down the road. The young man who wrote 'Look What You've Done' in 1997 is now an adult with an adult's set of experiences of what it means to walk in The Way."

Produced by Ellis and renowned South African producer-engineer Dave Langemann at Creative Native Studios in Cape Town, VOYAGE was mastered by Tim Lengfeld at TL Mastering. The resulting album features the title track playing homage to a life built on faith while "Turn for Home" invites back the prodigal. "Ambush" is a song of how God can unexpectedly break into your life as "Fire Goes On" finds a flame of conviction still burning. The album concludes with "Beatitude," a benediction that sums up the album and Tree63 in 2026.

With all songs written by Ellis, the full VOYAGE tracklisting follows:

01) Turn For Home

02) Ambush

03) Voyage

04) Fire Goes On

05) Believe Anyway

06) How Much Longer?

07) New Jerusalem

08) Seeker

09) Still There

10) Beatitude

All the latest music news and information on Tree63 can be found at Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter.

About Tree63:

First formed in Durban in 1996, Tree63 is one of the most successful and beloved musical exports in South African music history. Led by singer, songwriter and guitarist John Ellis, the band came to international attention with the release of their second album 63 (Survivor Records) in 1999. The three-piece band followed 63 in 2000 with its self-titled release on US-based InPop Records, which sparked the radio hits "Treasure" and "Look What You've Done." Picking up a Dove Award that year for Rock Album of the Year, the band went on to record five more critically acclaimed albums and release numerous radio singles, including the No. 1 hit and Billboard's most played Christian Song Of The Year in 2004, "Blessed Be Your Name," and the ASCAP Song of the Year, "King," both from 2004's The Answer To The Question.

Disbanded when John moved back to South Africa from Nashville in 2009, the band reconvened briefly for 2015's Land, which was CCM Magazine's Album of the Year while NewReleaseToday said the album is "a voyage well worth taking." A hiatus followed during which John released three more solo albums.

Touring extensively over the years, Tree63 made numerous appearances with the Billy Graham Evangelical Association, headlined Canada's multi-denominational Christian youth conference events and more. Performing throughout the US, UK, Canada, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, Holland, Zimbabwe, Australia and New Zealand, Ellis brought Tree63 back to the live arena with a stellar new lineup in 2025 featuring Deon Knipe (bass guitar and backing vocals) and Angus Warden (drums and backing vocals). The reformed trio, complete with Ellis on lead vocals and guitars, organically began to write and record new music late last year for the long-awaited album, VOYAGE.

About Just Music and Next Music Group:

Just Music is a Next Music Group label recognized as one of South Africa's premier independent record labels, since 2003. The label has kickstarted the successful recording careers of many great South African artists, including Matthew Mole, Nakhane, Desmond and The Tutus, Locnville, Moonchild Sannelly, Goodluck and Black Cat Bones. The label has a long-standing affiliation with several international independent labels as their exclusive licensee for Africa. This includes Beggars Group (XL, Matador, Rough Trade Young and 4AD), PIAS and Ninja Tune.

https://www.youtube.com/@justmusicsa

Next Music Group provides distribution and integrated artist and label services to an extensive roster of South African artists and labels. The company also incorporates Atomic Studios, Next Music Publishing, M-Pire Music and owned labels Just Music and Mongrel Records.

https://www.youtube.com/@next_music

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For more info on Tree63, visit the JFH Artists Database.