Tasha Cobbs Leonard

Tasha Cobbs Leonard is an American gospel singer, songwriter, worship leader, pastor, and recording artist whose powerful voice and deeply expressive approach to worship have made her one of the most influential figures in contemporary gospel music. Born on July 7, 1981, in Jesup, Georgia, she grew up in a Christian home as the daughter of pastors and developed a strong connection to music and ministry from an early age.

Cobbs Leonard first gained widespread recognition through her 2013 project Grace, particularly its live rendition of “Break Every Chain.” The song became a defining recording in modern gospel music, introducing her powerful worship style to a much wider audience and earning her a Grammy Award. Over the years, she has built a career that combines music with ministry, producing live worship projects, collaborating with artists across gospel and contemporary Christian music, and continuing to serve as a pastor.

Quick Facts

Early Life and Christian Background

Tasha Cobbs Leonard was raised in Jesup, Georgia, in a family deeply involved in Christian ministry. Growing up as a pastor’s daughter gave her an environment where church, worship, prayer, and music were part of everyday life. Her early exposure to church music played an important role in shaping the singer and worship leader she would eventually become.

Rather than approaching music simply as a performance career, Cobbs Leonard developed an understanding of worship as an expression of faith and ministry. That perspective became one of the defining characteristics of her later work. Her performances often move between structured songs and extended moments of worship, allowing her to connect with audiences in a way that feels closer to a church worship service than a conventional concert.

Her early musical development eventually led her into leadership roles within church worship settings. Before becoming internationally known as a recording artist, she spent years serving in ministry and developing her skills as a worship leader.

Beginning of Her Music Career

Cobbs Leonard began releasing music before her major breakthrough, including the 2010 project Smile. However, her career changed significantly when she signed with EMI Gospel and released Grace in 2013.

The project introduced her to a much larger audience and established many of the qualities that would become associated with her music: commanding vocals, extended worship arrangements, emotionally direct songwriting, and a strong emphasis on themes of faith, surrender, freedom, and the presence of God.

The centerpiece of Grace was “Break Every Chain.” Originally associated with the worship repertoire of Jesus Culture, Cobbs Leonard’s version gave the song a distinctive gospel interpretation. Her live recording became a major success and earned her the Grammy Award for Best Gospel/Contemporary Christian Music Performance at the 56th Grammy Awards.

The success of “Break Every Chain” transformed Cobbs Leonard from a respected worship leader into a major name in contemporary gospel music.

Career Breakthrough and One Place Live

Following the success of Grace, Cobbs Leonard continued expanding her musical reach with One Place Live, released in 2015. Recorded live at Redemption Church in Greenville, South Carolina, the album captured the atmosphere and spontaneity that had become central to her ministry.

One Place Live reached number one on Billboard’s Gospel Albums chart and also performed strongly on the Billboard 200. The project included songs such as “Fill Me Up,” “Put a Praise on It,” and “Jesus Saves,” further establishing Cobbs Leonard as an artist capable of combining traditional gospel intensity with contemporary worship.

Her growing profile also brought collaborations with other major Christian and gospel artists. Her music began reaching audiences beyond the traditional gospel market, particularly as her worship songs were embraced by churches and worship communities internationally.

Heart. Passion. Pursuit. and Expanding Her Sound

In 2017, Cobbs Leonard released Heart. Passion. Pursuit., an ambitious project that demonstrated a broader musical and creative direction. The album featured collaborations with artists including Kierra Sheard, Nicki Minaj, and Anna Golden and continued her tradition of blending congregational worship with contemporary gospel.

Songs such as “Your Spirit,” featuring Kierra Sheard, became particularly prominent. The project reached number one on the Billboard Gospel Albums chart and reinforced Cobbs Leonard’s ability to operate comfortably between gospel, contemporary Christian music, and modern worship.

A live version, Heart. Passion. Pursuit.: Live at Passion City Church, followed in 2018. Recorded at Passion City Church in Atlanta, the project emphasized the communal and worship-centered character of her music.

Throughout this period, Cobbs Leonard also became increasingly recognized as a songwriter and worship leader whose influence extended beyond her own recordings. Her songs were performed by churches and worship teams around the world, helping establish her as an important voice in contemporary worship.

Royalty, Hymns and Major Collaborations

Cobbs Leonard continued her live-recording tradition with Royalty: Live at the Ryman, released in 2020. Recorded at the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, the album included songs such as “You’re Gonna Get the Glory,” “God’s Been Good,” and “In Spite of Me.”

The project received a Grammy nomination and demonstrated how Cobbs Leonard’s music continued to evolve while retaining the live worship atmosphere that had become central to her identity.

In 2022, she released Hymns, a project built around traditional Christian hymns interpreted through her contemporary gospel and worship style. Rather than simply reproducing the original arrangements, Cobbs Leonard brought modern production and powerful vocal performances to familiar songs. The album reached number three on Billboard’s Gospel Albums chart and included appearances from artists such as Jennifer Hudson and Mary Mary.

Her collaborations during this period also expanded into different areas of Christian music. She worked with artists including Lecrae, Maverick City Music, Natalie Grant, Jekalyn Carr, Jonathan McReynolds, Erica Campbell, and Israel Houghton. Her performance on Lecrae’s “Your Power” earned her another Grammy win in the category for Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song.

TASHA and a New Creative Direction

After more than a decade of predominantly live recordings, Cobbs Leonard entered a new phase of her career with TASHA, released in 2025. The album represented an important creative departure because it was her first full studio album.

The project allowed her to explore a wider range of sounds than the live worship recordings for which she had become known. Gospel remained at its core, but TASHA incorporated elements of R&B, hip-hop, pop, bluegrass, and contemporary worship.

One of the project’s most significant songs was “Church,” featuring John Legend. The collaboration brought Cobbs Leonard’s music to a broader mainstream audience while retaining the spiritual focus that has characterized her career.

TASHA debuted at number one on Billboard’s Top Gospel Albums chart and also topped the Current Gospel Album and Top Christian/Gospel Album charts. The album earned two Grammy nominations in 2026, including Best Gospel Album and Best Gospel Performance/Song for “Church.”

The success of the album also brought Cobbs Leonard new recognition outside the traditional gospel industry. She received her first NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Gospel/Christian Album and continued to receive major award nominations for her work.

Musical Style, Ministry and Influence

Tasha Cobbs Leonard’s musical identity is rooted in gospel and worship, but her approach has never been limited to one sound. Her music combines the vocal power of traditional Black gospel with contemporary Christian production, R&B influences, modern worship arrangements, and elements of other popular genres.

Her voice is particularly recognizable for its emotional intensity. She can move from quiet, intimate passages into powerful vocal climaxes, often creating arrangements that allow a song to develop gradually rather than following a conventional pop structure.

Songs such as “Break Every Chain,” “For Your Glory,” “Fill Me Up,” “Gracefully Broken,” “You Know My Name,” “This Is a Move,” and “You’re Gonna Get the Glory” have become closely associated with her ministry and have been embraced by churches and worship communities.

Beyond recording, Cobbs Leonard has maintained a strong connection to pastoral ministry. Her work as a pastor informs the themes of her music, particularly her emphasis on worship, faith, perseverance, surrender, and hope.

Awards, Recognition and Legacy

Cobbs Leonard’s career has been marked by significant recognition from both the gospel and wider music industries. She has won three Grammy Awards and accumulated numerous additional Grammy nominations throughout her career.

Her first Grammy came for “Break Every Chain” in 2014. She later won for Lecrae’s “Your Power” and, in 2025, was part of the ensemble behind “One Hallelujah,” which won Best Gospel Performance/Song.

She has also received numerous Stellar Awards and other honors for her contributions to gospel music. Her albums have repeatedly reached the top of the Billboard Gospel Albums chart, demonstrating both her commercial success and her continuing relevance within contemporary gospel.

By the mid-2020s, Cobbs Leonard had established herself as more than a successful recording artist. She had become a significant figure in modern worship, with songs that crossed denominational and geographical boundaries and a career that connected traditional gospel ministry with contemporary music.

Her influence is particularly evident in the way modern worship music embraces the vocal intensity, improvisation, and congregational approach associated with gospel music. Through her recordings, collaborations, songwriting, and ministry, Tasha Cobbs Leonard has helped shape the sound of contemporary gospel for a new generation while maintaining a strong connection to the church tradition that formed her.