Week after week, Ellen Soukup touches the people of her parish with her powerful and soothing voice. Now she has duplicated the beauty and felicity that she achieves every Sunday on her first compact disc, entitled Ellen…Thy Will Be Done."When Ellen sings, you find the place in your heart that truly loves Jesus…the place that many of us forget about," says Fr. Jim Benton, Ellen's pastor at St. John the Apostle Parish in Lincoln, Nebraska.
The hallmark of this CD is its simplicity; it was produced in homage to the abiding stillness and clarity of the church setting. On this album, you will find no electric guitars or aggressive drumwork or words muddled by heavy synthesizers. Instead, you will hear a collection of moving contemporary and gospel hymns.
The title track, “Thy Will Be Done,” is a prayerful piece Ellen was inspired to write through her devotion to the Virgin Mary. Other songs like “Yes, Lord, Yes,” and the ageless classic, “Holy, Holy, Holy,” are all produced with an emphasis on the words being sung, and on the clear and straightforward voice of this new and promising Christian vocalist. The artist provides much of the piano accompaniment herself, with background vocals, guitar, strings, and organ music heard on various pieces.
Called a "healing CD" by many, the collection of 13 songs has been a lifeline for those who are dealing with hardship. Many people listen to it every day, making “Because the Lord is My Shepherd” and “O God You Search Me” a regular part of their prayer life. Adults and children alike have found strength over the luminous “Ten Thousand Angels” and the haunting “Mary Did You Know.”
Says Sherry Kennedy Brownrigg, General Manager of KVSS Radio in Omaha, Nebraska, "Ellen has one of the purest voices I have ever heard. Her range and vocal abilities are tremendous and she compliments every song she sings."