TobyMac Releases New Christmas Single ‘Christmas Hits Different’ Featuring Tasha Layton

Seven-time GRAMMY® winner TobyMac has released a brand new Christmas track, “Christmas Hits Different,” featuring Tasha Layton.  This is TobyMac’s first Christmas track since his 2017 Christmas album ‘Light Of Christmas,’ which features his top-streamed Christmas single “Light Of Christmas (feat. Owl City).

With lyrics stemming from his personal experience of losing his son in 2019, the award-winning artist sings, This one goes out to the broken souls…I just want you to know…If Christmas hits different this year, you don’t have to smile, I know how you feel, if Christmas hits different this year.  I’ll be right here… O Come O, come Emmmanuel.

“When Toby asked me to be part of this song, it was an immediate yes,” Layton says of the opportuniy. “I love the message and heart behind these lyrics. Christmastime can be such a joyful time of the year for so many, and yet heartbreaking for others. I’ve watched Toby choose to follow Christ in the middle of his pain time and time again. Pain and heartache don’t discriminate, but we can rest in the truth that God is close to the broken-hearted (Ps. 34). For everyone who is navigating through a “different” Christmas this year…my prayer is that this song reminds them of the hope we have in Emmanuel (“God with us”).”

Currently Top 15 on Mediabase Audience and Top 20 on Mediabase AC and both Billboard Charts, his latest radio single “Faithfully” follows TobyMac’s third chart-topper from his latest LP,  LIFE AFTER DEATH, “Cornerstone (feat. Zach Williams),” which spent a combined 9 weeks at #1 across formats.
Upon release, LIFE AFTER DEATH debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Christian Albums chart, garnered Toby his 17th GRAMMY® nod and has amassed more than 464 million global streams to date. In addition to “Faithfully” and “Cornerstone (feat. Zach Williams),” the 15-track collection features the emotionally raw “21 Years”; “Help Is On The Way (Maybe Midnight),” which peaked at No. 1 across five charts; “Promised Land,” the 3rd most-added song at Christian radio in 2021; and “The Goodness (feat. Blessing Offor),” which hit No. 1 in September 2022.

The acclaimed project was recently named Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year at the 54th Annual GMA Dove Awards. Additionally, “The Goodness (feat. Blessing Offor)” was awarded a Dove for Short Form Music Video of the Year (Performance).

TobyMac is currently on the road with MercyMe for a co-headlining run along with special guest Zach Williams. Marking the first time the veteran acts will share top billing, the 12-city engagement launched Nov. 2 in Charlotte, N.C., and runs through this Friday.

TobyMac/MercyMe with Zach Williams Remaining Fall 2023 Tour Dates:
11/16 — Covelli Centre // Youngstown, OH
11/17 — Allen County War Memorial Coliseum // Fort Wayne, IN
11/18 — KeyBank Center // Buffalo, NY
11/19 — Nationwide Arena // Columbus, OH