My daughters listen mostly to Christian music. Even as my oldest daughter is approaching her teenage years, her love for Christian music has remained consistent even though most of her school friends listen only to secular music. Although I like to think it is her love for God that doesn’t pull her towards secular music, I think there is a more practical reason. It is the variety of Christian artists in her playlists. You will find Christian Latin music (i.e. Christian music in Spanish), Christian Hip Hop, Christian rock, as well as contemporary Christian pop. She has little reason to gravitate towards other beats because she already has music that moves her soul.
The power of music to influence
Music played a central role in my tween and teen years. When I was thirteen, Guns N’ Roses, Metallica, Skid Row, and Sound Garden was pretty much all I listened to. I was in a dark place and the music gave me a sense of power and control. What I didn’t understand at the time, it was also fueling my depression (Read Breaking Free: Overcoming Sexual Abuse to find out why I had fallen into a such a dark place). Music doesn’t just reflect what you feel, but it can enhance it and it can pull you away from what is good and right. When you are constantly bombarding your mind with words that do not glorify God, it can either keep your heart in a dark place or it can slowly pull it away from what is good and right.
This is not to say that listening to non-Christian songs is wicked. Some Christians may believe that, but I don’t. There are some good songs out there. I still like listening to “Sweet Child o’Mine,” for example. It is a sweet love song, but I stay away from Guns N’ Roses more racy and vulgar songs. Why? Because they bring my mind to a place it does not need to be. For that reason, I don’t forbid my daughters from listening to secular music (although there are quite a few songs I will veto), but I do make an intentional effort to expose them to different varieties of Christian music out there.
Music doesn't just reflect what you feel, but it can enhance it and it can pull you away from what is good and right. Click To TweetPopular Christian music does not appeal to everyone
Knowing the influence that music had on me, I am very aware of the role it can play in my daughters’ life and the role it can play in maintaining their hearts and minds in the right place. Unfortunately, popular Christian radio is for the most part homogeneous. It is what I play in the car, but in all honesty, I feel like a lot of it starts sounding the same after a while. Even I get tired of it and find myself wanting to turn the radio station. My mind tells me that I should listen to music that brings my heart back to God, but rhythms that bore me make it easier for my hand to turn the station. If I know that happens to me, I know it most certainly will happen to my daughters. So it is on me to show them a variety to limit their desire to move away from Christian music altogether.
Christian music you can dance to.
Thankfully, Christian music has come a long way since I was in my teens and there is great variety and different ways to worship God. One of those ways is through Christian music in Spanish. If you speak only English, you are probably wondering how that can help you. The rhythm. There are Latino Christians with some great songs out there that don’t just have words that glorify God, but that makes you want to dance. Having taught preschool Sunday school, I learned that some kids are just not into dancing and that is okay. But there are many that just love it so much. Sometimes I would put worship music in Spanish, give my preschoolers instruments and their littler hearts would fill up with joy. They didn’t care that they couldn’t understand the words. So if your child is inclined to dance, give them wholesome music they can dance to. Christian Latin music is an option.
This is a list of some of my favorite Christians songs in Spanish. It will make you want to dance like David danced (2 Samuel 6:14). One of them is even in English but with Latin rhythms.
So move over “Despacito”………….
My Top 8 Christian Songs in Spanish
Contigo (Musiko)
Sin Tu Amor (Musiko featuring Alex Zurdo)
El Gozo de Dios (Tercer Cielo)
Tengo Victoria (Alex Zurdo)
Las Avispas (Juan Luis Guerra)
Alegria (Salvador)
David Danced (Salvador)
Danzo en El Rio (Miel San Marcos)
Make sure to check out my article, “Top 10 Christian Songs to Combat Fear“ and my notebooks in Spanish (below) now available on Amazon.
If you have other songs you want to recommend or thoughts, feel free to comment below. And if you enjoyed reading this article, feel free to share.
Thank you Lisa for this post. I love it and I need to implement it with my kids because I feel the same about christian music, I was not into rock but I am salsera 100% and music and dancing just put me a different happy mood.
Thank you Julie! Yes, there is something about the rhythm that is just joyful and happy! Alex Zurdo also has some hip-hop type songs–in case your kids like that. He is very talented and I think would appeal to the younger generation.
I love their music but I need this beat, this type of music, sung in english, for dance class.
Do any of these artists also translate the words to english> or can you recommed another christian group who sings in english or in both beautiful languages that I can to with understanding
thank you so much
The only one that sings in English that I know of is Salvador. I hadn’t found any worship/Christian Music in English that my family can dance to in English so I went back to my roots–Spanish. However, if I come across something, I will let you know. If interested, you should be able to translate the lyrics on this website: https://www.translatelyrics.net/. It is not a perfect translation since I think they are computer generated, but it will at least give you an idea of what they are saying.
Here’s a few of my favorites:
Amor de jubilo- by Melvin Ayala
Pon aceite en mi lampara- by Ricardo Rodriguez
Te Amo- by Israel & New Breed ft T-Bone
And probably my personal favorite, De Fiesta- by Manny Montes ft Alex Zurdo
I will need to check these out!! Thanks for these additional recommendations!
Hi, my name’s Juliet Lasso from Kenya. Truly appreciate your article and addition to my playlist. I’ve also found Christian music profound, peaceful and healing more than one could ask for. At first, I never thought I’d enjoy it as much but lately my love for it has grown so much so secular music is starting to be a no go zone for me. Some of my favourite Spanish songs include:
Amen- Ricardo Montener, Evaluna Montener, May y Ricky and Camilo.
Damaris Guerra- Free fall, mi Bendicion, No me soltaras, eres mi dios
Un Corazon ft lead- solo tu
Un Corazon ft Marcos Barrientos- Salmo 23
Un Corazon ft Living- JesuCristo.
Redimi2 ft Barak- Espiritu Santo.
Evan Craft- desesperado
Evan Craft ft Evaluna Montener- Gracia Incompable
Perhaps you’ve heard of them but my list is packed from Kenyan to Spanish for I enjoy music beyond borders.
Thanks so much again. Blessings upon blessings.
This is such a wonderful list. Thank you for sharing it! God bless you!!
Thank you for this! My husband’s grandparents spoke Spanish to him so he understands it, but can’t speak it very well and neither do I. We’re trying to implement as much Spanish as possible to our kiddos so I’m so thankful to find this post! We listen to Spanish music all the time but it’s so good to now have some Christian Spanish music on the list! Thanks so much for sharing!
You are so welcome! And so glad this could be of help!