Some songs refuse to let go. They sit in the back of your mind, waiting for the right moment to emerge. For Sacramento singer-songwriter Josiah James, that moment arrived when he finally released “Made New (Josiah’s Version),” a track that has lived with him for over a decade. First pitched to acclaimed Christian artist Lincoln Brewster years ago, the song now exists in its intended form, produced alongside Grammy-nominated and Dove Award-winning producer Colby Wedgeworth. The release feels like an act of reclamation. There is something deeply satisfying about an artist returning to a piece of work and presenting it […]
Josiah James Returns With "Made New" After A Decade-Long Wait Some songs refuse to let go. They sit in the back of your mind, waiting for the right moment to emerge. For Sacramento singer-songwriter Josiah James, that moment arrived when he finally released "Made New (Josiah's Version)," a track that has lived with him for over a decade. First pitched to acclaimed Christian artist Lincoln Brewster years ago, the song now exists in its intended form, produced alongside Grammy-nominated and Dove Award-winning producer Colby Wedgeworth. The release feels like an act of reclamation. There is something deeply satisfying about an artist returning to a piece of work and presenting it on their own terms. James has spent years building his craft, performing over 1,500 shows worldwide and releasing six independent projects since 2008. He started writing songs at fourteen, began touring full-time at eighteen, and has shared stages with major artists while cultivating a dedicated following. Then he stepped back. Family took precedence. The road quieted. "Made New (Josiah's Version)" marks his return, and it carries the weight of that pause. The production is cinematic, layering soaring vocals over arrangements that feel both intimate and expansive. Wedgeworth, who led the 2018 Dove Awards with eight nominations and won Songwriter of the Year that same year, brings a polish that complements James's raw emotional honesty. The result is a track that feels lived-in, like a conversation you have been waiting to finish. The theme of transformation runs through the song like a thread. Renewal, healing, rediscovery. These are not new concepts in music, particularly in the Christian alternative rock and pop rock genres where James operates. But there is a specificity here that makes it resonate. This is not a generic call for change. It is personal. It speaks to the idea that renewal is not always immediate, that sometimes you have to wait for the right moment, the right collaborators, the right perspective. Think about the Renaissance, when artists revisited classical themes with fresh eyes, or the way jazz musicians take standards and make them their own. James is doing something similar here, taking a song that has existed in various forms and giving it new life. The title itself, "Made New (Josiah's Version)," echoes the trend of artists re-recording their work to reclaim ownership, a practice that has gained cultural momentum in recent years. But this is not about legal battles or industry politics. This is about artistic vision. The production choices are interesting. There is space in the arrangement, moments where the music pulls back and lets the lyrics breathe. James's voice, which has matured over years of performing, carries a vulnerability that feels earned. He is not trying to impress you with vocal acrobatics. He is trying to tell you something. And that restraint, that willingness to let the song speak for itself, is what makes it compelling. It is worth noting that James comes from Cool, California, a small town an hour north of Sacramento with no music scene to speak of. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8AN_cIamq8&list=OLAK5uy_libS1E7UQNITizr_QQc8yy_k4cC8Y685M His parents owned a coffeehouse, and he grew up in an environment where music was part of the fabric of daily life. That background informs his approach. There is a DIY ethos here, a sense that he has built his career piece by piece, show by show, song by song. "Made New (Josiah's Version)" is part of that continuum, another chapter in a story that has been unfolding for nearly two decades. The song also benefits from its context within the broader Christian music community. Lincoln Brewster, the artist to whom James originally pitched the track, is a contemporary Christian musician and Senior Pastor at Bayside Church in Sacramento. Songs from James's 2014 EP "Identity" were covered by both Brewster and Audio Adrenaline, sometimes leading fans to mistake them for the original versions.
That kind of crossover speaks to the quality of James's songwriting, his ability to craft melodies and lyrics that resonate beyond his immediate audience. But "Made New (Josiah's Version)" is not about what other artists might do with it. This is James's moment. After years of anticipation, after stepping away from the road to focus on family, after waiting for the right time and the right collaborators, he has delivered a track that feels both fresh and familiar. It is a song about second chances, about the possibility of starting over, about believing that renewal is always within reach. There is a quiet confidence in the way James approaches this release. He is not shouting for attention. He is not chasing trends. He is simply offering a piece of himself, a song that has been part of his life for more than a decade, and trusting that it will find its audience. The collaboration with Wedgeworth adds a layer of credibility. Wedgeworth is not just a producer with impressive credentials. He is someone who understands the nuances of Christian music, the balance between commercial appeal and artistic integrity. [caption id="attachment_62462" align="alignnone" width="1333"] Josiah James Returns With "Made New" After A Decade-Long Wait[/caption] His work on "Made New (Josiah's Version)" reflects that understanding. The production is polished without being sterile, emotional without being manipulative. It serves the song. James has described this release as closing a circle and opening a new one at the same time. That duality is present in the music itself. There is a sense of completion, of finally bringing a long-gestating project to fruition. But there is also a sense of possibility, of what comes next. This is not an ending. It is a beginning. The song invites you to reflect on your own experiences with renewal. Have you ever had something in your life that took years to come to fruition? Have you ever had to wait for the right moment, the right circumstances, the right people? "Made New (Josiah's Version)" speaks to that experience, to the idea that good things take time, that patience is not passive but active, that waiting can be its own form of work. As the track fades out, you are left with a sense of hope. Not the saccharine, manufactured kind, but something more grounded, more real. James has been making music for nearly two decades. He has toured the country, released multiple albums and EPs, stepped away, and come back. He knows what he is doing. And "Made New (Josiah's Version)" is proof that sometimes the best work comes from taking your time, from waiting until you are ready, from trusting the process. The question is not if renewal is possible. The question is when you will be ready to embrace it. https://open.spotify.com/album/7J4u8Pk90BIsRvnBEfHIdl?si=jqkU4JiiRUeKZh_KNv4f6w
