The group began when lead singer/songwriter and namesake Chasen Callahan pulled together fellow band mates — guitarist "Silver" and drummer Aaron Lord — to help him compile an independent CD of songs Callahan had played at summer youth camps. The music was so good, the disc soon found its way into the hands of upstart label OMG, a small new entertainment enterprise in the historic West End of Greenville, South Carolina.  It didn't take long for the decision to prove to be the right one. 

Chasen's national debut, Shine through the Stars (2008) is one of the best Christian albums in recent memory. Much of the buzz came from the early single Crazy Beautiful, which reached #2 on Christian radio charts long before Shine through the Stars arrived as a complete project.  “This song is for the ones who think they’re not pretty enough or cool enough,” Callahan explains. “The next time you look at yourself in the mirror, remember that God looks at us all the same. He’s capable of making you exactly how you were intended to be.” The song’s sympathetic reminder that it’s what on the inside that counts has propelled it up radio charts and connected Chasen with a host of teenage fans.

The project also dips into more plaintive subject matter at points. “Drown” — a song about overcoming lust — was written several years ago when Callahan was struggling with making responsible choices about dating and sex. Then a hot-blooded American teenager himself, he penned the gentle ballad while sitting alone at South Carolina ’s venerable Folly Beach in the early hours of the morning. The waves mirrored the thoughts he felt would overwhelm him.

“God has a way of teaching us through everyday life,” he recalls. “Drowning in those circumstances I was dealing with at the time was not an option, and this song is about finding redemption from that situation.”

Throughout the project, Callahan’s songs reveal his close relationship with God. Following Christ is a singular passion of his that adds an earnest depth to his songwriting. Not complicated or religious, Callahan’s songs manage to remain a simple, humble, and grateful acknowledgement of the Divine at work in his life.

“Waking up to a sunrise or watching a sunset over the ocean makes me thankful,” he admits. He often sees God reflected in nature, from the mountains in his hometown of Pickens , South Carolina , to the Pacific Northwest wilderness surrounding his extended family in Oregon . Stars have a particular significance for Callahan, thanks to a cherished memory of his grandfather that forms the foundation of the album’s title, and closing, song.

“Christ didn’t stay within the four walls of a church,” Callahan says. “He went to the streets. That’s where I feel led to go, too. People need to know that Christ loves them no matter where they are.”Chasen Callahan writes catchy, meaningful tunes that grab your attention with great hooks, relevant vocals and interesting twists.