Christian artist Battistelli to open 2014 Festival of the Bells
Popular Christian singer-songwriter and two-time Dove Female Vocalist of the Year Award winner Francesca Battistelli will open the 2014 Festival of the Bells at 9 p.m. Thursday, July 3.
Battistelli's show will mark the ninth annual Christian opening act organized by the Hillsboro Ministerial Association for the Festival.
Battistelli is set to release her third album, "If We're Honest," on April 22 and is currently enjoying success with the album's debut single, "Write Your Story."
According to Battistelli's website, francescamusic.com, her debut album, "My Paper Heart" was "the biggest-seller for a debut Christian artist in nearly a decade and the longest-running #1 for a female artist in Billboard Christian Album Chart history." Among its accolades were Dove Award nominations and two wins, a Grammy nomination, four huge hit singles ("I'm Letting Go," "Free To Be Me," "It's Your Life" and "Beautiful Beautiful") and hundreds of thousands of album sales and downloads.
[[In-content Ad]]
Her second album, "Hundred More Years," also produced hit singles, including "This is the Stuff" and "Strangely Dim."
Battistelli has toured with popular Christian acts such as TobyMac, MercyMe, Sidewalk Prophets and Natalie Grant.
Event organizer Brian Robinson compared Battistelli to Grant, who performed at the Festival of the Bells in 2010.
"She's young, and I think she'll be the next Natalie Grant," Robinson said. "We're very excited to have her."
Local churches interested in helping to fund this concert, or anyone who would like more information, may contact Robinson at (937) 393-2532 or visit the organization's Facebook page at Festival of the Bells Christian Concert.
"We'd like to thank all the area churches and businesses who continue to support the Christian concert at the Festival of the Bells," Robinson said.
For more information on Battistelli, visit http://www.francescamusic.com.