Hillsong Young & Free (also known as Hillsong Y&F or simply Young & Free or Y&F) was an Australian contemporary worship music and Christian EDM group from Sydney, Australia, where they started making Christian music in 2012 at Hillsong Church. The group was started by Hillsong pastors Peter Toganivalu and his wife Laura Toggs, with the latter being the daughter of Hillsong founder Brian Houston. The couple departed Hillsong in 2023, rendering the group inactive.
They have released four live albums: We Are Young & Free (2013), Youth Revival (2016), III Live (2018), and All of My Best Friends (2020); they have also released four studio albums: Youth Revival Acoustic (2017), III (2018), III (Studio Sessions) (2019), and III (Reimagined) (2019). Additionally, the group have released three EPs: This Is Living (2015), We Are Young & Free (The Remixes) - EP (2015), and Out Here on a Friday Where It Began (2021).
Background The group formed in 2012 out of Sydney, Australia, where they were located at Hillsong Church. Their members are worship leaders Aodhán King, Alexander Pappas, Tyler Douglass, Renee Sieff, Ben Tan, and Melodie Wagner. Hillsong United (launched in 1998), the original group, began when the members were all relatively young, since it was started as part of the youth ministry at Hillsong Church. As they started to mature, have families of their own, and take on adulthood, many people at the church felt there was a need for a new group that would aim its message at younger people with a stimulating new sound.
History Hillsong Young & Free released their first live album, We Are Young & Free, on 1 October 2013. The album debuted and peaked at No. 6 on the ARIA Albums Chart in Australia, also charting on several Billboard charts in the United States, peaking at No. 22 on the Billboard 200 and No. 1 on the Christian Albums chart. Their subsequent release, an extended play, This Is Living, was released on 11 January 2015. The release charted on the Billboard 200 at No. 38 and No. 1 on the Christian Albums chart. Their second extended play, The Remixes, was released on 4 December 2015. Their second live album, Youth Revival, was released on 26 February 2016. On 6 December 2016, it was announced that Hillsong Young & Free was nominated for a Grammy Award in the Best Contemporary Christian Music Album category for Youth Revival. Hillsong Young & Free featured on the track "Marching On" from Rend Collective's album Good News, which was released on 19 January 2018. In 2020, Young & Free's album All of My Best Friends was nominated for the 63rd Grammy Award in the Best Contemporary Christian Music Album category.
In May 2023, founding pastors Peter Toganivalu and Laura Toggs departed Hillsong following several controversies and the departure of Toggs' father and senior pastor Brian Houston, putting the group's future in question. Founding member Aodhan King also revealed he was no longer part of Young & Free in May 2025.
Discography
Albums +List of albums, with selected chart positions Title Album details Peak chart positionsAUSBELDUTNZNORUSUSChrist.UK C&G We Are Young & Free Released: 1 October 2013 Label: Sparrow, Hillsong Music, Capitol CMG Formats: CD, download, streamed audio 6 174461410 22 1— Youth Revival Released: 26 February 2016 Label: Sparrow, Hillsong Music, Capitol CMG Formats: CD, download, streamed audio 3 125641428 45 21III Released: 29 June 2018 Label: Sparrow, Hillsong Music, Capitol CMG Formats: CD, download, streamed audio, vinyl 12 166——— 131 21 All of My Best Friends Released: 28 August 2020 Label: Sparrow, Hillsong Music, Capitol CMG Formats: CD, Download, streamed audio, vinyl ————— — 14—
Album versions +List of albums, with selected chart positionsTitleAlbum detailsPeak chart positionsAUSUS Christ.UK C&GYouth Revival Acoustic Released: 24 February 2017 Label: Sparrow, Hillsong Music, Capitol CMG Formats: CD, download, streamed audio372410III (Live at Hillsong Conference) Released: 2 November 2018 Label: Sparrow, Hillsong Music, Capitol CMG Formats: CD, download, streamed audio5040—III (Studio Sessions) Released: 5 April 2019 Label: Sparrow, Hillsong Music, Capitol CMG Formats: CD, download, streamed audio———III (Reimagined) Released: 6 September 2019 Label: Sparrow, Hillsong Music, Capitol CMG Formats: Download, streamed audio———Todos Mis Mejores Amigos Released: 15 January 2021 Label: Sparrow, Hillsong Music, Capitol CMG Formats: CD, Download, streamed audio———All Of My Best Friends (Acoustic) Released: 12 February 2021 Label: Sparrow, Hillsong Music, Capitol CMG Formats: CD, Download, streamed audio———
EPs +List of EPs, with selected chart positions Title EP details Peak chart positionsAUSUSUSChrist This Is Living Released: 13 January 2015 Label: Sparrow, Hillsong Music, Capitol CMG Formats: CD, download, streamed audio — 38 1 We Are Young & Free: The Remixes EP Released: 4 December 2015 Label: Sparrow, Hillsong Music, Capitol CMG Formats: CD, download, streamed audio 83 — 31 Todos Mis Mejores Amigos Released: 18 September 2020 Label: Sparrow, Hillsong Music, Capitol CMG Formats: CD, download, streamed audio — — —Wish We Were All Together...but until then Released: 20 November 2020 Label: Sparrow, Hillsong Music, Capitol CMG Format: streamed audio — — — Out Here On a Friday Where It Began Released: 30 July 2021 Label: Sparrow, Hillsong Music, Capitol CMG Formats: Download, streamed audio — — —
Singles
Year TitlePeak chart positions AlbumAUSAUSChrist.NZHot USChrist. USChrist. Air. US Christ. DigitalUK Cross 2013 "Alive"50 1 — 19 20 52 We Are Young & Free "Wake"— 6 — 22 30 2— 2014 "The Stand"— — — — — —— non-album singles 2015 "Noel"— — — 40 32 23— "This Is Living")61 1 — 16 29 91 This Is Living (EP) "Where You Are"— 1 — 16 25 17— Youth Revival 2016 "Real Love"— 1 — 27 35 44— "Falling Into You"— 1 — 29 23 —— 2017 "Love Won't Let Me Down"— 1 — 22 30 11— III (Three) 2018 "P E A C E"— 15 — 20 — 8— "Let Go"— 1 — 23 31 233 "Just Jesus"— — — 37 — —— 2019 "Heart of God"— — — 46 39 —— "Every Little Thing"— 1 — — 48 —6 III (Reimagined) 2020 "Best Friends"— 1 30 26 50 208 All of My Best Friends "Never Have I Ever"— 1 — 36 42 —2 "World Outside Your Window"— — — — 43 —— "Uncomplicated"— — — 41 — —— "Indescribable"— 1 — — — —— "As I Am"— — — — — —— 2021 "Phenomena (DA DA)"— 1 — 46 — —— Out Here On a Friday Where It Began (EP)
Other charted songs
Year Title Peak chart positions Album USChrist. USChrist. DigitalUK Cross 2013"Back to Life" — 38— We Are Young & Free 2015"Sinking Deep" 28 442 This Is Living (EP)"Energy" 35 ——"Pursue" 34 —— 2016"To My Knees" 37 —— Youth Revival 2018"First Love" 48 —6 III (Three)2020“Lord Send Revival”49——All of My Best Friends
Featured songs
"Relentless (Young & Free Remix)" (2014) / Hillsong UNITED – The White Album "Alive" (2014) / Hillsong Worship – No Other Name (only DVD) "Sinking Deep" (2014) / Hillsong Worship – No Other Name (only DVD) "This Is Living" (2015) / Hillsong Worship – Open Heaven / River Wild (digital deluxe edition and DVD) "Pursue/All I Need Is You" (2015) / Hillsong Worship – Open Heaven / River Wild (digital deluxe edition and DVD) "Marching On (featuring Hillsong Young & Free)" (2018) / Rend Collective – Good News
Music videos
"Alive" (2013) "Wake" (2013) "Back to Life" (2013) "Gracious Tempest" (special performance) (2014) "This Is Living" (2015) "Where You Are" (2016) "Real Love" (2016) "Falling Into You" (2016) "Love Won't Let Me Down" (2017) "P E A C E" (2018) "Let Go" (2018)
References
External links