'CHARLIE KIRK CHOIR': Country music star Jeffrey Steele pays tribute to Charlie Kirk in new single

Jeffrey Steele, the man behind hits from country singers and groups such as Rascal Flatts, Tim McGraw, and others, paid tribute to Charlie Kirk on his new single released on January 16. "A Voice" touches on topics of free speech and expression. The song marks a return to the spotlight for Steele after years of working behind the scenes.

The tribute to Kirk, towards the end of the song, states, "The Charlie Kirk choir all lightin’ our lighters." The song had originally stated, “We’re the teenage wasteland lighting our lighter," but was changed after Steele attended a vigil for Kirk in Tennessee. 

Steele was able to attend one of the vigils that was put together for Kirk after he was assassinated on Utah Valley University's campus on September 10, per Wortman Works Media & Marketing. Steele spoke about the scene, saying there were “thousands of people gathered and the crowd kept growing. They were praying and singing. Nobody could hear the speakers. As a songwriter, I write what I see and what I saw was a Charlie Kirk choir and it wasn’t about politics, it was about God and Prayer and love….and togetherness and that feeling needed to be represented in the song.”

Steele said of the song, “I hope every time someone hears it, they’ll be inclined to help someone, be the microphone and help someone find a voice…say what others might be afraid to say.”

The music video of "A Voice" juxtaposes Steele with the lives of everyday Americans. The first verse recounts the life of a soldier as well as a farmer, then Steele sings in the chorus:

I wish I had a Voice
I would raise it now
For all the silent ones,
no one seems to care about
Speak for all of us,
Crank the volume up,
and let the simple truth cut through the noise
I wish I had a voice

The lyrics then go over the life of a front-line nurse and a police officer before going back to the chorus. A similar pattern is followed in the song, with each verse giving tribute to everyday Americans who may feel they do not have a voice in the national conversation.

The verse with the tribute to Kirk reads:

I’m the Trucker, they’re phasing out
She’s a housewife, but you can’t say that now
I’m a laid off Factory Worker who’s Factory’s China bound
We’re the Coal Miners, Firefighters,
The Charlie Kirk choir all lightin’ our lighters,
Finally waking up, we had enough, of the Liars setting the World on fire
We’re the Children, crying out for help,
a million miles away from home who can’t speak for ourselves.

Steele said in a press release, "This song is a reminder that our voices matter — that real strength lives in speaking truth with courage and heart. I wrote it for anyone who’s ever been afraid to speak up or step into who they were meant to be." He added, "In a world where politicians tell you what you need, Big Tech tells you what you can see and read, celebrities tell you what to believe, and the media has seemingly general disdain for the American people, this is a song that encourages every day Americans to stand up and have a voice even if they’re afraid."