Israel Houghton

Israel Houghton (/ˈhoʊtən/; born May 19, 1971) is an American contemporary Christian music singer, songwriter, producer, and worship leader. His worship team is credited as Israel & New Breed.

Israel Houghton
Houghton in 2015
Background information
Also known as	Israel
Born	(1971-05-19) May 19, 1971 (age 53) Oceanside, California, U.S.
Genres	Contemporary Christian music gospel praise & worship soul
Occupations	Singer songwriter producer arranger
Instrument(s)	Vocals, guitar, keyboards
Years active	1997–present
Labels	Integrity, RCA Inspiration, District 11
Spouse	Meleasa Houghton ​ ​ (m. 1994; div. 2016)​ Adrienne Bailon-Houghton ​ ​ (m. 2016)​
Website	israelandnewbreed.com

Musical career

Houghton produced an album by Michael Gungor, Bigger Than My Imagination, which was described as "one of the year's best worship albums" in a 2003 Christianity Today review.^[1]

Israel & New Breed

New Breed is the backing band of Israel Houghton. Many of Israel's album releases are credited to Israel & New Breed.

Discography

Year	Album details	Peak chart positions
1997	Whisper It Loud Released: January 28 Label: Warner Brothers Format: CD
2001	New Season Released: July 31 Label: Integrity Format: CD
2001	Nueva Generación (Spanish version of New Season) Released: August Label: Integrity Format: CD
2002	Real Released: October 29 Label: Integrity Format: CD	No. 33 on Top Christian Albums No. 13 on Top Gospel Albums
2004	Live From Another Level Released: May 4 Label: Integrity Format: CD/DVD	No. 146 on Billboard 200 No. 5 on Top Christian Albums No. 1 on Top Gospel Albums No. 3 on Heatseekers Albums
2005	Alive in South Africa Released: October 25 Label: Integrity Format: CD/DVD	No. 62 on Billboard 200 No. 3 on Top Christian Albums No. 2 on Top Gospel Albums
2006	A Timeless Christmas Released: September 26 Label: Integrity Format: CD	No. 40 on Top Christian Albums No. 11 on Top Gospel Albums No. 32 on Top Holiday Albums
2007	A Deeper Level Released: September 4 Label: Integrity Format: CD/DVD	No. 48 on Billboard 200 No. 3 on Top Christian Albums No. 1 on Top Gospel Albums
2009	The Power of One Released: March 24 Label: Integrity/Columbia Format: CD/Digital download	No. 34 on Billboard 200 No. 1 on Top Christian Albums No. 1 on Top Gospel Albums No. 19 on Digital Albums
2010	Love God, Love People Released: August 31 Label: Integrity/Columbia Format: CD/Digital download	No. 27 on Billboard 200 No. 1 on Top Christian Albums No. 1 on Top Gospel Albums No. 18 on Digital Albums
2012	Decade (compilation) Released: March 5 Label: Integrity Format: CD/Digital download	No. 10 on Top Gospel Albums
2012	Jesus at the Center: Live Released: August 14 Label: Integrity/Columbia Format: CD/DVD	No. 32 on Billboard 200 No. 1 on Top Christian Albums No. 2 on Top Gospel Albums No. 16 on Digital Albums
2013	Jesús En El Centro: En Vivo (Spanish version of Jesus at the Center: Live) Released: August 14 Label: Integrity/Columbia Format: CD/DVD	No. 23 on Top Latin Albums No. 11 on Latin Pop Albums No. 48 on Top Christian Albums No. 16 on Top Gospel Albums
2014	The Very Best of Israel & New Breed (compilation) Released: January 19 Label: Integrity Format: CD/Digital download	No. 34 on Top Gospel Albums
2015	Covered: Alive in Asia Released: July 24 Label: RCA Inspiration Format: CD/Digital download	No. 48 on Billboard 200 No. 1 on Top Christian Albums No. 1 on Top Gospel Albums No. 11 on Digital Albums
2018	The Road To DeMaskUs Released: September 28 Label: Provident Label Group/RCA Format: CD/Digital download	No. 15 on Top Christian Albums No. 2 on Top Gospel Albums
2021	Feels Like Home Released: February 26 Label: District 11 Entertainment Format: Digital download, vinyl

Other recordings

• 2002: "Champions for Christ" – Hi5 (worship leader)
• 2004: "Where Are the Fathers?" from He-Motions (EMI Gospel)
• 2003: "Send Me to the Nations" from A Wing & a Prayer (EMI Gospel)
• 2002: We Speak to Nations (Lakewood Live; Integrity)
• 2003: Cover the Earth (Lakewood Live; Integrity)
• 2006: The Gift: A Christmas Presentation (Lakewood Live)
• 2007: Free to Worship (Lakewood Live)
• 2007: Moving Forward (Free Chapel Live)
• 2008: Hope for Today Worship (Lakewood Live)^[2]
• 2009: Free Chapel Live: Power of the Cross (Integrity)
• 2009: New Breed Live: Generation Love
• 2011: Echo: Forward Conference (Free Chapel Live)
• 2014: Covenant Worship: Kingdom
• 2014: Rey De Mi Universo (Lucía Parker)
• 2016: Eres Mi Todo (Job González)

Personal life

Houghton is mixed race, he was born to a white mother and Afro-Jamaican father.^[3] Houghton and his college girlfriend had a son together.

In 1994, Houghton married Meleasa Houghton, with whom he had three children. Mariah in 1996, Israel Jr in 2001 and Milan in 2003.^[4] They separated in 2015 and their divorce was finalized in February 2016.^[5] During his marriage, Houghton fathered two sons with his mistress, DeVawn Moreno. Kingston in 2012 and Khristian in 2014.^[6][7]

On November 11, 2016, Houghton married singer and TV personality Adrienne Bailon in Paris, after several months of dating.^[8] In 2022, the couple welcomed their first child together, a son.^[9]

Awards and nominations

Among the awards that Houghton has won includes six Grammy Awards; three for Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album and one for Best Traditional Gospel Album for Alive In South Africa.

GMA Dove Awards

Year	Category	Nominated work	Result	Ref.
2005	Male Vocalist of the Year		Nominated	[10]
	Song of the Year	"Friend of God"	Nominated
	Contemporary Gospel Album of the Year	Live from Another Level – Israel & New Breed	Won	[11]
	Contemporary Gospel Song of the Year	"Again I Say Rejoice"	Won	[11]
2006	Song of the Year	"Friend of God"	Nominated	[12]
	Contemporary Gospel Song of the Year	"Not Forgotten"	Won	[11]
	Praise & Worship Album of the Year	Alive in South Africa – Israel & New Breed	Nominated	[12]
	Long Form Music Video of the Year	Live From Another Level – Israel & New Breed	Nominated	[12]
2007	Contemporary Gospel Song of the Year	"Turn It Around"	Won	[11]
	Contemporary Gospel Album of the Year	It's Not Over	Won	[11]
	Choral Collection of the Year	Again I Say Rejoice: Celebrating The Songs Of Israel Houghton – various artists	Nominated	[13]
	Long Form Music Video of the Year	Alive In South Africa – Israel & New Breed	Nominated	[13]
2008	Producer of the Year		Nominated	[14]
	Contemporary Gospel Song of the Year	"Say So"	Won	[11]
	Contemporary Gospel Album of the Year	A Deeper Level	Won	[11]
2010	Contemporary Gospel Song of the Year	"Every Prayer"	Nominated
	Contemporary Gospel Song of the Year	"The Power of One (Change the World)"	Won	[11]
	Urban Song of the Year	"Just Wanna Say" (tie)	Won	[11]
2011	Male Vocalist of the Year		Nominated
	Contemporary Gospel Song of the Year	"You Hold My World"	Nominated
	Contemporary Gospel Album of the Year	Love God, Love People	Won	[11]
2014	Traditional Gospel Album of the Year	Duets (shared with Donnie McClurkin, Asaph A. Ward, Aaron W. Lindsey, Trent Phillips, Justin Savage)	Won	[11]

Grammy Awards

Year	Category	Nominated work	Result	Ref.
2005	Best Contemporary R&B Gospel Album	Live From Another Level – Israel and New Breed	Nominated	[15]
2006	Best Gospel Song	"Again I Say Rejoice" – Houghton & Aaron Lindsey	Nominated	[16]
2007	Best Traditional Gospel Album	Alive in South Africa	Won	[17]
	Best Contemporary R&B Gospel Album	A Timeless Christmas – Israel and New Breed	Nominated	[18]
	Best Gospel Song	"Not Forgotten" – Houghton and Aaron Lindsey	Nominated	[19]
	Best Gospel/Contemporary Christian Music Performance	"Not Forgotten" – Israel and New Breed	Nominated	[19]
2008	Best Gospel Performance	"With Long Life" – Israel and New Breed, featuring T-Bone (tie)	Nominated	[20]
	Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album	A Deeper Level – Israel and New Breed	Won	[21]
2010	Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album	The Power Of One	Won	[17]
	Best Gospel Performance	"You Hold My World"	Nominated	[22]
	Best Gospel Song	"Every Prayer" – shared with Dayna Caddell, Aaron Lindsey & Ricardo Sanchez (co-writers)	Nominated	[23]
2011	Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album	Love God, Love People	Won	[17]
2013	Best Contemporary Christian Music Song	"Your Presence Is Heaven" (tie); Houghton & Micah Massey, songwriters	Won	[17]
	Best Gospel Album	Jesus at the Center: Live – Israel & New Breed	Nominated	[24]
2015	Best Gospel Performance/Song	"How Awesome Is Our God" – Israel & NewBreed, featuring Yolanda Adams; Neville Diedericks, Israel & Meleasa Houghton, songwriters	Nominated
	Best Gospel Album	Covered: Alive In Asia – Israel & New Breed	Won	[17]
2021	Best Contemporary Christian Music Album	Feels Like Home, Vol. 2 – Israel & New Breed	Nominated

Stellar Awards

Year	Category	Nominated work	Result	Ref.
2005	Artist of the Year	Live from Another Level	Nominated	[25]
	Male Vocalist of the Year		Won
	Contemporary Gospel Album of the Year		Won
	Producer of the Year		Nominated
2006	Video of the Year		Nominated	[26]
2007	Male Vocalist of the Year	ALIVE in South Africa	Nominated	[27]
	CD of the Year		Nominated
	Contemporary Male Vocalist of the Year		Nominated
	Urban/Inspirational Single / Performance of the Year	"Turn It Around" – Israel & New Breed	Nominated
2008	Group / Duo of the Year	Live: A Deeper Level – Israel & New Breed	Nominated	[28]
	Contemporary CD of the Year		Nominated
	Praise and Worship CD of the Year		Nominated
2010	Male Vocalist of the Year	The Power of One	Nominated	[29]
	Praise and Worship CD of the Year		Nominated
2012	Male Vocalist of the Year		Nominated	[30]
	Producer of the Year		Nominated
	Contemporary Male Vocalist of the Year		Nominated
	Praise and Worship CD of the Year		Nominated
2014	Group / Duo of the Year	Jesus at the Center: Live	Nominated	[31]

Daytime Emmy Awards

Year	Category	Nominated work	Result	Ref.
2019	Outstanding Musical Performance in a Daytime Program	"Secrets" (shared with Adrienne Houghton)	Nominated	[32]