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River Movement: The Origin Story

february 2025

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Rapping for the kingdom: jordan winslade's spirit-led music journey

Aaron Duff, Feb 21, 2025

We got in touch with Jordan Winslade, lead singer and rapper from River Movement who has just got back home to the sunny Gold Coast after an Australia-wide tour to learn more about performing on the road for Christ.

It was April 2015, and a young Jordan Winslade was among thousands of young Aussies thrilled to be in Toowoomba for Australia’s largest music festival Easterfest. Jordan had been called up to the stage to rap with ACT rapper Justasifi’d and his future in the Aussie Christian music scene seemed ready to take off.

Jordan recalls, “My friends and I were hanging out by the festival gate jamming, when a large crowd of attendees all came out the grounds singing and worshipping together with several of the performing artists. The sound curfew had arrived and the music had officially finished, but these people didn’t want it to end. As I watched, I heard the Holy Spirit say that we would take the music and the festivals to the people and go to the forgotten places.”

Held since 1999 and in some years attracting over 40,000 Christian music fans, the organisers unfortunately made the difficult decision not to continue Easterfest following that year; and with that Australia’s indie Christian music scene was left with a gaping festival-shaped hole that remains even today in 2025.

For Jordan too, it was a question of where to from here?

Growing up in a musical family with Mum a trained dancer and Dad a worship leader, who together led Kings Kids Australia; a branch of YWAM focused on creative outreach, Jordan and his 4 siblings naturally joined their parents in church ministry leading worship as a family band.

This formed an amazing foundation for future musical endeavours, not only just in leading worship and song writing, but also in pursuing music as a calling. Even now, Jordan’s youngest brother Tyson has joined River Movement, and you just have to seek out another brother Ryan’s musical project ‘Echidna Candy Store’ that hits the heart with those emotional feels, sounding like an Australian version of Owl City.

Yet, even with such a creative background, it wasn’t until Jordan joined YWAM in Adelaide as a young adult, that music as a calling came into the picture. While on outreach with his missions team in Cambodia, Jordan had a profound encounter with the Holy Spirit. Trying to do some song writing on that particular day, Jordan was getting frustrated as he seemed only to be able to write choruses but nothing else. In this moment he cried out, “God, why can’t I finish writing a song?”

To his amazement, the Holy Spirit spoke to his mind and said “Why don’t you try rapping?”

The past 12 months have seen River Movement embark on their largest tour yet, hitting 14 locations across QLD, NSW, VIC & SA, supported by gospel artist Sam Hornshaw.

River Movement is: Jordan Winslade, Kristian Kennedy, Josh Blackburn, Callum Tyrrell, Bec Tyrrell, Jenna Huggins & Tyson Winslade.

This was an unexpected response as Jordan had not grown up rapping and didn’t think he could do it. But the Holy Spirit spoke to him again and said “If you trust Me, I will give you the words.”

Jordan decided to take the step of faith and do what He believed God was telling him to do. He picked up his guitar, started playing the same four chords from before and as he opened his mouth it was like a tap was turned on and words began to pour out - almost like speaking in tongues but in rap form.

For several minutes the words flowed, until Jordan stopped and frantically tried to write down the words. Yet as he attempted to do so, that still small voice spoke to his mind once again saying “If you trust me, I will give you the words.” This experience marked Jordan greatly and changed the course of his life and since then has used his gift to freestyle on numerous mission trips and in prophetic worship sessions.

After some time pursuing music with friends between ACT and Queensland, Jordan and some friends formed River Movement in 2017. Founded with a strong collaborative vision and intent on sharing a message of hope, the band sees itself to be part of God’s movement; and called to be rivers of living water in the dry places - hence the name ‘River Movement’.

Now after 2 albums and multiple singles, this past 12 months saw River Movement embark on their largest tour yet, with the tour hitting 14 locations across QLD, NSW, VIC & SA and supported by gospel artist Sam Hornshaw opening each show.

Last month brought a new milestone by playing internationally at New Zealand’s Festival One, making a claim to possibly be Australia’s most prolific touring Christian band.

With all that hard work has also come some national recognition with their song, 'It All Goes Away' reached number 1 on Aussie Grown Radio’s 2023 list and just this Australia Day reaching #2 on Rhema and Vision Christian Radio’s annual, listener-voted Oz Top 30.

Appearing just behind For King & Country, with their song ‘Freedom’, Jordan and the band are grateful for the honour saying, “We felt so blessed making the list knowing our supporters, fans and friends around the country were voting for us, but then to find out that we came second was unbelievable.”

Jordan says it hasn’t always been easy, but River Movement have seen God’s faithfulness over the years. Visions that seemed distant have become reality, one step of faith at a time. “It’s been a good reminder of what God can do with our ‘yes’. He takes the little things in our hands and he multiplies them like the loaves and fishes. He always provides.”

Looking to the future of indie Christian music in Australia, Jordan shares, “A lot of our obstacles in Australia are down to limited opportunities and limited exposure. Along with this, we are noticing that Aussies don’t know who else is out there in these spaces. But I think the future of Christian music in Australia is bright.”

“Musicians and bands are starting to stand up and step out around the country again and are pursuing the calling God has placed on their hearts. So if we begin to support the local talent that God is raising up, we will see amazing shifts in the creative space around the nation, but also create a beautiful ecosystem where musicians who are called to minister in this space will meet those who are hungry to listen.”