Michael Tait: The Christian Music Idol Who Wasn’t

Michael Tait, the “Christian Elvis,” was for decades an inspiring voice in the contemporary Christian music industry who encouraged young Evangelicals to turn away from sexual sin and toward redemption. A Liberty University graduate, Tait was a founding member of the Grammy-award-winning band DC Talk, which produced the popular hits “Jesus Freak” and “What If I Stumble?” After a solo stint, he joined the Christian rock band Newsboys, succeeding lead singer Peter Furler, in 2009.

Tait was the lead singer of the band until January 16 of this year, when he announced what to fans seemed like an abrupt departure. It wasn’t so suspicious in retrospect. One day prior, on January 15, a controversial TikTok star Azariah Southworth made what were at the time unsubstantiated claims about Tait’s sexuality. Southworth outed Tait as gay because, he said, Tait is an “adamant Trump supporter” who used a “large evangelical fan base to legitimize Donald Trump.”

About the Author

Haley Strack

Haley Strack is a former staff writer at National Review.

Featured Tags

Michael Tait, the “Christian Elvis,” was for decades an inspiring voice in the contemporary Christian music industry who encouraged young Evangelicals to turn away from sexual sin and toward redemption. A Liberty University graduate, Tait was a founding member of the Grammy-award-winning band DC Talk, which produced the popular hits “Jesus Freak” and “What If I Stumble?” After a solo stint, he joined the Christian rock band Newsboys, succeeding lead singer Peter Furler, in 2009.

Tait was the lead singer of the band until January 16 of this year, when he announced what to fans seemed like an abrupt departure. It wasn’t so suspicious in retrospect. One day prior, on January 15, a controversial TikTok star Azariah Southworth made what were at the time unsubstantiated claims about Tait’s sexuality. Southworth outed Tait as gay because, he said, Tait is an “adamant Trump supporter” who used a “large evangelical fan base to legitimize Donald Trump.”