Singer Francesca Battistelli third album "If We're Honest" (Fervent Records) bows at No. 2 on Billboard's Christian Albums chart, with sales of 13,000 copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan.
4 Months Ago
Battistelli's fans got their first taste of "If We're Honest" in January when lead single "Write Your Story" went to Christian radio, where it was added by 73 stations the first week, says Rod Riley, head of Fervent parent company Word Entertainment, and eventually hit No. 4 on the Hot Christian Songs chart. "It was something I really wanted to say," notes Battistelli of the song, which contends that God has a plan for everyone. "It set the tone for the whole record." The single was further boosted by Battistelli's Feb. 13 performance on "Good Morning America." "GMA was a first for her, and it's not played by many Christian artists, so it was good for our community too," says Riley.