Two of gospel music’s most visible voices have stepped away from Maverick City Music, the influential collective that helped reshape contemporary worship in recent years.
Chandler Moore and Naomi Raine announced their departures this week, posting separate statements on social media to confirm they will no longer be part of the Maverick City Music Group.
Both artists framed their decisions as personal and professional moves.
They said they want space to focus on family, ministry and individual creative projects.
Their posts thanked fans and collaborators for years of shared stages and records while asking for privacy and continued prayers as they transition.
The announcements arrive as the Maverick City ecosystem confronts intense public scrutiny and ongoing legal battles.
Chandler Moore filed a lawsuit days ago, against the group’s CEO, Norman Gyamfi. The civil fraud suit, filed in a federal court in Atlanta, alleges Gyamfi stole millions of dollars in royalties from Moore through fraudulent deals and by forging his signature on contracts.
The complaints have raised difficult questions about governance, money flows and decision making inside a rapidly growing ministry that crossed over into mainstream music markets.
Maverick City grew fast from intimate worship gatherings into a wide reaching label and touring operation.
Rapid growth created new pressures: higher stakes contracts, complex revenue splits, and multiple stakeholders with different expectations.
Where those pressures have collided with unclear or informal business structures, disputes have followed.
Neither Moore nor Raine blamed the legal fights directly in their public messages.
Instead, each emphasised personal priorities and the need to steward their creative and spiritual callings in ways that felt right for them and their families.
Maverick City Music helped push modern worship into new territory by blending gospel, contemporary Christian and R&B sensibilities and by foregrounding a collaborative, choir like model of songwriting and performance.
The group won fans across congregations and streaming platforms, and its influence can be seen in mainstream award shows and festival lineups.
Still, the recent controversies underline the challenges that arise when grassroots, faith based creative projects scale into significant commercial enterprises.
Artists and managers who once focused only on ministry now must also navigate contracts, corporate governance and investor expectations.
For many in the industry, the Maverick City situation is a cautionary tale about the need for clear legal structures and transparent accounting as ministries grow into businesses.
Reaction from the gospel community has been mixed.
Fans and fellow artists praised Moore and Raine for their music and ministry, wishing them well as they pursue solo directions.
Others expressed concern about the reputational damage legal disputes can inflict on collective projects that trade on trust and spiritual authenticity.
As both sides prepare for what could be protracted legal proceedings, the departures of Chandler Moore and Naomi Raine mark an important turning point for Maverick City Music.
The group will now face the task of steadying its operations while continuing to produce music and maintain relationships with churches and fans around the world.
For now, Moore and Raine appear intent on keeping their focus local and creative.
Their exits close a chapter in Maverick City’s story and open new ones for two artists who helped define a moment in modern gospel music.
The legal claims against the group remain active, and both industry watchers and worship communities will be watching closely to see how those matters are resolved and how the collective reinvents itself in the months ahead.
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DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.
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