He’s a Christian music superstar. And he’s coming to Kennewick

He’s one of Christian music’s biggest stars, with armfuls of awards and millions of albums sold.

And he’s performing in Kennewick next month.

Toby McKeehan, better known as TobyMac, brings his Hits Deep to the Toyota Center on Feb. 15.

It’s not too late to grab tickets. They start at $15 and are available through Ticketmaster and the Toyota Center box office.

McKeehan said he picked the tour name for a reason. “It’ll be hits all night — the songs people know, the songs people will be singing along to,” he told the Herald in a phone interview.

He’ll dive into his own deep discography, which includes hits from Gone to Made to Love and Lose My Soul. And he’ll try out some new music, too.

His latest single, I Just Need U, came out in early January. It’s personally meaningful, he said.

“I can honestly say that I love this song. I want all songs to be that way, but some you’re more in love with than others,” McKeehan said. “It’s really about trying to find fulfillment. Finding that really only the deeper things — not the surface things — fill your life.”

McKeehan shot to fame in with the Christian hip hop/rock group DC Talk and then forged a successful solo career.

He’s sold more than 11 million records and won seven Grammy awards, among other honors.

He’s not the only well-known artist on Hits Deep. American Idol alums Danny Gokey and Mandisa, worship music star Ryan Stevenson and the band Finding Favour are joining him on tour.

“It’s by far the biggest set we’ve ever had. The biggest production we’ve ever had. We’re playing arenas, but we want to make it feel warm. We want to make it feel like a theater,” McKeehan said.

Like him, Gokey, Mandisa and the rest will be playing their most popular songs in Kennewick. And they all aim to inspire with an uplifting message, McKeehan said.

“My goal has always been for people to leave the show hoarse from singing, sweaty from dancing, but refreshed in their spirit. They leave feeling a little bit better about their life,” he said.

“Music tends to be able to do something in people. It communicates to people. They might hear the same thing five different ways, but music is a river to the heart. When you combine faith with music, it can be powerful.”

This story was originally published January 27, 2018 at 5:56 PM with the headline "He’s a Christian music superstar. And he’s coming to Kennewick."