Mercy Me's 'Flawless' speaks of cancer, autism, Down syndrome
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Christian Examiner) -- A powerful music video by the award-winning band Mercy Me tackles a spectrum of real-life difficulties and their stigmas then re-labels them as "flawless" characteristics reclaimed by Christ's work on the cross.
In the Flawless video, "we have some people that maybe society may look at as flawed that are part of the video, but like the chorus says no matter the bumps or the bruises, the cross makes us flawless," Millard said in a behind the scenes production about the making of the video released in late April.
From cancer, autism and Down syndrome to the daily challenges of spiritual life the compelling video even lays bare band members' personal struggles. In one frame, lead singer Bart Millard reveals his struggle that he is "Haunted by his past."
In the video, Millard and band are shown drenched and stained by dull-colored paint on white clothing -- a symbol of their flaws. The visual depiction of the process of being made perfect and unblemished because of God's grace and the gift of the cross is demonstrated in the end of the video with the band pictured singing their song clad in all-white, blemish free clothing.
The hit "Flawless" is a single from Mercy Me's Welcome to the New album released in 2014. The album charted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 and is nominated for three 2015 Billboard Music Awards including: Top Christian Artist, Top Christian Album (Welcome to the New), and Top Christian Song (Greater).
Since their debut in 2001, the band has been GRAMMY®-nominated, and awarded recognition from the American Music Award and Dove Awards.
They have sold more than 8.5 million CDs, singles and DVDs. Additionally, they have garnered 26 Number one multi-format Christian radio singles and four consecutive radio hits with "I Can Only Imagine."
Other honors include "winning the honor of" song of the decade. The band's hit single "I Can Only Imagine" surpassed 2 million digital downloads, making it the first song in Christian music to go platinum and double-platinum in the digital domain.