Debuting solo artist Tina Boonstra is releasing her new single "Prodigal" today. The single is a cut from her upcoming EP My Concrete Heart (will beat again) slated for release in early 2018 via 7Core Music.

As the title of her first single suggests, the songs are inspired by the biblical story of the prodigal son but, Boonstra says, "they're also my story and the stories of my friends. The struggles with our numb and cold hearts and the search for real joy and real peace in the busyness of life."

Listen to Tina Boonstra's "Prodigal" via the official lyric video below:

Growing up as a songwriter in a missionary family, Boonstra expected her songs to find their home in the church halls she was so familiar with, but it wasn't until she began performing on the London open mic circuit that she cut her teeth as a performer and honed her craft into a treasure trove of songs with a depth and emotional intensity reminiscent of Damien Rice, PJ Harvey and John Mark McMillan.

'When I started songwriting I wrote about a lot of different things, but in the back of my mind I always thought that I'd end up writing for churches. Then when I got older I started showing this music to people but no one seemed very interested in what I was writing and so I was left with a notebook full of songs that weren't being sung by anyone." Boonstra explains.

She continues, "Eventually I decided that if no one was going to sing my songs in church I'd go and find somewhere else to play them. So I started playing open mic and acoustic nights in and around London. I started off playing the few pop songs I'd written but I slowly realized that I wanted to sing about more than that."

"I wanted to sing about what it was like to live in a city that is constantly asking for more and more of you and at the same time telling you, you're not enough. I wanted to sing about faith and doubt, and the very real struggle to feel anything apart from completely numb."

7Core Music director Trevor Michael says, "Throughout our time as a record label we've always tried to work alongside artists who have their own unique sound, with something fresh to say not only to the church but also those outside the church walls. Tina fits that brief perfectly. We're big fans and really pleased to welcome her to the 7Core family."

Boonstra's single will be followed by a 6-track EP expected to release early 2018.

Find out more about Tina Boonstra and "Prodigal" via her Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.