Nostr notes by nogoodkid

one of my friends has a house (built pre-covid), and a kid. no ...

2026-10-19T14:18:09Z

In reply to nevent1q…r5j5
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one of my friends has a house (built pre-covid), and a kid. no fancy job, but the basics are covered. i think of him as the richest person i know.

JOB HUNT --- If you know a team where this could be useful, I’d ...

2026-10-14T09:59:15Z

JOB HUNT

--- If you know a team where this could be useful, I’d appreciate a share or an introduction. 🤘🏻💀 ---

I’m looking for a new role across brand, creative and communications. Brand / marketing management, art direction or creative lead, PR & communications, account or project management all make sense depending on the team.

BIO
I’ve spent 15+ years in design and marketing, working in agencies, in-house and independently. My background is in graphic and brand design, but I’ve also worked on strategy, campaigns, copy, digital and physical projects, led a small design team, coordinated creatives and suppliers, and taken projects from brief to production.

Over the past few years, I’ve worked on several Bitcoin- and Nostr-related projects, but this job hunt is not limited to those spaces.

WHAT I’M LOOKING FOR
These days I’m most interested in the part where creativity meets people: understanding what needs to be done, finding the right direction, bringing the right people together and getting the idea to the finish line.

Open to remote opportunities worldwide and comfortable working in sync with a team through regular calls, check-ins and day-to-day communication.

💀 Visit my website:
https://nogoodkid.com/

🎨 Design & project portfolio:
https://dribbble.com/nogoodkid

… any favorite games? 🎮

2026-10-14T06:51:26Z

In reply to nevent1q…avxz
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… any favorite games? 🎮

way to grow 🌱

2026-10-13T17:22:39Z

In reply to nevent1q…c284
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way to grow 🌱

Brian Cox receives the Stephen Hawking Medal for Science ...

2026-10-13T14:30:20Z

Brian Cox receives the Stephen Hawking Medal for Science Communication from Brian May.

Nerds 🖤 ✨

https://youtu.be/EVnEmbMJIoQ

Morning ✨

2026-10-13T07:07:40Z

In reply to nevent1q…572m
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Morning ✨

Thank you, appreciate it 🙏🏻

2026-10-09T21:06:35Z

In reply to nevent1q…ltdw
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Thank you, appreciate it 🙏🏻

I did branding for @nprofile…f2fm, a WoT-based search by ...

2026-10-09T14:18:03Z

I did branding for brainstorm (nprofile…f2fm), a WoT-based search by nosfabrica (nprofile…pnlv) & Freedom Tech Co. (nprofile…4tsx) / Nostr Dev Team (nprofile…u455).

Very cool bunch! It’s an honor.

AviBurra (nprofile…q34j) thebitcoinyogi (nprofile…lc8d) VitorPamplona (nprofile…x58v) straycat (nprofile…082c) megistus (nprofile…gnrf)

🔎 Try Brainstorm:
https://brainstorm.world/

quoting
naddr1qv…q60f

About Brainstorm

It’s pretty straightforward: Brainstorm is a search engine that uses WoT to filter results. So instead of sorting search results by popularity or algorithms controlled by big platforms, it helps us discover people, content, and ideas through connections we trust.

(Personal) Intro

Summer 2024, Nostriga Conference

It’s a rainy August morning in Riga, and I’m arriving at the venue of a traveling Nostr conference. While waiting in line for coffee, I start chatting with the guy next to me. His name is David, and he’s big into Web of Trust. We watch Derek’s opening keynote together, exchange npubs, and then go our separate ways.

Two years later, I join nosfabrica (npub1hea…vp8p) / Freedom Tech Co. (npub1frd…h4dd) / Nostr Dev Team (npub1yay…trdv) on a WoT-based search called Brainstorm.

And of course, this intro would suck if straycat (npub1u5n…ldq3) hadn't turned out to be one of Brainstorm's architects. What a pleasant reunion. Very Nostr.

Brainstorm Branding

Idea

The key idea behind Brainstorm branding is that it’s an everyday tool for everyday people. As such, it shouldn’t feel like a tech or Web3 project, but rather like something trustworthy and approachable.

Logo

The goal was to keep the logo as simple as possible, so I dropped the usual logo icon and built it entirely around the Brainstorm name.

Since Brainstorm is all about human connections, I chose the handwritten lettering to bring a human touch to the logo, letting the letters carry the emotion.

Brand Identity

Clean, digital-first typography (Figtree + IBM Plex Mono). Clarity and readability before glamour.

Purple-cyan color palette for visual accents brings soft and calm human feel.

The little purple lights in Brainstorm key visuals represent people in the network. Together, they form connections that make Web of Trust work.

Visual Language

Putting it all together, Brainstorm has a visual identity that puts people first, rather than the technology behind it.

After all, Web of Trust is about human connections. It only makes sense that Brainstorm should look and feel that way too.

Take care & search through the people you trust! 🤘🏻

NGK

Brainstorm: https://brainstorm.world/

Brainstorm branding case study: https://dribbble.com/shots/27581111-Brainstorm-by-Nosfabrica-branding

Nice! By the Way was one of the first albums I played along to ...

2026-10-09T08:17:59Z

In reply to nevent1q…z7g9
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Nice! By the Way was one of the first albums I played along to when I started drumming :) I’m originally a guitarist too, so I can relate to the excitement of discovering the rhythmic side of songs. Very cool stuff. 🤘🏻💀

Playing along with songs is imo the best way to learn drums (if ...

2026-10-09T07:48:40Z

In reply to nevent1q…rgvw
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Playing along with songs is imo the best way to learn drums (if you’re not after formal music education). I still have CDs full of MP3s from my early drumming days, always makes me smile going through the collection :)

Who do you like to drum along to?

Nice kitchen. Enjoy the cooking :)

2026-10-05T20:00:49Z

In reply to nevent1q…demw
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Nice kitchen. Enjoy the cooking :)

Nostr event nevent1qqsgq7hmqp9hqnxjpg9lxj37z7m9znlrj776lzrpee2hwrqe0qmdczszyzf7adtvkfzrt0rq3je994fh7d8jrvpychwtaerfxrd9cmv5d83e5jvd869

2026-10-05T08:43:45Z

In reply to nevent1q…w4gq
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Folding:

Nostr event nevent1qqspmh5ha83pqcwu372aj8uq0y3eyhdyrf6uxahyt698w20vshuhyzczyzf7adtvkfzrt0rq3je994fh7d8jrvpychwtaerfxrd9cmv5d83e5690juh

2026-10-05T08:35:52Z

Nostr Community Zine is meant to be printed and shared 💜

If you’re attending a meetup or conference, or just have a friend you’d like to talk about Nostr with, and want to bring something to the table, use this print-ready zine file.

👩🏻‍💻 PDF print specs:
A3 format (420x297 mm)
300 DPI / CMYK
3 mm bleed + crop marks

📰 Recommendation:
If you're having it printed at a print shop, just let them do the print (and crop the white edges) and fold it yourself (video in comments).
You’ll save some money.

🖨️ Print-ready file:
https://nogoodkid.com/nostrzine1026.pdf

If you have any questions, ask away .)

I‘m using Primal for general browsing and @nprofile…3qt8 for ...

2026-10-05T05:59:23Z

In reply to nevent1q…xslu
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I‘m using Primal for general browsing and YakiHonne (nprofile…3qt8) for writing long-form articles, which are like blog posts on Nostr, and on the profiles you find them not in the main feed but under the tab Articles.

But try several clients and find the most suitable ones for you.

Hey T, the most rewarding is interacting with content you like - ...

2026-10-05T05:56:02Z

In reply to nevent1q…3udx
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Hey T, the most rewarding is interacting with content you like - commenting, zapping..

Also when you find a person who you like, go through their followings and followers. Chances are you find more people like that.

Helping people who ask questions using the hashtag #asknostr (although there usually are technical nostr questions which you might not know answers to, but it‘s good to keep an eye on that, there are practical dos and don‘ts).

Being sick is only bearable if I can still play video games from ...

2026-10-04T13:22:04Z

Being sick is only bearable if I can still play video games from bed.
I’m catching up with Life is Strange and man, was I not prepared for the emotional ride..

🫂 💜

2026-10-04T11:01:16Z

In reply to nevent1q…7gwy
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🫂 💜

Nostr. People. 🤘🏻

2026-10-02T19:59:03Z

In reply to nevent1q…wa6f
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Nostr. People. 🤘🏻

Agreed, the idea behind the app is - I‘m at work, tired and ...

2026-10-02T14:15:01Z

In reply to nevent1q…s6wq
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Agreed, the idea behind the app is - I‘m at work, tired and feeling low and it‘s creepy to ask a coworker for 4 minutes of staring, so I open the app, instantly find another person, do the thing to recharge, and go back to work. So yeah, it‘s not the real thing, but the effect is “good enough”.

But that‘s just an idea, I didn‘t give it too much thought :)

Alive and active 🤘🏻 #nevent1q…8x5r

2026-10-02T13:59:37Z

In reply to nevent1q…3lkv
_________________________

Alive and active 🤘🏻

quoting
nevent1q…8x5r
We made a Nostr zine! 🎉

Thank you for being a part of this 🫶🏻

franny (nprofile…kj5z)
Tanja (nprofile…xm6g)
existing sprinkles (nprofile…2zln)
Nostrautica (nprofile…dl05)
Joe Martin (nprofile…2yzn)
nprofile1qythwumn8ghj7cm0dej826t5dsezuenv0yhxgetkqyxhwumn8ghj7mn0wvhxcmmvqqs9vw4rqad40et7400gf39337zyv6vhfvxwr43c608n9as3jh9jjvg7fkpx3 (nprofile…kpx3)
AJ (nprofile…f0ww)
sifrant (nprofile…rdh8)
npub16k903v3yr7wx3w4ylkmkg68hkkkarrn7eaf295q55e2tz63e7jvss58n63
Freedom Tech Co. (nprofile…4tsx)
Nostr Dev Team (nprofile…u455)
Audeltk (nprofile…pc7p)
BitPopArt (nprofile…2d4e)

Print the zines and give them away at your meetup!
You’ll find the print files in the article.

naddr1qv…wwdu

oh thank goodness there‘s no marketing dept :)

2026-10-02T12:45:19Z

In reply to nevent1q…82jt
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oh thank goodness there‘s no marketing dept :)

That would ve awesome :)

2026-10-02T11:56:57Z

In reply to nevent1q…jk47
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That would ve awesome :)

Are you there on Sunday too?

2026-10-02T09:11:27Z

In reply to nevent1q…k3y0
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Are you there on Sunday too?

oh now that would be really cool! share some photos afterwards :) ...

2026-10-02T06:39:15Z

In reply to nevent1q…v6fp
_________________________

oh now that would be really cool! share some photos afterwards :)

the format is A3, and there‘s so called bleed in the print file, so you or the printer will cut out the white edges and fold it like in the video. if anything, just let me know .)

Absolutely! We‘ll be in touch, or if you already have an idea ...

2026-10-02T06:28:50Z

In reply to nevent1q…e3na
_________________________

Absolutely! We‘ll be in touch, or if you already have an idea for the content, let me know right away .)

thank you, Elizabeth! wildly cool you‘re part of it 🫂

2026-10-01T21:10:24Z

In reply to nevent1q…4jh7
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thank you, Elizabeth! wildly cool you‘re part of it 🫂

glad for your presence there!

2026-10-01T21:06:36Z

In reply to nevent1q…sy79
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glad for your presence there!

it is!

2026-10-01T21:05:47Z

In reply to nevent1q…842c
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it is!

🤜🏻⚡️🤛🏻

2026-10-01T21:05:27Z

In reply to nevent1q…82lu
_________________________

🤜🏻⚡️🤛🏻

I‘m happy you are a part of it, Tanja 🫂

2026-10-01T21:04:40Z

In reply to nevent1q…ydgy
_________________________

I‘m happy you are a part of it, Tanja 🫂

We made a Nostr zine! 🎉 ...

2026-10-01T17:34:42Z

We made a Nostr zine! 🎉

Thank you for being a part of this 🫶🏻

franny (nprofile…kj5z)
Tanja (nprofile…xm6g)
existing sprinkles (nprofile…2zln)
Nostrautica (nprofile…dl05)
Joe Martin (nprofile…2yzn)
nprofile1qythwumn8ghj7cm0dej826t5dsezuenv0yhxgetkqyxhwumn8ghj7mn0wvhxcmmvqqs9vw4rqad40et7400gf39337zyv6vhfvxwr43c608n9as3jh9jjvg7fkpx3 (nprofile…kpx3)
AJ (nprofile…f0ww)
sifrant (nprofile…rdh8)
npub16k903v3yr7wx3w4ylkmkg68hkkkarrn7eaf295q55e2tz63e7jvss58n63
Freedom Tech Co. (nprofile…4tsx)
Nostr Dev Team (nprofile…u455)
Audeltk (nprofile…pc7p)
BitPopArt (nprofile…2d4e)

Print the zines and give them away at your meetup!
You’ll find the print files in the article.

quoting
naddr1qv…wwdu

Nostr Community Zine 10/26

Created by the Nostr community Produced by No Good Kid

Dear New Nostrich

by Tanja (npub1hz5…tysa)

Dear new Nostrich,

Maybe you just arrived: no npub tattoo yet, still not sure whether this is really different from everything else you know. I was there too. Here's what nobody told me when I started:

Nostr isn't a product you use. It's a space you help build.

There's no company deciding whether your voice counts: just real people, actually listening, not because an algorithm forced them to, but because they chose to.

Through Nostr, I found my voice.

My advice: don't go looking for Nostr online. Go outside: to a meetup, a lounge, a zine like this one. The energy you're searching for doesn't live just in the feed. It lives also in rooms where real people dare to be real.

Welcome. This space is yours too.

—Tanja

by existing sprinkles (npub1f5k…vk2u)

The Person Three Tables Away

by Nostrautica (npub1k33…4taa)

It usually goes like this: you spend a whole day at an event surrounded by interesting people, talk to whoever happens to be standing near the coffee, and only later discover that the person you really should have met was three tables away.

Nostrautica gives organizers a way to help their people find each other, not just gather in the same place. It now supports communities as well as events, and it’s free to use, including for events you organize yourself.

Introduce yourself with a few written lines, audio, or a short video. Nostrautica connects it with your public Nostr activity and points you towards people you may actually have something to talk about with, along with a simple explanation of why.

Sometimes that one conversation is the whole reason for being there.

Check it out: nostrautica.cypherpunk.today

—Nostrautica

"You were tired of playing a losing game, it's 4D chess and now you've called Checkmate"

by Joe Martin (npub19r9…eukr)

I'm Joe Martin,

a 21st century troubadour telling my story through song and looking at ways technology can work for artists instead of against them. On my quest I discovered bitcoin and the concept of value for value, releasing your content on open protocols such as RSS and nostr and asking listeners to send value back in the form of sats. I think this is the purest and most direct way to monetise your work and creates an instant connection between artist and audience.

I think most artists are tired of the old way of doing things and it hasn't worked for the vast majority of us. So let's take a leap into this brave new world and own our own content and money with this new, empowering technology of bitcoin and nostr. When the implications of this new way of doing things is realised by the masses, it's game over, checkmate for the old system.

To take a line from a song off my new album Alone In Valentine;

"You were tired of playing a losing game, it's 4D chess and now you've called Checkmate"

—Joe

What Creation Asks of Us

by npub12ca2xp6m2ljha277snztrruyge5ewjcvu8tr3570xtmpr9wt9ycsdmlnhu (npub12ca…lnhu)

Recent events have left many in the Bitcoin community grieving. A Coldcard firmware bug weakened seed generation. Thousands of addresses were drained. Those who lost funds did nothing wrong. They trusted a respected tool and met a vulnerability they could not anticipate.

This grief is not only about stolen bitcoin. These are moments that cut deeper than code. They remind us how human every creation is. Every creation carries its creator. Creation asks presence of us: care, attention, and the courage to let other eyes complete what we began.

At Bitcoiner Talent, this clarified my work: gathering people whose character becomes part of what they create.

We were never meant to walk this alone. Let’s build with warmth… let’s meet on Nostr where you can continue reading on my profile.

—Elizabeth

rust

by AJ (npub1xff…t6y0)

the damage spreads slowly, invisibly strong and solid becomes feeble and weak

the damage is easy to fix but the tools are all wrong

the damage just needs a moment of focus but distractions and worries mean the focus never comes

the damage takes hold and breaks this in two because a letter is missing

—AJ

by sifrant (npub13cd…ptf8) & Dodavkacka (npub16k9…8n63)

It’s bigger than I am, and it’s uncertain. But I’m here for it.

by franny (npub1995…8vtf)

Hey, my name is Franny!

I grew up on a farm in a peaceful village in Germany. While everything seems to go higher, faster and wider, I crave so little to thrive. And yet, so much of my time and energy goes into keeping up with a huge system that seems to demand more and more.

What I actually care about is...

...time, for myself and for the environment that counts on me.

...connection to the things I have on my plate and where I put my energy in.

...freedom to be and to care for each other.

I am mad at the fact that I need to take care of this huge system while I am needed here, in my local area. By the ecosystem and the people around me. But so much of the system we depend on is not made for the locals anymore. I always felt deeply connected to the earth and its beings. And maybe that’s also why I am drawn to things that give us a little more agency over the systems we depend on.

So I am really glad about the following two things: There is Bitcoin and there is Nostr. Bitcoin gives me hope that money can exist by rules that are transparent and measurable, instead of rules that can simply be changed by those in power. Nostr is much more experimental, still. But there lies so much potential. It’s a decentralized identity protocol. To me, it means that my identity online doesn’t have to belong to a platform. It is based on a key that I can take with me across different apps and places on Nostr. No single company needs to own the space in which I connect with other people.

But why do we need to be online, anyway? I can only answer that for myself. I am online because I am looking for other people who also want to strengthen their local communities and ecosystems. I am part of a group that organizes meetups in and around Germany, to bring people together. People who feel a similar tension about the systems we depend on, and who want to figure out a different way of doing things.

And I like photography, so I share what I see through my lens. Plus deep thoughts and shitposts.

I have shared stuff like this specifically with this weirdly hopeful corner of the internet for three and a half years now. I made friends along the way. People I eventually met in real life. We cooked meals together and shared life stories. It’s meaningful, because we see so much hope in each other. At first, it might seem a little backwards to spend time supporting an online community in order to strengthen local communities. But for me, it’s not. This community inspires me in so many ways. It gives me intellectual and emotional strength to put energy into the place where I actually live.

People who might have never found each other otherwise, suddenly realize how much they have in common. Ideas get shared, people help each other, we just figure out and use these tools that give power back to the people. Maybe that’s what I find so interesting about Nostr.

It doesn’t have to become another place that keeps us online. Maybe it can be infrastructure that helps us connect each other, without needing a central platform to organize our relationships for us. I hope I can do my part to strengthen the people. Maybe from that, over time, we can build more local and circular economies, meaningful crafts, stronger communities and lives that feel a little more connected to what actually matters.

It’s bigger than I am, and it’s uncertain. But I’m here for it. And I am thankful to form it along the way.

—Franny

A need is identified

by Audeltk (npub1q0e…spsx)

A need is identified A promise is made. The community comes together. Bitcoin turns that promise into action.

Then comes the impact: a child helped, a smile restored, a life touched.

And we don’t stop there. We come back, we share the results, we learn, we update and we keep building hope.

Observe. Promise. Collect. Act. Impact. Recap. Repeat.

This is how Hope With ₿itcoin (npub10vs…9eap) works.

—Audel TK

None of this is clever

by Freedom Tech Co. (npub1frd…h4dd) & Nostr Dev Team (npub1yay…trdv)

Seven field-tested habits for building on bitcoin and nostr, from a freedom-tech dev shop.

1. The network is the documentation

There's a trap that catches so many outsiders: assuming you need a merged NIP before you can use a kind number. You don't — the specs describe what the network already does; they don't decide what it's allowed to do. Curious which kinds are actually alive? Watch the relays. A working kind nobody documented beats an unused documented kind, every time.

2. Ship before you're done

Don't try to build everything nostr can do into your first release — it can do everything, and that's another trap. Get a working product out the door and improve it in public. Your users forgive missing features; they don't wait around for perfect ones. Perfectionism is centralised thinking — a habit of waiting for permission, and you can drop it. Shipping is permissionless.

3. Fixed price is rarely a good deal

If you're commissioning software, be wary of a fixed quote. Hourly keeps everyone honest: you participate in the build, pay for what actually gets built, and the money goes into working software — not padding estimates or cutting corners to stay inside one.

4. No spyware in the workshop

Host your own tools. Then steal our one hard rule — it does more work than any manifesto: no phone numbers, no fiat. If a tool demands either, find another tool. Yes, including Signal and Telegram — phone numbers are the account system of everything you left behind, or are about to. And when you pay sats, there is no payment data — nothing for your bank to log and sell.

5. Bitcoin is the alignment test

You can't hire for nostr off a CV — devs with years of nostr experience barely exist, because nostr hasn't had years to give. If you're building a team, pay in bitcoin. People who take it have already done the thinking about money, time, and why any of this gets built. Skills can be developed. Alignment can't be bought — and nothing matters more.

6. Nobody here clicks ads

You cannot advertise your way into this community: nostr users installed an ad blocker over the whole internet and kept walking. So how do you reach anyone? The same way everyone here did — ship in public, genuinely live on nostr, make zaps, show up. Collect nostr addresses instead of business cards. Assume the venue wifi is hostile. It usually is.

7. Relays are not archives. Deletes are not deletes.

A free relay stores your notes out of courtesy, not duty — it can vanish tomorrow, and your posts with it. And on nostr, deletion is a request, not an act: you can ask every relay to forget a note, but anyone who copied it first keeps it forever. Self-sovereignty means you design for both facts from day one — run or fund the relays you depend on, and never sign what you can't live with being copied.

If one of these habits stung, that's the one to start with. None of this is clever. All of it works.

See you on the relays.

—Nostr devs

by BitPopArt (npub1gwa…a2sz)

Print the zine!

Print the zines and give them away at your meetup!

Print data (A3 format): https://nogoodkid.com/nostrzine1026.pdf

Enjoy!

NGK

Welcome a new nostrich ✌🏻 #nevent1q…mzw6

2026-10-01T08:25:52Z

Welcome a new nostrich ✌🏻

quoting
nevent1q…mzw6
Late sun

or kids..

2026-09-30T14:18:44Z

In reply to nevent1q…86lu
_________________________

or kids..

on primal and yakihonne, I can see it with the thumbnail alright ...

2026-09-30T09:24:09Z

In reply to nevent1q…2f36
_________________________

on primal and yakihonne, I can see it with the thumbnail alright 🤘🏻

good to hear from you btw 😉

GM ☕️ 🍂

2026-09-29T09:34:04Z

In reply to nevent1q…5avx
_________________________

GM ☕️ 🍂

dudes, I’m not the guy for managing the infrastructure, but if ...

2026-09-28T09:11:14Z

In reply to nevent1q…qun6
_________________________

dudes, I’m not the guy for managing the infrastructure, but if you need any visual/design stuff related to this topic, feel free to get in touch 🤘🏻💀

Morning ☀️

2026-09-27T08:03:37Z

In reply to nevent1q…rse5
_________________________

Morning ☀️

GM ☀️

2026-09-27T07:47:36Z

In reply to nevent1q…2cpf
_________________________

GM ☀️

GM ☕️☀️ & happy Sunday 🕊️ ...

2026-09-27T05:59:00Z

GM ☕️☀️ & happy Sunday 🕊️

https://youtu.be/V4uPwUrCaV0

quoting
naddr1qq…588u

This article is part of a series on worship music, in which I cover four modern churches and their influence on the genre: Bethel, Planetshakers, Jesus Culture, and Hillsong.

Photo: Justin Higuchi, Hillsong United performing live, October 23, 2014, The Forum, Inglewood, CA, USA. Originally posted on Flickr. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0).

Hillsong

The birthplace of modern worship

If you’ve ever heard a modern worship song - anywhere, in any language - there’s a solid chance it was written, arranged, or somehow inspired by Hillsong.

They are not just the most important part of The Big Worship Four. They are the pioneers, they are where it all began.

In 2006 I was asked to join a local gospel and worship choir as a drummer. I was a 16-year-old punk back then, who smoked a fat joint right before meeting the choir leader. I didn’t really care about it and was about to turn it down. But the guy was young and cool, so we talked, and then he played me a video, just for fun.

It was Hillsong & Delirious?: Unified Praise live concert, and as I was sitting there, decently baked from the doobie, the most important change in my life just started to take shape.

I watched the first three songs and then said I will join that choir.

By that time Hillsong wasn’t just a church with great music, it was already a global movement that was about to change the whole Christian culture and redefine the worship experience altogether.

From Sydney to the World

In the early 1980s Brian and Bobbie Houston founded what was then called Hills Christian Life Centre. Their vision was to build a church that speaks the language of its generation.

A young worship leader named Geoff Bullock started writing songs that blended the honesty of classic hymns with the melodic appeal of pop. Soon after, Darlene Zschech joined, and with her, the sound of Hillsong found its identity.

Those two names names today carry almost mythic status in the Christian music world.

Back then, nobody knew that a group of young musicians with simple arrangements and heart for Jesus would become one of the most influential music movements in the world. But that’s what happened.

The First Records

The early recordings of Hillsong Music Australia were live, raw, and deeply human - you could hear the crowd singing, clapping, sometimes even crying, and that was the point.

Worship wasn’t supposed to be perfect; it was supposed to be real.

In 1993, Darlene Zschech song Shout to the Lord came out.

That song didn’t just become popular - it completely revolutionized modern worship. Translated into more than 100 languages, sung in churches from Rio to Seoul, it’s still performed every Sunday somewhere in the world.

I vividly remember crying while listening to the song for the first time, and a few times after that.

Songs like Power of Your Love and My Redeemer Lives followed, turning Hillsong into a household name in the Christian world.

And just like that, worship left the four walls of local churches and stepped onto the global stage.

The Worldwide Boom

By the early 2000s, Hillsong wasn’t just a church anymore - it was a movement, a brand, and a creative hub, and it was about to get even bigger.

Their multi-day conferences attracted tens of thousands, and their songs topped charts not only in Christian music but across mainstream platforms.

Hillsong’s music division became so big and ambitious, that it led to split, which didn’t mean breakup, but evolution:

Hillsong Worship - the traditional, church-centered sound, focused on congregational songs

Hillsong United - the youthful, experimental arm led by Joel Houston, the son of the church’s founders

Hillsong Young & Free - the electronic and pop-oriented worship collective targeting the digital generation

Each of them touring, performing and releasing records under its own sub-brand.

Each had its own identity, and together they cover nearly every genre from acoustic ballads to synth-driven EDM, turning stadiums into sanctuaries.

And if that sounds like an exaggeration, you probably haven’t seen 20,000 people sing Oceans with tears in their eyes.

The Sound of Faith

If you trace the sound of Hillsong through time, you basically trace the evolution of modern worship.

1990s - the Darlene Zschech era: bright guitars, live choirs, clean pop-rock sound with lots of emotional melodies.

2000s - the Joel Houston era: massive drums, atmospheric guitars, cinematic build-ups - the sound of stadium worship.

2010s and on - the Brooke Ligertwood & Taya Smith era: ambient synths, minimalism, poetic lyrics, and sonic depth.

What I love about Hillsong is how naturally they grew with the times. They never forced trends, they became the trend.

Where Bethel brought intimacy and Planetshakers brought energy, Hillsong brought scale - and yet, even in their biggest moments, the songs still feel personal.

As a musician, I’ve always admired how they balance production and heart. It’s easy to sound huge. It’s much harder to sound huge and holy.

The Voices and the Songwriters

Darlene Zschech – the queen of worship. Her voice defined the 90s era of Hillsong. When she sings Shout to the Lord, it feels like heaven itself joins in.

Reuben Morgan – the architect of Hillsong’s songwriting. He’s behind Mighty to Save, Cornerstone, Christ Is Enough, and so many others. I especially love his lyrics. His writing is so flawless that it makes singing his songs feel like the most natural thing in the world.

Joel Houston – the creative wild card. He pushed worship into new sonic spaces. Tracks like Touch the Sky or Good Grace carry that balance between faith and modern artistry.

Taya Smith – the voice of Oceans. When she sings, it’s as if all the noise of the world goes quiet. That song alone has been streamed over 700 million times. Not bad for a church tune.

Brooke Ligertwood – the poet and theologian among them. My personal favorite. Author of Hosanna, Man of Sorrows, What a Beautiful Name and many others. Her songwriting is both intellectual and deeply spiritual. She is a rare blend of heart and mind.

Photo: Justin Higuchi, Hillsong United performing live, October 23, 2014, The Forum, Inglewood, CA, USA. Originally posted on Flickr. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0).

Beyond Music

But Hillsong isn’t only about sound.

They redefined what modern church culture looks like. Stage design, camera work, lighting, branding, design and typography. Everything is intentional, beautiful, and relevant.

For young creatives, Hillsong became a place where faith meets art. You could play guitar, design visuals, mix sound, shoot video - and do it all for something greater than yourself.

Of course, this kind of visibility also brought criticism - people saying it’s too much show, too much production. Maybe. But the truth is, Hillsong simply reflected the world it was reaching.

They made worship look like it belonged in the 21st century.

Legacy

Hillsong changed how we think about worship - not just as music, but as culture.

They showed that faith doesn’t have to sound outdated. They built a bridge between church and mainstream art, between the sacred and the popular.

Their songs are now sung in tiny rural chapels and massive megachurches alike. Their sound has inspired thousands of musicians who may never even realize they’re part of a legacy that began in a small Australian suburb.

To me Hillsong music became nothing less than part of my life - and that was way before I prayed for the first time.

Live in Miami was the soundtrack of my spiritual puberty and there were times when I listened to it every day for about a year, and it’s still one of my favorite live rock albums of all time.

Thank God I went to that meeting in 2006.

Be blessed. <br> PS. Yes, Hillsong Church went through storms lately - but the worship is still pure. The failures of leadership don’t rewrite the beauty of the songs that brought millions closer to God.

Recommended Albums

Hillsong Worship:

Faith + Hope + Love (2009)

Cornerstone (2012)

Let There Be Light (2016)

Hillsong United:

Live in Miami (2012)

Zion (2013)

Empires (2015)

Hillsong Young & Free:

III (2018) <br><br>

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/O-hy6tj2D0I?si=YNHUHh0jp0SF6Toz" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>

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2026-09-26T18:20:28Z

In reply to nevent1q…q6ml
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2026-09-26T17:36:59Z

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quoting
nevent1q…rxss

BodyX Laser Control

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2026-09-26T10:44:12Z

In reply to nevent1q…rxss
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GM ☕️☀️

2026-09-26T08:57:25Z

In reply to nevent1q…6tau
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GM ☕️☀️

isn‘t it to early after the hillsong church crash..? From ...

2026-09-25T21:07:02Z

In reply to nevent1q…6cxz
_________________________

isn‘t it to early after the hillsong church crash..? From europe pov it seems like it‘s too early for this model..

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2026-09-25T10:37:07Z

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quoting
nevent1q…cn23
:D
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Big smiles

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nevent1q…6frc

Enjoy 🧡

2026-09-25T06:56:26Z

In reply to nevent1q…nrvz
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“There’s no nice way to do research. It’s dirty all the ...

2026-09-24T11:11:39Z

“There’s no nice way to do research. It’s dirty all the time.”

Sometimes I come for drumming talks and then end up with life wisdom.

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2026-09-23T21:35:10Z

Dam

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2026-09-23T21:23:04Z

In reply to nevent1q…rkk5
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You do that. What‘s missing in communication these days is the ...

2026-09-23T08:27:28Z

In reply to nevent1q…ltqy
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GM ☀️☕️ this is the shit 🍂🧡 ...

2026-09-23T06:33:25Z

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Welcome Si, just browse around for a while and get comfortable. ...

2026-09-23T06:06:45Z

In reply to nevent1q…9uf3
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Welcome Si, just browse around for a while and get comfortable. If you find an interesting person, see their follows. Feel safe to participate in discussions, nostr folk is really friendly and supportive.

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2026-09-23T06:00:29Z

In reply to nevent1q…w7zm
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google fonts actually don‘t suck balls anymore.. I find myself ...

2026-09-23T05:59:41Z

In reply to nevent1q…7stz
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2026-09-22T20:30:00Z

In reply to nevent1q…x7lv
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2026-09-22T13:43:05Z

In reply to nevent1q…chhw
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Enjoy your trip ✌🏻

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2026-09-22T11:32:47Z

In reply to nevent1q…7wt9
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2026-09-22T11:31:30Z

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---
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quoting
nevent1q…uve6
“We’re very close to when agents are going to be doing the majority of the work on the internet… how do you know which agents you can trust?”- AviBurra (nprofile…c825) straycat (nprofile…ludf)

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2026-09-22T06:29:43Z

In reply to nevent1q…vy5e
_________________________

GM ☀️☕️

GM ☀️ That‘s a really cool phase, I remember that well 😁

2026-09-20T07:44:22Z

In reply to nevent1q…7jwm
_________________________

GM ☀️ That‘s a really cool phase, I remember that well 😁

GM ☀️ What a nice idea, enjoy the challenge and the ...

2026-09-20T07:43:07Z

In reply to nevent1q…87rz
_________________________

GM ☀️ What a nice idea, enjoy the challenge and the interactions. If there are any interesting insights you could share with us here, please do :)

Maybe @nprofile…cr99 is the first book ever to have a cinematic ...

2026-09-18T08:48:51Z

Maybe TamersofEntropy (nprofile…cr99) is the first book ever to have a cinematic trailer...?

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quoting
nevent1q…w2cv
Cinematic teaser for the book Tamers of Entropy [EN] / Krotitelia Entropie [SK] / Krotitelé Entropie [CZ].

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Just bring him here.

2026-09-15T23:16:49Z

In reply to nevent1q…6z6x
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Just bring him here.

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2026-09-15T12:16:11Z

In reply to nevent1q…r3n0
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that‘s the way

also a pillow is a very bad (hence good) practice pad :)

2026-09-15T12:13:42Z

In reply to nevent1q…t7qa
_________________________

also a pillow is a very bad (hence good) practice pad :)

I don‘t drive but I do appreciate good car songs ...

2026-09-15T12:05:40Z

In reply to nevent1q…2kfy
_________________________

I don‘t drive but I do appreciate good car songs

https://youtu.be/fYZpcMvDEac

bucket tells the truth - old drummers proverb 🥁😁

2026-09-15T11:59:03Z

In reply to nevent1q…k3gm
_________________________

bucket tells the truth

- old drummers proverb 🥁😁

Being in v4v at this moment is more like sending a signal than ...

2026-09-13T06:56:33Z

In reply to nevent1q…s7v3
_________________________

Being in v4v at this moment is more like sending a signal than receiving an actual dough.
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Joe Martin (nprofile…e52j)

Nice! 🤘🏻

2026-09-09T08:14:52Z

In reply to nevent1q…umxx
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Nice! 🤘🏻

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2026-09-01T19:40:29Z

In reply to nevent1q…xxsd
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would be very nice to meet there 🍻

GM ☕️ & Happy Sunday 🕊️ ...

2026-08-23T12:04:13Z

GM ☕️ & Happy Sunday 🕊️

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2026-06-15T07:34:05Z

In reply to nevent1q…gr9x
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2026-06-02T07:16:01Z

In reply to nevent1q…r507
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You prepare the files on a computer, some noisy machines print ...

2026-04-27T14:22:51Z

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2025-10-19T15:32:28Z

In reply to nevent1q…f3mh
_________________________

Wow. THANK YOU 💜 @npub1y67…q62h @npub1j8y…vrvg ...

2024-08-23T16:07:26Z

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