Tauren Wells Recalls the Surprising Moment That Sparked a Friendship with Steph Curry
Christian artist Tauren Wells remembers well the moment he learned that NBA superstar Steph Curry -- the greatest shooter in basketball history -- was a fan of his music. It was April 2019, the week the University of Virginia basketball team won its first NCAA Tournament championship, and head coach Tony Bennett had told a CBS television audience that one of Wells' songs -- Hills and Valleys -- inspired the team.
That alone was enough to lift Wells' spirits. He found a clip of Bennett's comments, posted it to his Instagram account, and went to bed. The next morning, though, he woke up and noticed a familiar name commenting on his post -- StephenCurry30. It was the official account of Curry, who posted a brief comment stating that he, too, loved the song. Curry said he had played Hills and Valleys after his child's birth.
"I was like an eighth-grade boy, and a girl had just looked at me, and I was like, 'Do I look -- what do I do here?'" Wells says now, laughing.
"So for a couple of months, I never said anything, and then finally, I had a show that was going through his area, so I [messaged] him and said, 'Thank you so much for your comment recently. Just wanted to connect if it was possible.' And he connected, sent me his number, and we've been able to stay in touch all along now, and it's been really, really cool."
Six years have passed since that moment on CBS helped introduce Wells' music to a new audience.
"That was quite a moment."
He's released three studio records since then, including his latest, Let the Church Sing. He and his wife, Lorna, have planted a church, the Church of Whitestone. He's also written a book that will launch May 20: Joy Bomb: Unleash Jesus's Explosive Joy for an Extraordinary Life. Curry endorsed it.
"I invited him to a show, and he was like, 'Hey, I don't think I can make that one because I'm rehabbing my wrist, but I've circled the next date that you're close and I'm going to be there and bring the girls' -- and he did. We got to hang. And then he shouted me out on a couple of podcasts, and he actually was wearing my Citizen of Heaven hoodie for one of his scoring records that he got. And he's just been a very cool friend, very gracious. He actually embodies what Jesus was talking about when He said, 'Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the Earth.' And Steph is a guy where you meet him, and he makes you forget about who he is, and reminds you of who you are. And that is what the meek do -- that is what the humble do. They use their strength for service, not for status. And you can see how he has handled his platform, that that's his heart, and I think that's why God has entrusted him with so much. His endorsement means the world, but not as much as his friendship."
In Joy Bomb, Wells hopes to help readers rediscover the true joy Jesus offers.
"You have to look at the very first word Jesus ever preached in his very first recorded sermon -- that very first word is the word 'blessed.' And the word 'blessed' there actually means happy," Wells said. "In His first message, Jesus essentially tells the world how to be happy. And if this is the first message Jesus chose to communicate, how important must happiness be to the heart of God for His people to experience? And I think that we have understood joy and happiness at a surface level. We have a lot of church language around these ideas, but we don't have biblical truth and context. And so my hope through this book is that we point people to the character of God, the Word of God, the person of Jesus, and ultimately, the happiness we're all really craving."
Photo Credit: ©Capitol Christian Music Group
Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
Listen to Michael's Podcast! He is the host of Crosswalk Talk, a podcast where he talks with Christian movie stars, musicians, directors, and more. Hear how famous Christian figures keep their faith a priority in Hollywood and discover the best Christian movies, books, television, and other entertainment. You can find Crosswalk Talk on LifeAudio.com, or subscribe on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an interview that will be sure to encourage your faith.
Originally published May 12, 2025.
