A 2021 graduate of NCWU’s Music Production program, Plyler now serves full-time as the Worship Arts Minister at The Church at Sandhurst in Florence, South Carolina, where he also leads the church’s songwriting and music production team. His latest project reflects both his creative growth as a musician and his desire to inspire worship through imaginative storytelling.

“I’ve always been fascinated with science fiction, especially anything involving space travel,” Plyler shared. “Some of my favorite movies include Interstellar, Guardians of the Galaxy, and of course, Star Wars. I started wondering whether I could combine my love of sci-fi with my passion for writing worship music.”

That idea became the foundation for Psalms of the Spheres, an album inspired by biblical passages that celebrate God’s creation of the universe, including Psalm 8, Isaiah 40, and Psalm 147. The result is a collection of worship songs that explores the majesty of creation while pointing listeners toward the Creator.

Musically, the album ventures into new territory for Plyler. Featuring orchestral crescendos, ambient soundscapes, experimental synthesizers, and even an audio recording from the Apollo 8 moon mission woven into the opening track, the project embraces a cinematic sound unlike anything he has previously produced.

“Honestly, this is probably my favorite musical project I’ve ever produced,” he said. “The theme of science fiction inspired me to pursue musical avenues I haven’t explored before, and that has been an incredibly rewarding process.”

Among the album’s standout tracks is “IMAGE OF GOD,” a song inspired by the belief that every person possesses inherent dignity and worth.

“It breaks my heart when I see people who claim to love Jesus and yet mistreat those who are different than they are,” Plyler explained. “No matter what someone believes, what they look like, or where they come from, every human being is made in the image of God. The God who created the stars and galaxies is also the God who said each of us is worth dying for.”

The album concludes with “SUPERNATURAL,” a deeply personal reflection on worship as a source of healing and hope.

“I often say that writing worship songs is my therapy,” Plyler said. “When life becomes overwhelming, I sit down with an instrument and write. It’s how I process my thoughts and emotions before God. ‘SUPERNATURAL’ is really a love letter to that process finding peace, freedom, and refuge in the melodies that spill out.”

Plyler credits his time at 麻豆原创 with helping develop both the technical skills and creative confidence that continue to shape his career in music ministry.

As an alumnus of NCWU’s Music Production program, his success reflects the University’s commitment to preparing students to excel in creative industries while pursuing meaningful careers that make an impact in their communities.

Psalms of the Spheres will be released on July 17 and will be available on major streaming platforms.

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Released on April 10, 2026, the Extended Play represents a major milestone for the growing Music Production program and showcases the hands-on learning experiences offered to students at NCWU. The project was a collaborative effort between two music production courses during the Fall 2025 semester, providing students with real-world experience in multiple stages of professional music creation.

Throughout the project, students applied key skills developed through the program, including music analysis, live performance preparation, studio recording techniques, mixing, and mastering, culminating in a polished final production distributed through the University鈥檚 official record label, .

Students involved in the project include:

• Noah Jacques 鈥� production
• Elly Luna 鈥� production, vocals
• Dakota Lynch 鈥� production, vocals, guitars
• Edgar Ortiz-Morales 鈥� production, bass
• Adrian Parson 鈥� production
• Lamont Taylor Jr. 鈥� production, vocals, keyboards

Also contributing to the project was Elic Gurganus, Technical Director of the Dunn Center at NCWU, who served as a guest vocalist on the EP. The project鈥檚 Executive Producer was Tony Sawyer, Assistant Professor of Music Production, who also performed all drums and percussion for the recordings.

The 鈥淚ndie Rock鈥� EP features covers of four well-known songs from prominent indie artists: Hozier (鈥淭oo Sweet鈥�), Djo (鈥淓nd of Beginning鈥�), Tame Impala (鈥淓lephant鈥�), and Peter Bjorn and John (鈥淵oung Folks鈥�).

With this release, NCWU continues expanding creative opportunities for students through experiential learning and professional-level production experiences. The EP stands as a strong example of the University鈥檚 commitment to preparing students for careers in the music and entertainment industries.

The EP is now available on all major streaming services.

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Following his graduation from Wesleyan in 2023, Nethercutt moved to Salt Lake City for a yearlong internship at the University of Utah. After completing the experience, he returned to North Carolina and began a new chapter as an elementary school music teacher near Wilmington in 2024. While the transition brought exciting opportunities, it also came with significant personal and professional adjustments.

鈥�These Illustrations tells the story of how a relationship formed and blossomed from a friendship to a romance,鈥� said Nethercutt. 鈥淚t became an irreplicable interconnectedness created by shared hardship.鈥�

Nethercutt shared that the first half of the song reflects his internal conflict about allowing love into his life during a time when he already felt emotionally overwhelmed. As the song progresses, it shifts toward the peace and warmth he found through the relationship, ultimately capturing the exhilaration of falling in love while navigating a difficult season of life.

In addition to its personal meaning, Nethercutt noted that the song was also his most challenging production project to date. With its extended length and complex structure, including key and time signature changes, the recording process required significant time and attention to detail. Nethercutt wrote, performed, recorded, and produced the track entirely on his own from his apartment studio.

鈥淚 did a lot of experimenting with things like unique vocal harmonies, layering eight different acoustic guitar parts in the chorus, and having two bass lines going back and forth at each other in the hook,鈥� he explained.

Nethercutt credits his experience in NCWU鈥檚 Music Production (MUP) program for preparing him to independently produce music at a professional level. He also expressed gratitude to Tony Sawyer, Assistant Professor of Music Production and Director of 301 North Records, who helped him develop key recording and mixing skills, as well as songwriting abilities through courses such as Music Theory and History of Popular Music.

鈥�I gained a lot of skill and experience in the MUP program at Wesleyan that allows me to be able to do it all myself instead of having to pay someone else to do it for me,鈥� said Nethercutt.

鈥淭hese Illustrations鈥� is Nethercutt鈥檚 second release under his stage name Kneethercute, a nickname stemming from a mispronunciation of his last name that has followed him since high school. He has also released music collaboratively under the name Camp Runaway.

Looking ahead, Nethercutt is currently working on his next musical project, expected later this summer, as well as a new YouTube channel titled 鈥淎 Human Adventure,鈥� which will document his life and music in an authentic and personal way.

Fans can follow Nethercutt on social media to stay updated on future releases.

NCWU congratulates Jackson Nethercutt on this exciting new release and proudly celebrates the continued achievements of its alumni in the music and production industries.

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The project, produced under 301 North Records, features an impressive lineup of former members of NCWU鈥檚 performance ensemble Spectrum, including:

• Joshua Strausser 鈥�20
• Will Plyler 鈥�21
• Justin Long 鈥�21
• Madison Barbour 鈥�21
• Jackson Nethercutt 鈥�23
• Colby Whaley 鈥�23

The single was officially released on Friday, November 28th, and is now streaming on all major digital platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube Music.

Tony Sawyer, Assistant Professor of Music Production and Director of 301 North Records, shared his excitement about the project: 鈥淚t was wonderful to work in collaboration with our alumni on this musical project. It is my hope that we can have more such alumni collaborations in the near future.鈥�

NCWU continues to celebrate the success of its graduates and the growth of its innovative Music Production program. This release showcases not only the skill and creativity fostered at Wesleyan, but also the lasting connections formed through its close-knit artistic community.

For more information about the Music Production program or 301 North Records, visit here.

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