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Aaron Duff from Australian Christian Records sat down to speak with Nikhil and Neha, the brains behind youth-led Christian movement Paideia. Read on for the full story.

In partnership with Australian Christian Records, The Daily Declaration is piloting a monthly Christian music column featuring artist stories, new releases and local Christian music news. If you have something to contribute, please reach out at news@ozchristianrecords.com.au.

Before we get into this month’s story, check out these new releases:

• Ninan – Warfare (NSW)

• River Movement – Answer (QLD)

• Youth Alive – Left The 99 (QLD)

All new monthly releases can be found at the Australian Christian Pop Spotify Playlists.

Also recommended this month is 96five‘s 4 part series podcast on ‘The Rise & Fall of Easterfest‘, which goes behind the scenes on what was Australia’s largest Christian music festival before it finished in 2015.

Upcoming Events

A Youth Culture for Christ: Paideia is Glorifying God Through Music, Fashion and Art

AUSTRALIAN CHRISTIAN MUSIC NEWS | MARCH 2025

The house lights momentarily come on in a dance studio in West Sydney. The floor is packed with 300 young people eagerly listening to the MC introduce the next Christian music artist, before erupting in cheers as Brisbane rapper Chetty comes out and starts performing his latest beats.

With food trucks outside, and a fashion corner featuring apparel from the Christian clothing brand Justified Collective, this hip hop concert is different to most. The night is full of a shared desire from an Australian youth community wanting to praise and bring glory to God with the best of their creative talents.

This is Paideia.

With no outside backing from a church or another Christian organisation, the movement began with a vision by Nikhil to make a space for young people to love God with ‘no strings attached’.

Working together with co-founder Neha John, the first Paideia was held in April 2024, featuring recognisable local names Haynza and Charlotte Adelle, followed by an outdoor acoustic worship night in November 2024.

Paideia has a mission for outreach, with Youth Pastor Elijah Theodore sharing as part of Paideia Jam, March 2025.

The name’s inspiration came from Matthew 18:3, “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” Paideia is the Greek word for ‘little children’, as Nikhil says, “those people who are innocent, obedient and dependent on God fully.”

With no fixed address, the vision is to grow Paideia to host 4 events a year across Sydney. Each night could be a little different from the last but could include artist showcases, fashion shows, dance performances, art and more.

Tickets to their events are kept low, ranging between $10-15, with revenue going towards the artists, photographers, event hire and other costs on the night, but there is a committed group of volunteers that help make each night happen. Making money is not the goal here though with Nikhil and Neha working towards acquiring not-for-profit status.

Once again, the stage goes silent. Youth Pastor Elijah Theodore has come up to share the Gospel in a simple ‘child-like’ way for those who have never heard of Jesus and those that need a reminder of His sacrifice on the cross.

Nikhil explains how Paideia is more than just an accumulation of church people, but also has a mission for outreach too. They are aiming for salvations at each night’s event.

Nikhil goes by the artist name Ninan and has chosen to exclusively make Christian music to glorify God.

The power of music is something Nikhil knows only too well in his own testimony.

Growing up in a Christian family and giving his life to God at 14, Nikhil remembers slowly drifting away later in high school, compromising his values.

Fast forward through university to graduation a few years in 2023, and nothing was feeling stable. Nikhil recalls,

I had relationships that broke down suddenly, and my support system had crumbled. I entered into the party scene trying the fill the void in my life, but in my heart, I knew God was the only person that could help”

In desperation one night, Nikhil cried out to God and was given the verse 2 Corinthian 12:9.

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”

In the months that followed, Nikhil remained in a state of hopelessness, yet deep down held onto that verse, despite an ambivalence towards what life had to offer.

It was a holiday to Thailand at that time which saw Nikhil’s life turn right back around. Initially just a trip with some mates, Nikhil purposefully chose against worldly pleasures and began feeling a connection with God, returning from Thailand “super on fire” for Him.

It was also around that time that a track by US rapper Hulvey named ‘Can’t Tell It All’ grabbed Nikhil’s attention and just wouldn’t let go. Impressed by the quality of Christian rap, and having made the decision to live wholly for God, Nikhil turned his mind to crafting a gospel song of his own. Funnily enough, it was a case of food poisoning in Thailand that turned into inspiration to complete his first single, ‘Threw Me The Rope’.

Ninan’s new release ‘Warfare’ is out now.

From this came ‘Thoughts of an Absent Mind’ Nikhil’s testimony EP released later that year and is based on the title of a journal he had been writing into for the 3 years leading up to that point. That release completed the switch, with Nikhil now going by the artist name Ninan, choosing to exclusively make Christian music to glorify Him. Nikhil shares,

“I finally had words to say and could talk about what God doing in my life.” 

Paideia was birthed at that time too, but soon after that first event in July 2024, Nikhil crashed again.

“I felt everything was being taken away from me. I realised I had been running mostly on the feeling of God’s presence and seeing Him tangibly work in my life, rather than His Word.”

In response, Nikhil began reading the Bible addictively and in his heart received two distinct messages. The first being that ‘God will provide’; the second a bit more confronting, “I felt like God asked me to quit music” Nikhil explains. As he raps in his new release, Warfare, Nikhil cries out,

“If I didn’t have the music; would my life be the same? Would I go to God and give him the time of day? Would I trust his word and be on both knees to pray? Or would I hate His guts and shake my fists in His face?

It’s a reminder to all of us that there can be warring in our own hearts between godly and worldly intentions.

In Nikhil’s case, the motivation to make music for the right reasons is back, and he has been busy at work on a two-song EP to be released in the coming months.

You can catch Nikhil opening for Samuel Nwachukuwu in Sydney on 9 May as part of CalledOut Music’s Australia tour.

Follow Paideia:

• Instagram

Follow Nikhil:

• Instagram
• Spotify

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Images courtesy of Paideia and Nikhil Ninan.