NEW ALBUM BACKSTORY - PART 2

I already discussed the title track of my new album "RUNWAY" and how it was based on how I sometimes get afraid of what's going to happen next, but have decided to just prepare for the flight I'm about to take and know it's going to be alright.

Another song from my new album is called "SONG FOR LOVE".

This song is cool because the music track came from my long time producer friend, Avery Berman. He produced several of my songs earlier in my career (I WANT THAT, LOVELY DAY, THE CHRISTMAS SONG, WELL DONE) and I have always loved his creativity with music. He shared the music he created for what now is the "SONG FOR LOVE" single from my new album and I immediately loved it. It has a disco / dance vibe to it and I knew it would be awesome to record.

I shared it with my managers in Nashville and they liked it a lot too. So we decided to record it.

I went to Atlanta, Georgia and worked with another producer, Jor'Dan Armstrong and his fellow producer Teddy P and together we finished the lyrics and vocals for the track in a couple days in the studio.

The song is all about LOVE and how life wouldn't be the same without it.

LYRICS:
How could we live without love (repeat)
If you wish upon a star you’ll find
Something better than you thought you’d find.
You will see how much you’ve come to grow.
Cause love will never let you go, go, go.
How could we live without love, it just wouldn’t be right.
That’s the thing about love, you feel it down inside.
What you think about that, it could blow your mind.
So let’s quit wasting time.
And everybody singing like.
Ohh, you got me singing a song for love. (repeat)
Ohh (a song for love) (repeat)
If you ever can’t find peace of mind
Don’t you worry, that will waste your time
Here’s a secret that I’ve come to know
Love will never let you go.
How could we live without love
It just wouldn’t be right.
That’s the thing about love, you feel it down inside.
What you think about that, it could blow your mind.
So let’s quit wasting time.
Ohh, you got me singing a song for love. (repeat)
Ohh (a song for love) (repeat)
How could we live without love
Love will never let you go.

It's very simple lyrics, but they reflect how difficult some people make life when LOVE is the answer. Wishing on a star will never give you as much as love will. People who are loved and choose to love just live a better life. God is Love, so for me, it's also a simple reminder that God loves me and will never let me go.

The vocals on this track were so fun to record because it's really the first song I experimented with my falsetto on the main chorus. It was challenging but cool to hear the mix and harmonies afterward. This track, like 99% of my songs, is all my vocals on every part. I don't really use background singers in my songs. I love doing every harmony part and think it's cool to hear the mix when it's done. I honestly want to do more songs like this where I do a lot of layered harmonies.

We've just posted a live video to this song on my youtube channel.




We have a cool REMIX of the song available for people who pre-order my album, so hopefully if you're interested in hearing the remix, you'll spend the $4.99 to get the album.

More back story coming soon.

BEING AN ARTIST

I get asked a lot about being an artist and how I started and stuff. I know it's of interest to people wanting to get started on their own path of being an artist, but honestly it's not really like there's a formula or something that you follow and you suddenly become an artist.

The first thing is to decide if you want to do music because you're passionate about it or if you want to make money doing it. Some people are passionate about it but don't want to make the commitment to earn a living from it. I mean like they love singing in school or at church and think it's something they want to do as a career. But when I've asked some of them to put their singing on youtube so people can critique it, they get all shy about it or are freaking out that they'll get made fun of. It's then that I tell them they are kidding themselves if they think they'll make a career out of it. So, like the first thing you have to do is be ready to deal with haters and people hating on your music and skill.

Next thing is always remember that there's someone better than you in every way. Someone more skilled, more popular, having more opportunity, more experience, more, more, more. You're never going to be on top. Even the artists who are world famous aren't the best. There's always another artist with more awards, more fans, more albums, more money, etc. Get used to knowing that you're always trying to get better and you haven't arrived. If you can't accept that you're not as good or as bad as others (or yourself) think, you're wasting your time.

As a Christian, though, I get so many fans messaging and emailing me about my being an artist. Honestly, it's annoying to read some of the messages because while I'm a Christian and try to please God in everything I do, I don't consider myself a Christian artist the way they try to label me.

I'm an artist who is a Christian.

I'm a Christian who is an artist.

Just like a lawyer can be a Christian and a teacher can be a Christian, I'm an artist who is a Christian. I don't consider myself SINGING FOR GOD any more than a taxi-driver would tell people they are DRIVING for GOD. I sing because it's how God made me. I don't specifically consider being an artist as some special category of person who is doing it "FOR THE LORD". I no more say that than an auto-mechanic would advertise "I'm a mechanic for the lord". Of course you want to please God in anything you do if you're a Christian, but I think too many people mix up music and being a Christian as though there is some special category of artist that is reserved to only be about worship and praise music or being on a praise and worship team at a church.

Simply, being a Christian is a full time job with everything I do in life, not just a prefix before the word "artist". As an athlete, I always tried to have a Christian attitude and treat others like God wants me to. But it doesn't make me some unique category called a Christian Basketball Player. I'm a Christian. It's like we don't label other artists "Jewish Artist" or "Buddhist Artist". Their belief in God is what they choose to be personally. Their career may not involve work within their synagogue or temple. I don't sing in church and don't make music that is for praise and worship. There are many of my friends that are called to be a praise and worship singer. I'm called to be an artist who makes music that my peers will listen to and hopefully have lyrics that encourage them and give them hope to overcome life's disappointments and challenges.

So, being an artist is what I am trying to be. Being a Christian is what I am. When I'm on a stage performing, I'm performing because it's a gift inside of me given from God. Just the same as an accountant does well with financial stuff because God made them to handle numbers good. When I'm on a stage, the fun I have and enjoyment you see is because I am wired to perform and share the music God inspires me to write. Christians tend to think that just because I'm very comfortable speaking about my faith on social media or sharing my experiences in lyrics that reflect my faith journey, somehow I'm a "Christian Artist". I only have a problem with this label when it comes to the religious Christians who want to judge me or others for "how" I should be as an artist.

My personal call from God is to love Him and love people. No more, no less. If being an artist helps me fulfill that, then great. If being a pizza maker helps me fulfill that, great.

So if you want to be an artist, then be an artist. Just know that being an artist is a lifestyle and requires a lot of hard work. Never let people label you or try to put you in a box that they define. Who you are is who you are, regardless of people's acceptance or approval.

Pleasing God in whatever I do is my goal and so far He has helped me have some impact with music. I hope it stays that way.