Chris August Spoke With me About His Journey and His Music

Chris August Interview

Before the 2011 Dove Awards

     Chris August delivered a masterpiece of emotion to the music industry with his release of "No Far Away".

    
     With smashing hits like "7 X 70",

birthed out of his heart by memories of his parents divorce and "Starry Night" which was musically crafted the night he rededicated his life to the Lord in his bedroom. Chris, is definitely a gifted young man who also carries with him three wins from his five nominations at the 2011 42 annual Dove Awards.            
     A few hours before being chosen New Artist of the Year, Male vocalist of the Year and winning Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year; Chris took a few moments to talk with me about his plans for a new album, the beards of grown men and nerf footballs.

    Of course we talked about other things too. Thankfully, not a single one of them correlate, but at this moment they are what stands out in my mind.

     Many times we learn to love music and never know the person who is actually singing the songs we love so much. I explained to Chris, how that was the case for me in regards to his releases.

Chris: "Oh yeah, I totally understand that. You know I am a New Artist so that is pretty much a given. People just know (singing) "Every starry night that was His design".

     Before the Dove Award recipients were actually announced I asked Chris how he felt about being nominated in five different categories.


Chris: "Well, you know it does put the pressure on me. No, I am kidding. There is no pressure. It is just fun. Actually, I was actually asleep when I found out because it was early in the morning. My phone started going crazy at around eight or nine and I was like what is going on? When I saw what everyone was sending me I was thinking someone made a mistake! However, I thank them and appreciate them for that mistake. I look at this as a ministry not just a job, so the award thing is not that big of a deal. 

     We do this to encourage people and to get the message out there. But like any job if you work hard at something you get a bonus or recognized for your hard work. This is something I have been working really hard at for many, many years. To have someone say "Hey, we recognize what you are doing" and to be in the same sentence as some of other artists like Chris Tomlin I am thinking are you kidding? These are people that have inspired me with their songs and encouraged me, which is exactly what I am hoping I am doing for someone else. I woke up today so early, like it was Christmas morning, like when I slept under the Christmas tree when I was five years old. Also getting to see all my friends and hang out with the other artists it’s just such a great time."

     Chris has a busy schedule for the remainder of the year doing several summer festivals. He will also be joining The David Crowder Band, Gungor and John Mark McMillian for The 7 Tour .  Chris could not actually tell me about this tour when I spoke to him because it had not been publicly released but he did share with me how excited he was about it.

Chris: "I will tell you this much, even if I was not going to a part of the show I would definitely be attending it because there are some truly amazing artists going to be there. This is thee number one tour that I would want to go to. As a fan of music this is where I would want to be. It’s not because I am going to be there, definitely not because of me I will probably just try to make people laugh or something."

Question: "So who are some of your musical influences?"

Chris: "One of the new artists that I love is Audrey Assad. I have been listening to her record all the time lately and she has such an anointing on her and I just love it. I love her songs, I love her voice and she is an amazing woman. It’s been a real pleasure getting to hang with her too and she is just so kind and funny. Chris Tomlin is another person that I really like. People that really put their best effort into what they are doing. I respect that. Some people just say, "Oh God’s given me this gift", but you still have to harness it and practice and work and really care about the craft of it. If you look at the David Crowder Band they work extremely hard on their stuff. I respect that more than anything, I thank you for putting all you are into what you do. We should be making the best stuff because we are making music to glorify God, let’s make it the best because He deserves that. I really enjoy the whole Passion Crew as well and one of my goals is to actually sing on a Passion album. I don’t know if that would ever happen, but if it did I definitely wouldn’t mind. (Chris speaking into my recorder) "Hello Louis are you out there?")

Question: "You have traveled with a lot of bands. During that time when do you think God was calling you step out and share your passion in your voice?"
                                                                                                        Chris: "Yeah I traveled a lot playing keys for people and
stuff. To be honest I love just writing songs and producing songs. I always felt like I was an artist also, but never on the magnitude that arose through the release of "Starry Night". It got out there and next thing I know I am going places singing it and everyone knows the song. 

     To have a song that plays on the radio is a very weird thing to me. When you go places and you are in a random city and everyone knows a song by you written on such a personal level. It’s cool that God takes such honest little moments we experience as individuals and He will use them to encourage and give hope to others. For me I have always wanted to do it, but "Starry night" created that pathway and next thing you know I was picked up by a record label and I am going everywhere now and just singing my heart out to people."

Question:"What is the hardest and the most encouraging situation as a Christian artist you have had to deal with?"

Chris: "Well, they are very close together. I am just gonna let you in on my life. I love meeting people after shows and hearing their stories for me that is the most encouraging thing, we will start there. Just having people tell you what your song has meant to them or I just love hearing people’s stories even if it doesn’t have anything to do with my songs. Just hearing where they are at in their walk with God cause we are all walking this out.

     The most difficult situation is (pause) you know the line of people that I meet usually consists of younger people. People who are in high school or whatever and they want to get your autograph. 

     Then every once in awhile there will be a grown man. Which, I will meet anyone cause I love to hear people’s stories. However, they will give me a hug in a sense that his cheek is touching my cheek and I just don’t know; the comfort level I have when beard is touching beard you know for me it's just a difficult situation for me. But I don’t say anything you know, I just close my eyes and think of something good like sports or something."

     I was trying to maintain my composure as to not fall on the floor laughing, not because it was not a relevant difficult situation it was just one that I had never heard of before and was not expecting. Chris noticed that I was having a tough time not laughing and tried to help me relax into yet another moment of joy.

Chris: "Yeah, you really don’t expect that answer right? But I am just trying to tell you the truth."

Me: "Yeah, it’s all good you are just being real."

Chris: "Yes, I am just being real. Cause as an artist, why would you want me to come here and just give you all the answers that everyone else gave you? This is what is difficult to me; it’s when grown men put their beards to my beard. (Me still cracking up) So, if you are out there and you are a grown man with a beard I will give you a hug just don’t put your face on my face. I just feel weird about it and I have to tell you."

Question: "Looking back on your career, what do you think you would be doing if you were not where you are now."


Chris: "I would be a teacher. I still see myself maybe later on in life working with young people that are trying to get involved in music. Really just help them learn how to harness that gift and grow in it.

Chris with Emmanuel Baptist Church Student Ministry from Henderson, Texas

     That is the one thing about doing Christian music, I have always been very involved in any Church that I have been in. Since I am on the road so much I have actually only been able to go to my home church in Nashville probably twice since May. I miss that, but at the same time what is cool is that I am able to go to a bunch of churches around the country and teach them and invest in those kids."

I asked Chris what he thought his next release was going to be and his mind was already spinning around his next album, he was way passed the next single.

Chris: "When? Oh, you mean what. Yes, I am sorry. The label keeps telling me to slow down but I am excited about the NEXT album. However, the next release off this album is going to be a song called "Battle". I really love the message in that song so I am super excited about that one being released."

Battle Performed Live and you can catch some of his humor here too- great guy!

Question: "What CD do you have playing in your car right now?"

Chris: "My favorite CD of all time. I love it so much is John Mayer-Continuum. I have come back to it again because I really want to model my next record along the lines of that. By that I don’t mean I am going to copy it, but I am letting it influence me and get into my bones."

Me With Chris in Atlanta Prior to the
Dove Awards 2011

     Under the realization that I was probably the hundredth person that Chris had interviewed with that day I wanted to give him the opportunity to reveal something to his fans that only he could do. I asked him what was one question he wished someone would ask him that had not been asked yet. Well fans and fellow brothers and sisters in Christ this is a way you can impact his life!

Chris: "A lot of people might want to know just regular things that I am into. How I might just spend my free time, but usually at interviews you don’t really get asked that because it is not really a digging type question, but people really are interested in that. They are curious what we do when we are not working on music. And the answer is simply more music. (Pause) Just kidding. I love sports! I always tell people if you come to a show, bring a nerf football with you. I will probably have my nerf football with me and we can just toss it around. I like to watch and play sports. I am from Dallas originally, so therefore Cowboys, Mavericks and Rangers you better watch out, if you say something against them you might hurt my feelings."

     So there you have it! All those festivals and tours coming up this year go get you a nerf football to take with you. Maybe you could write a message of encouragement and hope on it and throw them back and forth during the show I think that would make his day! Just don’t say anything bad about them Dallas teams!

     With January 2012 recording plans for the new album, which he intends on covering a Stevie Wonder song, called Love's in Need of Love Today. We can only anticipate and hope that the new year brings Chris to the next level of grace and he continues to pour out his heart in his music. Sharing his love and joy with the nations and speaking one on one to our hearts through his gift of adoration to our Father.

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