7up w/ William Matthews
The Gospel Guru caught up with burgeoning singer and songwriter William Matthews. William is a worship leader for his church, Bethel Church in Redding, California. William is currently gearing up for the release of his debut album “Hope’s Anthem,” which will be in stores and online tomorrow. Sit back, relax, and get a bit of 7up with Christian artist William Matthews.
1. Describe William Matthews in three words. I’m fun, eclectic, and hopeful.
2. Why do you feel that you are necessary for Christian music? Wow. The crazy part is I don’t know if I really am…. hahahaha. I don’t think anyone is irreplaceable. You know how it is one moment you’re “hot” and the next moment you’re not. I do believe what I carry is important. I’m all about hope, that’s been my main message particularly with music in the last few years. Just releasing hope wherever I ago to people who feel hopeless, to people in depression, or despair. That’s why I’m necessary, to release hope.
3. What can we expect from your forthcoming album, and where did your inspiration come from? This album is really a different kind of project honestly we did not know fully what we were doing. I’m pretty eclectic as I shared in your first question. I’ve been inspired by so many different musical genres. I grew up listening to gospel music Bebe and Cece Winans, Steven Curtis Chapman, and a lot of the CCM stuff later on. Through the years I started to listen to rock, Indian folk, r&b, hip-hop, country, and bluegrass. On this album I feel like we did a very good job of portraying my eclectic nature. Some songs feel really r&b, some songs are kinda soul, and some are pop/rock contemporary. We have one song that’s kind of a southern gospel hoedown…lol… we did different stuff. I’m really happy with the project, I feel like it’s a breathe of fresh air to music in general whether its contemporary or gospel, whatever it may be. It’s unique and it stands on its on whether people love it or hate it.
4. What are some challenges you’ve faced being a new artist? The biggest challenge has been developing trust. I think being an artist; well I’m more of a worship leader. I’m an artist too, but my main occupation is a worship leader. I lead regularly at a local church in Redding, California, and my biggest things has been developing trust whether is with the local congregation and now more on a national/ international platform. I have already taken to time for many years now to develop trust with the leadership of my church and the people that attend regularly. Now I’m on a national/international worldwide scale and my biggest challenge is developing that trust. People don’t know me, for them it just another cd being pushed to them or another song to listen to. That has been the hardest thing to develop trust with a new market of people.
5. Who are some artists that you look up to, and why? I definitely respect longevity; I love Cece Winans. She’s probably been the most stable influence in my own personal life since a little kid and even to now. I really look to her; I love all of her albums. I’d also have to say Deitrick and Damita Haddon. I’m from Detroit, I actually grew up with Damita, and she’s like my god sister. I’ve watched her all my life, I remember going over their house as a little kid watching her and her sister sing in the basement. I’ve watched them go for their dreams. I love watching Deitrick and Damita be successful and committed to the Lord. I love a lot of other artists too. I listen to everything Christian and non-christian. I’ve been loving Adele, and John Legend, Mumford and Sons, and Mary Mary. I listen to it all.
6. What artists would you like to collaborate with in the future? I wouldn’t say artists, but there are definitely some producers I want to work with. There’s no artist in particular I can think of off the top of my head that I want to work with. I would love to work with Mary Mary’s producer Warryn Campbell. I would love to work with Rodney Jerkins. Long time respect for Missy and Timbaland, I don’t know if I’d ever get to work with them but I love them. They have a great chemistry and I love what they’ve done to hip-hop and r&b. You know there is an artist that I would like to work with and that would be India Arie. She is the one who inspired me to song-write. I went through this phase about 10 or 12 years ago, where all I listened to was Bob Marley, India arie, and Lauryn Hill. I call them my musical trinity. India’s acoustic soul record actually inspired me to pick up a guitar and write, after hearing that record it changed my life. India would be an artist I would love to collaborate with on some level. Definitely Monica and Brandy. I love them both for very different reasons, but I’ve followed them since the very beginning. I love following Monica and Brandy on twitter I don’t know why, but it just does something for me. I saw Monica’s reality show and it made me identify with her on another level and the same with Brandy and Ray J.
7. As a Christian artist, how do you define success? Wow. It’s honestly something I’ve been wrestling with. I’ve had to wrestle with what success looks like when I’m broke, and I sing because I love the Lord not because I’m looking for a paycheck. I spent a season of my life in Kansas, Missouri with a group that was all about 24/7 worship and prayer. For several years I just gave my life to 24/7 worship and prayer. I did it because I loved the Lord and just wanted to worship him and I had to determine then what success looked like. I made a decision that success would be rooted in how God feels about me. There definitely is the pressure when you’re a Christian artist and it’s a business, you don’t want to upset the people that are investing in your record. There is a pressure that I feel, because I don’t want their efforts to be in vain and the money they put towards me to be in vain. I really felt from the Lord to make this record, the songs are intentional and lyrics that needed to get out. I determine success by how God feels about me.
