photo by Mary Caroline Russell
experience from playing for artists such as to sing on the record, which was also a huge get to the studio session, with about 80% of
Alicia Keys, Rascal Flatts, Jessie J, Tori Kelly, J blessing, as she has one of the most powerful the songs we’ve got a very strong road map
Lo, Johnnyswim, and Logic. and distinctive voices I’ve ever heard in worship for where we’re going, in terms of pace, feel,
music. And it didn’t hurt that one of the album’s vibe, arrangement, flow etc. But what I enjoyed
[WM] We’re big Jesus Culture fans (did we producers was Jeremy Edwardson, who heads about our approach this time is that Jeremy
say fans?!) so we were excited to see that up Jesus Culture’s record label! How could they Edwardson said to me, “Hey, even though this
Bryan and Katie Torwalt co-wrote “Gracefully say “no”? Ha! As an aside, the other producer is a studio record, feel free to flow, and to bring
Broken”, one of the obvious ‘Sunday morning’ (it was co-produced) was Jeremy Griffiths, and some of the spontaneous stuff you do when
songs from this disc. It was also a treat to they made an amazing team. Plus, it might be you lead.” And you can hear that on the end of
hear Kim Walker-Smith sing BGVs on “Place the first time in history that both producers on songs like “One Day”, “Questions”, and “Simple
of Praise”. There is a special anointing on the an album were named Jeremy! Pursuit” - just some extended moments that
Jesus Culture team. What would you say that
I hope brought some extra life to the song
is, and what prompted you to bring them in on [WM] The Glory Song album is over an hour
this recording? long… that’s a lot of music, which means there
recordings.
must have been a fair amount of production [WM] You’ve led worship at venues as diverse
[Matt] Again, it was friendship. That song you time. Did you rehearse the songs before as Madison Square Garden, and the roof of the
mentioned started to be written in Sacramento heading into the studio? Capitol Records building in Los Angeles. With
when we were hanging a bit with the Torwalts.
so many successes, what has God said to you
It took on a whole new approach when Jonas [Matt] We made song demos. That’s often Myrin, Tasha Cobbs Leonard, and I re-visited it our first stage of figuring out if the songs have for stage two of the writing, but the Torwalts’ potential and work as well in the real world [Matt] I heard Bill Hybels say it like this years
influence is all over the verses! Kim agreed as they do in our heads! So, by the time we ago, “If you want to swim downstream, pursue
20
November 2017
about humility?
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