Gospel artist Deitrick Haddon says what's on his heart

|PIC1|Deitrick Haddon is a man of many hats and talents - singer, songwriter, producer, and soon to be film director. His most recent album from September 2008 is called "Revealed" and includes hits like "It's Raining" and "Love Him Like I Do". Take a moment to look into the life of this talented gospel artist and as you read this interview, be encouraged that God has a purpose for all.

You're a husband, an artist, a pastor. Where and how do you balance it all?

It all works together. All things work together for the good of them that love the Lord ... I just schedule it out. It's all about planning and having a good assistant and a good team with you. I've been blessed to have a wife that's in the same field that I'm in and she's a very successful gospel singer, Damita Haddon. So it's really easy for me. As opposed to having a spouse that's in a totally different field that don't understand the hours that I have like getting up early in the morning and coming home late. She understands because she has to do it also. So it's really easy for me; I've never had a problem to date.

Now where do you get the inspiration for the music you produce?

The music that I write is a gift from God. It comes from out of nowhere. Like, I can't force it ... I don't make contrived music or music to fit a format. I sing what's on my heart. I sing the melodies that God placed on my heart. Like "A Sinner's Prayer" [he sings the lyrics, "I'm so glad that God still hears a sinners prayer"], I heard that in my sleep and I woke up singing it. "God didn't give up on me," I heard that on an elevator in Los Angeles and walked out of the elevator singing it. So you have no control over it. It can happen at any given moment. It can be something we said in this interview or we talked about or something that I've seen or experienced or heard in the conversation and just come up with something.

What is the message that you're wanting your listeners to take away from the new "Revealed" CD?

Those songs are very transparent, just very open. I want listeners to be able to really connect with God through my music by my transparency and just being real. All of the songs are very revealing, like one of the lyrics says, "In your presence by myself, it's you and me Lord and no one else and I don't have to say a whole lot of things. I already know I need your help. See my enemies wanna see me fall so they can say I told you so. Lord I don't mean to bother you with my small problems, but there was no where else I could go. Lord, I need your help." All of my songs you know what they mean once you hear my songs. You don't have to read between the lines when you listen to my music. I'm just saying what's on my heart. What it is is what it is.

Now you said you had a project coming up with a movie that you're producing. Can you tell me more about that?

Yes, well it's an independent film that's going to be out nationwide. It's going to go straight to television and in selected theatres throughout the country. We're going to do a 25 city tour when we do the movie release party. Everybody's going to be in it...all of my gospel friends, a few pastors, etc. It's going to be a great film. The story is amazing. I don't want to give the story away but it's going to be one of the first of its kind in our genre, the gospel genre. One of the first of its kind where you have all of the young gospel artists coming together on a film. I'm excited to be one of the trailblazers and pioneers to present this to our genre in the hopes that in years to come it'll be able to expand, that there will be more artists and young people following behind in my shoes.

Where do you see Deitrick Haddon in 10 years?

In 10 years, I'll still be working hard probably, more of a gatekeeper than out working on the stage. I'll be getting more artists out there. I'm trying to find those other "Deitrick Haddons" and those "Damita Haddons" and those new "Mary Marys" and "Donnie McClurkins". I'll probably be doing something like that. Producing films, not acting in them, but producing more films. More of a gatekeeper kicking my heels up and eating popcorn and enjoying life.

See I believe people should enjoy their life, every day of my life I enjoy with my wife and I. The Bible tells us that He came so that we might have life and have it more abundantly. A lot of church folks spend their time trying to check out of here. When God brought you here, He brought you here for a reason and I think when you fulfil your purpose and when you find your purpose you won't be so quick to want to check out of here. You'll stop and say, "Hold on, let me do what I was called to do and destined to do while I have time here on earth."

I want to motivate those artists, people out there, and everybody to live. Stop and don't allow the enemy to stress you out and make you miss out on life. I love what I do. I love when I was on stage. I love it. You see me just take time and just walk and settle in and just enjoy. I'm relaxed because that's home for me and I'm doing what I love to do. This is what I've always prayed about and sought to do and God has blessed me. So I just want to motivate other artists and people of God out there to just relax and enjoy your life.