In a year that saw a wave of new musical talent flood the Christian music scene, Phil Wickham is an artist that stood out. His music is infused with a deep love for Christ that permeates through a choice of meaningful lyrics and uplifting melodies.
While on the Remedy Tour with David Crowder Band and The Myriad, Phil Wickham took some time out to chat with us about his latest album Cannons and share some of the great works God is doing in his life and career.
CT: Saturday was the first time that I saw you in concert! It was really awesome!!! You come right out and lead the audience in. What do you do to prepare and get into the right mindset prior to performing?
Phil Wickham: I always try to plan some time to be alone, whether its 5 minutes, sometimes its 30.
Right before I go on stage, I like to spend some time by myself and with the Lord, and remind myself of what he has done for me, and everything He has done in my life. Reminding me of where I have come from. Everything that has happened that is good is from Him. So I remind myself of all the blessing that He gives. He has saved me and pulled me from the grave.
Such a big of part it for me is bringing myself back to that place of thankfulness and humility, both those two things are really important for me to be able to go out there and be the minister I want to be. So thankfulness so the songs can be sincere and won’t just be something that I do every night, but will come from a heart that means it and comes from a heart that wants to sing it.
And also the humility part, I think is a big part to be able to draw people in and hopefully not be seen, but let the Lord be seen, felt, tasted, touched and smelt. I want to constantly be reminded of the fact that everything I have has been given by the Lord. I have been saved. I have done so much, but I have been forgiven of it all.
CT: At that concert you took a moment to teach the chorus of Cannons to the audience. The lyrics are so picturesque. Could you share the meaning behind the song?
PW: I will tell you the story, but ultimately, I pick songs from different categories. I want them all to facilitate a moment where people can encounter God. Whether that be with a song that incites response, or a song that are a response themselves.
So Cannons is a product of the fact that I wanted to write a song that people could sing along with and enjoy and respond to with what's happening in their lives.
Cannons was written under the stars one night, just looking up at the stars and thinking that the universe itself is acting like a worship leader for the human race if we just take time to look around us and look above us.
It always causes my heart to feel greater things and my mind to think of higher things, of God, and His Majesty and His creativity and everything about Him.
So I just equated the "song that the universe was singing" of his glory, it's kind of like how it's exploding with His glory and His fingerprints all around like cannons in the night. So one of the first things that came to me was that there is this massive song going on around us that is leading us, if we just take time to look and to listen and it will lead us to a deeper place with God. So it was a mixture of cannons and explosions join in with it, that is kind of like the meaning.
CT: Do you have a particular method to how you compose a song? Is there a particular place you feel most comfortable composing?
