By Clare BruceThursday 6 Dec 2018Hope BreakfastGuests and ArtistsReading Time: 4 minutes
Listen: Chris Sebastian chats to Sam and Duncan about his latest song and upcoming album.
It’s been six years since Chris Sebastian and his stunning vocals came into the national spotlight on the first season of TV’s The Voice.
Since then, he’s been on a steady climb: performing, touring with the likes of EDM duo Peking Duk, and filling his Youtube channel with emotion-laden pop covers: Justin Bieber’s Pray, Selena Gomez’s Wolves, Rihanna’s Diamonds, and the Greatest Showman hit Million Dreams.
He’s also been perfecting his songwriting, writing tracks for himself and other artists. But it’s not often he’s been able to stop, dig deep, and write a song about his faith—until now.
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How a Pop Track Become a Song for God
In a chat with Hope 103.2’s breakfast team Sam and Duncan, Chris shared how a recent writing session resulted in one of those rare moments: an entire song being ‘downloaded’ seemingly from heaven, in one night.
It was the birth of I Found You, an upcoming single soon to be released with his new studio album in 2019. Lyrically, it could either be interpreted as a love song to God, or a love song to another person; it’s what the industry calls a ‘crossover’ track.
“This is my favourite story of any song I’ve ever written,” Chris said. “Not often will I produce a track and have all the instrumentation done and then write [lyrics] to it… but I was doing this track and I had this feeling about it. I was like, ‘Hang on a sec, I’ve been writing pop stuff and commercial stuff for so long, when is the last time I sat down and just did something for God?’
“And that’s where this came from.
“I thought, ‘I’m going to strip everything back’. I took all the drums out, took the bass, guitar, and it was just piano and strings. I decided I’m going to write…. a song of worship from me to God.”
‘I Found You’ Live in the Hope Studios + Free Download
Chris’s intention was never to release or perform the song; only to use it as a private prayer of thanks.
That was until a producer friend – who isn’t a man of faith, but who knows good music when he hears it – heard it and had other ideas. Recognising the song had a special quality, he told Chris, ‘it needs to be heard’. Taking his advice as something of a sign, Chris worked it into the moving track now destined for his 2019 album.
At the Hope studios Chris recorded a stripped-back version (above), and has also made a ‘candlelight version’ of the track available as a free download on his website.
“I wasn’t finding God for the first time, I was almost re-finding Him, rediscovering His grace and His love.”
Chatting to Sam and Duncan, Chris opened up about the challenges of his faith journey. While his Christianity has always been a part of his life, it’s been challenged at times – but reignited by a new understanding of God’s grace.
“I don’t have a tragic backstory,” he said. “I didn’t go away from God and do a bunch of bad things, and I’m grateful for that. What I do have is a typical relationship [with God] that has ups and downs.
“In the process of writing that song it was almost like I re-found God in a different way. Not that I’d gone away… [but] it was like, ‘Hang on, He is everything, I actually don’t need to worry about my source or my supply, I don’t need to worry about my future, because I don’t know what it holds – but I know He’s holding it. That was kind of the realization and the purpose behind that song.
“I wasn’t finding God for the first time, I was almost re-finding Him, rediscovering His grace and His love.”
Watch This Space for New Music
In the immediate future, Chris is set to release a Christmas album, and in 2019 fans can expect live shows and an album. While his previous projects have been much more acoustic, the next record’s set to be electro-pop heavy. It’s new territory for Chris, who’s used to singing from behind a guitar.
In his interview with Duncan and Sam Chris also chatted about who he would most love to tour with, the artist who most intimidates him, and why he said no to the chance of competing on Australian Idol, after his big brother Guy had won the show.
Hear the full interview in the audio player above, and head to ChrisSebastian.com.au to download I Found You.
Above: Chris (centre) with Sam Robinson (L) and Duncan Robinson (R) at the Hope studios.