Colton Dixon talks about the meaning behind debut album, The Messenger

Title: Colton Dixon talks about the meaning behind debut album, The Messenger

Written by Jamie Ortega || Photo by Kevin Pableo

Colton Dixon fans will surely have a special Valentines’ Day this year. Why? Because the Season 11 finalist is ready and eager to perform for his Pinoy fans as a special guest at Jessica Sanchez’s solo concert tomorrow night. Yes, Coltonis ready to give his best as, together with Jessica, they light up the Big Dome for one special evening.

The charismatic Christian rocker, who blew Idol audiences away with his energetic piano playing, impressive vocal chops and remarkable stage presence, is also currently promoting his debut album entitled The Messenger. The recently released compilation, distributed in the Philippines by MCA Music,   boasts of two hit songs that have already topped the Christian and Gospel digital sales charts. The numbers amassed by Colton’s talent speak for themselves-Never Gone, his first hit tune, sold 21,000 units during its’ first day of release, simultaneously topping the iTunes Christian and Gospel singles chart, Billboard’s Christian Digital songs, and Christian/Gospel Digital songs charts. Colton’s second hit song entitled You Are, hit the top spot on the very same charts and was also selected as USA Today’s song of the week last October.

Manila Concert Scene, together with select members of the media, had the great opportunity to chat with Colton at his press conference last Tuesday afternoon at the Edsa Shangri-la hotel. Showing no traces of jet lag (despite a two hour flight) the handsome rocker revealed a story behind one of his songs,  revealed the message of his album and even gave advice to people exploring their faith.

Why did you call your album The Messenger?

Calling my album The Messenger was a good way for me to put things in perspective in terms of my personal faith, to make people realize that while I am sharing honest emotions and experiences based on this the album moves along like a rollercoaster ride. There are not two songs that sound alike, which is something I worked hard to achieve and am excited about. Working with my amazing team of writers and producers I wanted to share different experiences that I have gone through, the lows and the highs.

What is the central message of the album?

We’ve all been deep in that valley and I know what I’ve been through. Whenever I’m in those dark places I feel that God has pulled me through and I want to inspire others by telling them about my experiences. That’s the central message of The Messenger.

I would like to ask you about one of the songs in the record, You Are, what is the story and inspiration I heard that you wrote it for a friend of yours?

At that time I didn’t want to give away his identity, he just gave me the clear now, but I actually wrote this song for a friend who was really going through a rough time, he attempted suicide at some time and his name is Jared and he plays guitar in my band. This was really just a chance for him to pour out his testimony into the song and say, “When I cant find the words to say how much it hurts youre the healing in my heart” and I didn’t even know at the time, I had no idea what he was going through. But it wasn’t till the time we were writing it there was still that unresolved conflict deep down, it was just a chance for him to wipe that slate clean and throw it out through a song. We were really just trying to sum up a worship song and what that means to us, little did I know it was so awesome when he told me that. It was so cool to see how the fans connected with that song.

What advice can you give people who are exploring their faith?

                I never said that it is going to be easy, but for me I found God when I was 7 years old. I remember feeling that God-shaped hole in me and feeling that nothing else can fill that and there is nothing else that makes me feel the way that I do about that. The only way I can put that, just knowing what He did, it is just amazing to me, it blows my mind everyday and like I said, there are some harder days than others. Songs like Never Gone that show he is still with you, songs like Rise, there is even a song in this record called Scars that means so much to me, my fans helped me write my song. Hearing their songs, their testimonies, what they’ve been through, I remember this one she was best friends with her cousin, he went off to war came back, and he tried taking advantage of her. And her language changed and she said, “I am just called to share God’s love,” and she said that with a smile on her face, because we are all guilty and sinful. And it just blew my mind so that inspired Scars, today is a new day to learn from our mistakes and we are forgiven from our mistakes and so many songs from our record apply directly to that. Just people exploring, figuring out what works and what doesn’t, but to me, God works.