Authentic Hope Through Music
Guest Author: Matt Brouwer

here’s my story in a nut shell…written for the website www.onemillionarrows.com

I grew up in an eastern Canadian town called Truro, in Nova Scotia. I’m the sixth of seven kids. My Mom taught music and my Dad ran a dairy farm. When I was three years old, my father was killed in a car accident, leaving my Mom with 2 kids, 5 step-children and a farm to run. Growing up, I had quite a tumultuous relationship with God. But in spite of the anger and doubt I experienced, I believed He was real. He is the only Father I’ve ever known, and I’ve felt his presence in my life since I was really young.

Music and spirituality were always connected in my family but it wasn’t until high school that I got more serious about pursuing a way to be a part of the music that had touching my heart and soul—a place where I felt God. I was very insecure and unsure about myself at the time, and it was music that reached me. I felt a sense of God’s healing and life…I was hooked.

My first year of college, I moved all the way to Vancouver, British Columbia, and I felt like a really small fish in a huge ocean. I began writing some simple songs, but I was too scared to play them for people. One fateful day, a friend dragged me to a coffeehouse on campus and informed me that I was signed up to perform at a singer-songwriter night. I was so scared, but I also really wanted to share my songs. So I got up and started playing an electric keyboard. At one point in the middle of my song the unthinkable happened. Suddenly, without warning, a breaker flipped off in the building and the keyboard I was playing lost power. I was so embarrassed and had no idea what to do, so I closed my eyes and kept singing a cappella. Afterward, I opened my eyes to a room full of people with eyes closed.

I’d never considered leading worship before that night, but for months after, people came up to me and told me how they had been moved and how God had used my song to touch them. I was shocked! That night I’d tried to prove that I was good enough as a musician to be worthy of their admiration. But when the keyboard died and I had to sing all alone under the harsh spotlight, I was made completely vulnerable. Instead of trying to be cool, it forced me to be real and God was able to speak through me as because I got out of the way.

I transferred to a small school in Alberta the next year. For some reason, there was a surge of young and creative musicians on campus during that time. We were all stuck together in the middle of nowhere, discovering our individual and collaborative gifts. What happened there really changed my life. A group of friends and I started a music community called Monday Night Worship (MNW). It began with a conversation a group of us had about our hunger to begin a journey of truly knowing God. We didn’t know exactly what it was that we wanted to see happen, we just knew we believed that something could happen. Soon there were hundreds and hundreds of kids showing up every week, longing to experience God in a fresh way.

MNW grew so fast that I was constantly thrust into situations I was not ready for, but the burden of such a rapid response was shouldered by our community as we stayed grounded in our growing love for God and each other. We had the opportunity to hit the road at that point for a tour that ended up lasting an entire year. We received letters and emails from record companies in Nashville and industry professionals who were hearing about our band. In one month, 5 major Christian labels contacted us. This led to an opportunity to sign a recording contract and make a go at a music career. When the tour ended, the band separated and I moved to Nashville. That next year had a lot of exciting firsts. I recorded my first album, toured across North America, and shared the stage with some of the biggest names in Christian music. I also experienced some of the worst of what the industry is and perpetuates. It derailed me and I ended up in a major crisis of faith.

That’s how I ended up at The Woodlands UMC, a church community that caught me as I was falling and gave me the opportunity to serve and get real about life apart from the billion dollar Christian music industry. I learned that a true artist is someone who willing to spend time in the trenches, serving and getting their hands dirty. The process is a lot more real and painful than the illusions of our celebrity obsessed culture, but in the end it’s what separates true character from the disposableness of where much of the music world is right now.

This humbling experience has led to some incredible opportunities to see God move in powerful ways. For starters, I went on a series of trips after my first CD was released. I hadn’t really found my voice yet as an artist and I didn’t want to continue writing and making music until I knew what I was supposed to say. The experiences of working in small villages in Guatemala, Jamaica, the inner city in Caracas, Venezuela, and working with the previously war torn yet fledgling youth culture in Poland affected me deeply. All of a sudden I had a lot of questions. I felt guilt, compassion, rage, and hope all mixed together. It burst open a dam in my soul and everything just came rushing out. I began to see the full power of what music means in all of our lives, how it connects us, and what a gift it is along the pathways of life. There’s real power there, and I don’t want to take that for granted.

God is calling our generation to revolutionary change. As a generation trying to find meaning, we’re discovering that true purpose and calling does exist, but it requires giving our whole lives to it no matter the cost. Jesus paid a high price on the cross, defeating sin in order to make it possible. I am so excited to be able to share this kind of hope.

Double Award-Winner—
MATT BROUWER RECEIVES COVENANT AWARD
FOR FAN CHOICE ARTIST OF THE YEAR

NASHVILLE, Tenn.—Acclaimed Canadian singer/songwriter Matt Brouwer received two Covenant Awards—including Fan Choice Artist of the Year—at the 2009 Covenant Awards held Friday in Calgary, Alberta. The Awards were presented during GMA Canada’s Music Week.

“To receive the Fan Choice Artist of the Year Award is an amazing honor,” Brouwer said. “There are days when, as musicians, we wonder if anything we are doing is reaching people at all. To have my friends and fans rally to vote in this way is so cool and I am deeply grateful for the show of support.”

Brouwer also received the Covenant Award for Folk/Roots Song of the Year for “The Other Side.” With appearances by Vince Gill and Amy Grant, “The Other Side” is featured on Brouwer’s latest studio recording, Where’s Our Revolution.

“Being recognized for your work is always an encouragement, but winning in these two categories both held special significance for me,” said Brouwer. “‘The Other Side’ is a song I wrote in tribute for my older sister Sandra who passed away a few years ago. In attempting to honor her life, and her impact on me as a person and musician, I could never have dreamed that the song would be recorded with Vince Gill and Amy Grant (one of my sister’s heroes), or that it would be honored with a Covenant Award. It’s a reminder in my family of the legacy Sandra left behind and another chance to honor her memory.”

Where’s Our Revolution, Brouwer’s third studio recording, was produced by GRAMMY Award winner Michael Omartian. Re-released in August as a Deluxe Edition by Universal Music Christian Group/Fontana, the recording features 12 new songs written or co-written by Brouwer. The project includes the #1 singles “Beautiful Now” and “Come Back Around”; “I Shall Believe” and other bonus selections; as well as exclusive video content, including a free download of the “I Shall Believe” video.

Now residing in Houston, Brouwer debuted on Reunion Records and scored a hit with the single “Water.” His recent work has included more radio success with the singles “I Shall Believe,” “Surrender” and “Father I Adore You.” In addition to national and international touring, Brouwer is an Artist in Residence at Woodlands United Methodist Church in Houston.

For further information, visit www.mattbrouwer.com.

Hey guys,

here is a link to a video clip from a Canadian tour that the band and I did this past year…I’d like to point out the bass players (Patrick) and his sweet hat in the second song clip…amazing! You can own this video (and others) for free with a purchase of “Where’s Our Revolution (Delux)” in stores now! Check it out~
Live Video

I so appreciate all your support you guys, stay tuned for more live video posts coming soon…Have a great weekend, drop me a note if you get a chance,
cheers,
Matt

Hey guys,

just thought I’d let y’all know that I now have an official iphone app. It’s not all it’s going to be just yet, but it’s pretty cool! download it now at itunes and keep up with all the news and updates as well as new music. Oh and did I mention?…It’s Free…Check it out!
http://www.148apps.com/app/329385868

Hey guys,
Some really good news today! We found out that I have been nominated for 6 Covenant Awards (Canadian Gospel Music Awards) including Male vocalist of the year, Album of the year, Pop Record of the year, Pop Song of the year, folk-roots song of the year, and Music Video of the year! The award show is held in Canada this October.

The band and I also performed on a local Houston morning show today called, Great Day

Houston.

It’s a popular show on channel 11 featuring a live audience and dynamic host, Deborah Duncan. We played the new single, “Sometimes” and talked about the release of “Where’s Our Revolution”. We also contributed to a silly segment on Avocado’s good times…

Hey guys,
A busy end to the work week! The band and I have been asked to play on a local Houston TV show called, “Great Day Houston”. We’ll perform live and talk about the new CD. If you live in the Houston area be sure and tune in to channel 11 at about 9am.

We’ve been hearing from all over that people are finding the new CD in stores, here is a photo that my friend Patrick took at Best Buy!

Also, check out this link to hear a radio interview I did a few weeks back with a station in Orange County, CA. The show is called New Notes which is a conversation about songwriting and the creative process, check it out here… click here

Thanks again everyone, hope things are well…
much love,
-Matt

Hey guys,
Just got word that I’ll be playing on the a local Houston TV show called “Great Day Houston” this Friday morning to promote the CD. If you live in the Houston area check local listings on the CBS affiliate. If not, there will be a link on their website to see the performance, or we’ll post it. Day 2 of street week rolls along. Here is the final ’story behind the songs’ entry, it’s short and to the point. Have a great day everyone,
-Matt

Good Night’s Sleep
This song is a sort of heartache lullaby. It’s a sentiment of love spanning miles of separation and estrangement.

Hey Guys,
Well, the day has arrived! The new CD officially hits stores today. This week is very important in getting some sales happening at stores so I appreciate any help you all can give by going out and buying a copy this week. It’s a gift to have the opportunity to share music, so today is a real celebration for me, thanks for your support!
-Matt

Stories Behind The Songs…

All The Way
None of us can make it through life on our own. We are all prone to addictions and darkness that threaten to destroy us. Our culture has a way of either masking these symptoms or discarding people caught in addiction’s grasp. I believe the only hope we have is through Jesus and what He did for us through His death and resurrection. He gives us the power to live victorious. I have experienced that salvation and I wanted to express that journey in this song, “Come and save me, I can’t make it on my own.”

I Shall Believe
The idea that there is someone who waits with open arms and welcomes us home after we have strayed and wandered is so powerful to me. Though it’s the only song on the CD that I did not write (Sheryl Crow and Bill Bottrell wrote it), it feels so personal for me to sing these words, which for me are sung from the perspective of a son to a Father. I grew up without a Dad (my Father was killed in a car accident) and my Mom used to tell me that God was my Father in the absence of my Dad. That’s the perspective I have when I sing this song. The lyric was always vulnerable but for some reason to sing it as a son, gave it a new meaning for me and that has been really special.