By Jess DrummondMonday 9 May 202296five DRIVEMusicReading Time: 4 minutes
Tauren Wells is a busy man. Having just finishing touring across North America, the multi-award-winning singer-songwriter is looking forward to enjoying some family time before the release of his new album, Joy in the Morning.
96five’s Jess Drummond caught up with Tauren Wells to find out how he balances the demands of a touring musician with being a husband and father of four?
“An amazing wife and a gracious God”, he says. “I have given up on the concept of balance – it’s impossible. When you’re trying to balance something, you live your life in tension and it’s tough.
“I have surrendered to this idea in Scripture that to everything in life there is a purpose and a season under Heaven, and trying to find the rhythm of the seasons – trying to find the rhythm of fatherhood, and being a husband, and being an artist, and then just moving at that tempo.”
A lot has happened for Tauren in his music career including six GMA Dove Awards, more than one billion global streams, and nominations for Grammy and Billboard Music Awards.
When asked what has been most rewarding about his successful musical endeavours, Tauren cites his children’s enthusiasm for his music.
“The fact that my kids enjoy it, they listen to the music in the car, they want to hear it, they want to come to shows, they want to be a part of it – it’s a beautiful gift. Also, I’m not naive – when I’m writing songs, I’m thinking about them. I’m thinking about the fact [that] if they’re going to be listening, and my songs are going to basically tell them what I think life is about, then I want [the songs] to cover what I think life is about.”
He also finds it rewarding to hear about how fans integrate his songs into “the most intimate moments of their lives”.
“I get feedback from people, ‘We slow-danced at our wedding reception to “Known” as our first dance’. One girl, she passed away, her request was to be listening to “Hills and Valleys” as she transitioned from earth to Heaven. I have a friend of mine whose son was born in the hospital, and the first song he played was “Hills and Valleys”. Being able to be in those moments with people and to have something that means that much is something I can’t quite wrap my mind around, and it’s a true gift.”
These individual instances of appreciation for Tauren’s music tie in to his chart success. The Texan has achieved number one with several songs, including his latest release, “Fake It”, which has reached the top spot on the Australian Christian charts.
Tauren says the upbeat feel of “Fake It” came off the back of the downcast atmosphere that the pandemic brought.
“We [Tauren and his fellow songwriters] just started messing around with melodies and dancing around the room, and this idea came to life that when the love is real, it doesn’t have to be faked.
“There are so many ways we try to fake it; we try to fake our feelings, we try to fake our faith by just doing empty religious rituals but still claiming that we have a vibrant faith. Sometimes we’re fake in our relationships because we’re unwilling to be honest, but when we get real with ourselves and with our feelings and with we’re really at in our lives and our position with people, we can have something we don’t have to fake.
We don’t have to pretend. Jesus didn’t die for who we pretend to be.
He didn’t die for us on our best day – the Scripture says that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. That’s the beautiful truth of it.”
Commenting on the prominent role of dance in the “Fake It” music video, Tauren says it’s always his motivation to create music that moves people, whether physically, emotionally, spiritually, relationally.
“My choreographer, Alex Chung, did an incredible job helping me get to a place that was authentic for me and movement that was natural for me, although I had to work like a dog to get it done! It took a lot of effort and I’m so glad that people see it and they see the spirit of it, just trying to do something super well, and trying to do something super well, and trying to carry that message as far as we can.”