Former AMERICAN IDOL Finalist Danny Gokey Shares His Heart Behind New Song ‘Agradecido’
By Movieguide® Staff
AMERICAN IDOL alum and three-time Grammy nominee Danny Gokey recently opened up about the meaning behind his new song called “Agradecido,” which means “grateful” in Spanish.
“I went into the studio, and I just wanted to write a song about how I was so grateful,” Gokey, 41, said. “Many people know me from who I was on AMERICAN IDOL, but I wanted to write a song and film a video in such a way that it showed people that this is the other side of my story that a lot of people don’t know. I’m grateful for all the blessings that I’ve received in this life.”
Gokey, his wife Leyicet, and their four kids—Emanuel, 23 months; Gabriel, 3; Victoria, 5; and Daniel, 8—traveled to Puerto Rico to shoot the music video for the song. However, Gokey found that gratefulness was a difficult attitude to practice.
“My wife and I have this deal that since she packs them up and gets them ready for trips, I have to basically take the lap child and most of the others,” Gokey explained. “She just watches movies on planes.”
Gokey said that he was so tired on the plane ride that he fell asleep with a glass of orange juice in his hands.
“That cup almost fell out of my hand, I think, two or three different times,” Gokey told PEOPLE. “I caught it every single time.”
After nine years of marriage, the Gokeys stayed determined to follow through on the music video and the trip.
Their relationship helped Gokey take the next step after the tragic loss of his first wife, Sophia. Just three weeks before his audition on Season 8 of AMERICAN IDOL, Sohpia died of congenital heart disease.
“Leyicet has never, ever walked in the shadow of my first wife,” Gokey said. “She never prepared herself for that, which is really interesting because it does take a certain amount of grace and an ability from God to accept someone as they are and not be intimidated by their story. She’s been a blessing to me.”
“You think about where I was in 2009 and where I am now,” he added. “I have lost a spouse and went on American Idol and lost my music career and restarted my music career and got married and had kids… When you’re grateful, you just see everything that you got as a blessing.”
Gokey also hopes that his new song will encourage people to focus on the blessing in life instead of its difficulties.
“I really do hope that it encourages people,” Gokey said. “We’re living in pretty tumultuous times, a lot of division — there’s just a lot on that right now. When it comes right down to it, we are all filters of the information we’re taking in. A lot of that information we’re taking in is clogging up the pores in a way, so you can’t see correctly. I just feel like this album washes away all that junk.”
“When I write, I really do ask God to write through me,” he continued. “This album is full of messages that I hope cleans the filters and cleans the heart and cleans the mind.”
Read Also: AMERICAN IDOL Alum Danny Gokey: Christ Is Enough
View this post on Instagram
Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.
What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.
You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.
Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.
Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.
What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.
You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.
Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.
- Content: +1Share:
- Content: +2