‘God-Orchestrated’: Steven Curtis Chapman Reveals an Unexpected Collaboration
By Movieguide® Contributor
Christian artist Steven Curtis Chapman recently shared details about his friendship and musical collaboration with musician Mitchell Tenpenny.
The pair recently released a new version of Chapman’s single “Don’t Lose Heart,” which features vocals from Tenpenny, but the duo didn’t originally plan on collaborating.
“This is one of those God-orchestrated stories,” Chapman said.
Chapman and Tenpenny met at important moments in both of their lives — Chapman had just finished his WHITE CHAIR video project, which explored grief and the healing process, while Tenpenny was grappling with the loss of his father and his mother’s breast cancer diagnosis.
“Don’t lose hope” and “don’t lose heart” were phrases Tenpenny’s mother would say to him, encouraging him not to lose his faith in God during this tough time.
At the same time, Chapman was looking for someone to join him on a new recording of “Don’t Lose Heart,” and after their chance meeting, he decided Tenpenny was the right person.
“Instantly, I fell in love with this song,” Tenpenny said, deciding to record the song to help others who were in the same place he was. “I know so many people are struggling with their faith, just like I do.”
Chapman jumped in, saying, “I know what it’s like to be in the darkest of places.”
“I can’t believe God does this thing,” he continued. “How God put two unlikely people together that both audiences needed to hear.”
Movieguide® previously reported on Chapman’s music:
Christian singer Steven Curtis Chapman recently revealed his God-centered approach to writing music.
The Grammy-winning artist said that while he often bases his songs on real-life events, his decision to write a song comes after prayer and a calling from God.
“I don’t wake up and say, ‘Hey, I need to go to work and write a song today.’ I find myself moved by something – something I’m reading something, something that starts breaking my heart, something that’s encouraging my heart,” Chapman told Christian Headlines in a recent interview. “And my response to it is to sit down with a guitar or a piano and say: I want to respond to this in a way that hopefully will speak life into other people as well and encouragement in others…”
“Because if we’re going to do something for the glory of God, it ought to be excellent,” Chapman said. “It ought to be beautiful. It ought to be praiseworthy. And I think what I’ve seen, thankfully, happening in Christian music is that that has happened more and more over the years. I’ve watched more and more creative people honing their craft and expanding in all different areas and genres, and styles of music. But still with that heartbeat, to say, as a person of faith, as a person who the Gospel has not only impacted my life but has given me life, I want to make art that’s illuminated by that.”
