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Danny Gokey discusses ‘Hope Encounter’ Tour, music inspirations (Includes interview)

On his “Hope Encounter” tour, Gokey said, “We want to fill people with hope, but the vehicle we’re using is entertainment: songs and dancing. I teamed up with Laurieann Gibson, who designed shows for amazing performers such as Puff Daddy, Michael Jackson, and Katy Perry. You name it, she’s done it. We’re coming together to create a show, but faith is at the bottom of it all and through the middle of it all. We have great singers like Tauren Wells and Riley Clemmons.”

Gokey continued, “These guys are amazing performers, and I think that’s what I love about mixing music and entertainment with hope is that it’s like you are not banging people over the head with that message, but you are delivering it through making people feel something through music: wanting do dance, wanting to jump up and down, wanting to just feel loose and enjoy the moment, and that’s what we’re wanting to do. There’s an epidemic of suicide, of anxiety, of depression like never before. We really want to address these issues at this show and bring hope.”

On his future plans, he said, “After this fall tour, I’m headed out on a Christmas tour with Natalie Grant, which is called the ‘Celebrate Christmas’ tour. And then, I’m going on another tour in the spring. Even in the midst of that, I’m in the process of making another album. I am also working on a TV show concept that I have come up with that we’re recording and getting underway.”

Regarding his musical inspirations, he said, “When I start writing an album, I think about what are the messages I want to say. Honestly, my faith plays a big part in the messaging, and I begin to pray about it. I begin to live it, not just pray about it, but live it. I write some songs based on how I want the live show to feel, what I want the listeners to walk away with, and what emotions I want them to experience and walk away with as well.”

Digital transformation of the music business

On the impact of technology on the music business, Gokey said, “The music industry has been completely turned upside down and people didn’t know how to approach it because it used to be so controlled and now it’s not. Technology has changed everything. As artists, we have to go work harder on the touring side because the ownership of music doesn’t make as much money or support us as much as it used to. I think things are changing back to normal and it’s catching up. There are a lot more hands that make music and a lot more people who are in the pot.”

Gokey continued, “For me, the dream was never about making money, the dream was letting the gift inside me come out and connecting with people. All the other things are by-products of what we do in general. I think it’s actually changing for the good. It makes us make better music because only the good music usually rises to the top. It makes me work harder in the studio.”

On his use of technology in his daily routine as a musician, Gokey said, “I am always on Spotify and iTunes all the time. I live and breathe music. I am in the studio constantly. As far as how it affects the recording process, every producer now has a studio in their home, so it is kind of easier to get to studios now. You don’t have to pay the big bucks to use the other studios like you used to back in the day, because it’s now cheaper and it has allowed more people to get into the studio game.”

He listed India Arie, Kelly Clarkson and Prince Royce as his dream collaboration choices in music.

For his fans, Gokey said, ” Bring someone who you know. A really a big part of this is I’m going to share with people my experiences with having my past with depression, anxiety, fear, and negative emotions. I really want to dig into this on this tour. We are hearing about all these negative things happening and people cutting their lives short. A big part of my story is that I wanted to cut my life short after I lost my first wife. I am so glad I didn’t because I walked onto the stage of American Idol afterward, I remarried, and I’m living a beautiful life that I never thought was possible.”

He continued, “Sometimes pain has a voice, but a lot of times you remember that pain is speaking the wrong message, and we can’t always listen to that voice. We’ve got to make sure that voice isn’t taking us out but is taking us to a place of wanting to grow. So I’m really asking fans to invite people. Go out on a limb. You could save a life. I’ve had so many people tell me how my music has saved their life (people who were going to take their lives, heard my song at the right moment and decided to give life and God a second chance). I am really hoping even if people aren’t dealing with that stuff that they’re going to have a great time anyway. We are really trying to reach out to people. We’ve got to bring hope to people, and we really want people to have hope in God.”

To learn more about Danny Gokey and his music, check out his official website.

Markos Papadatos
Written By

Markos Papadatos is Digital Journal's Editor-at-Large for Music News. Papadatos is a Greek-American journalist and educator that has authored over 20,000 original articles over the past 18 years. He has interviewed some of the biggest names in music, entertainment, lifestyle, magic, and sports. He is a 16-time "Best of Long Island" winner, where for three consecutive years (2020, 2021, and 2022), he was honored as the "Best Long Island Personality" in Arts & Entertainment, an honor that has gone to Billy Joel six times.

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