Music/Audio

Bethany Dillon Answers Five Questions

Question one: I’ve been a fan of yours since the beginning. After I finished listening to your latest project, it seems like it’s the most honest project you’ve ever made. In the past there have been numerous songs on your albums geared to radio that seemed sort of generic. With this project, it seems like this music just flows from your heart and is full of confidence. Where did this change in direction come from?
Bethany: Thank you! I definitely could feel a difference this time around in my songwriting. I think a lot of things have contributed to more honesty: getting married, moving away from my hometown to Dallas, learning more about what it means to love Jesus, and learning how badly I need Him. I think it’s this way for anyone: the longer you walk with Jesus, the more you figure out you can’t save yourself, and what a sweet thing it is to be His. I’m enjoying life more than I ever have, and I’m enjoying Jesus more than I ever have, and hopefully you can tell in my songs.
 Question two: In your concerts you often quote scripture, and you seem very comfortable with the Word. How often do you read your Bible, and how do you use it in your walk with God?
Bethany: Well, I wouldn’t be telling the truth if I said I was a pro at reading the Word. But, by God’s grace, I do try on a daily basis to spend time being quiet, reading, praying, and waiting on God. You really do form a relationship with the Bible, since it’s living and active, and with your own Bible—the pages start to get worn, you’ve underlined things and written notes, and when you go back to a specific place in your Bible, you remember being spoken to by that passage. And, as in any relationship, the more you nurture it and pour time into it, the dearer it becomes to you and becomes part of your life. I want to get better at memorizing passages and really hiding scripture in my heart, because they are the only words of eternal life—they’re God’s words, which is a good thing to get to know well!
Question three: On Stop & Listen a lot of the radio-friendly gloss that your fans are familiar with has been removed and replaced with a simpler production technique. Why the change?
Bethany: Well, I think the content of the songs kind of lent themselves to simpler production. This record feels like the most confessional one I’ve ever made, so to have lots of things going on in the songs would just feel distracting to what the words are saying, you know? But, really, one of the biggest blessings was having Marshall Altman produce it, and the group of musicians that he had come in and play on the songs. They brought a new perspective to everything, and they did it excellently! It was such an honor to have them on this project, because they all added so much and were really invested in making it the best-sounding record possible.
Question four: You’ve covered so much musical ground since your self-titled debut. Any ideas on where you want to go next?
Bethany: I think I’m getting gradually simpler in the kind of music I like and want to write. I feel like this record is a big step in that direction. I love music that feels like a conversation over coffee, and I hope that with each record that becomes more of the vibe.
Question five: What advice would you give to youth who are afraid to show their love for Christ because it doesn’t seem “cool”?
Bethany: Hmmm . . . I would first say that we’re all there with you! It’s a very daunting thing to try and share something that can potentially be so uncomfortable and offensive to someone! I think the thing I’m learning is that I’m called to love people more, not make them like me. That may sound harsh, but I know for myself, when I keep quiet when I know I should say something, it’s usually because I want them to like me, pure and simple. But really, when we ask God to help us speak boldly as we ought to, and to have a heart of compassion and courage with people who don’t know Him, He gives us what we need in that situation. He really does! God gives us wisdom to know when to speak and not to, genuine love for that person, and peace and freedom in the moment. He really is so worth talking a lot about, and writing songs about, and having conversations about!

by Andrew Shaw

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