Interview: Danny Plett
Danny Plett, a Canadian and international worship artist, just released his new single 'As Diamond Cuts Diamond'. Louder Than The Music spent some time getting to know more about this experienced worship leader to find out what inspires his music, and how his latest song came through a period of darkness to show how God strengthens us.
For those who haven't heard of you before, can you tell us a bit about yourself and how you got involved in making music?
I’m from Canada - the Great White North! Growing up in an environment filled with music of all kinds I started writing music at a young age. By the time I was 18 I knew that I wanted to do music as my life’s work. For a lot of years, my wife and I lived in Europe with our two children. Over the years there, I’ve become well-known in the German speaking world as a worship leader songwriter, and artist. Every year I travel back to Europe for a number of concert tours per year. I also travel to Belarus and Brazil where I also perform. A very loved aspect of what I do is mentoring young musicians, artists, and songwriters.
Tell us about your new single 'As Diamond Cuts Diamond' and what the inspiration behind it was?
When the pandemic hit two years ago all my touring came to an abrupt halt. It was a bit of a shock to the system. We all faced an indefinite period of time in lockdown. Early into the lockdown my mom died. Six weeks later my wife Sherri’s father passed away. Sherri lost her teaching job, and I had a crisis in my family that’s left significant scarring. It was a lot to process, and the grief was deep. I’m excited about physical fitness and during this time I kept up with my workouts which helped in the processing. I began to think of how our heavenly Father uses these crises for our growth, strengthening and ultimate spiritual health and fitness. I have a great relationship with my fitness coach at the gym I go to. He pushes me past what my normal parameters of comfort are, not to hurt me but to make me strong. I began to see God as a coach who trains me to greater levels of fitness through shaping and toning me in order to strengthen me for the tasks of each day and challenges that come up. As diamond cuts diamond and as iron forms iron the Father in His love for me allows these circumstances to form and shape me.
Do you have any plans to release more music in the near future?
I had an extremely creative period during our first lockdown and wrote a lot of new music. I’m in the process now of developing and demo-ing these songs with the hope of releasing them in the future.
What message would you like people to take from your music?
That the Father’s heart is eternally loving, that His character is one that embraces and accepts, that His eyes see intimately who we are, and yet He’s not embarrassed to call us, each and every broken one of us, His precious child, that His hands minister healing and forgiveness, that He doesn’t condemn but draws us to Himself with tender correction and loving discipline.
How would you describe your style of music and what are your influences?
My music style falls squarely into the pop/rock genre with R&B and gospel influences. Growing up, Andrae Crouch and Keith Green were great influencers in my life. A number of years ago I personally got to know Andrae Crouch at a large Gospel event in Europe where I was performing. My proudest moment was when he backed me up on a Hammond organ during one of my soundchecks at that event. I was such a devoted Keith Green follower back in the day that I traced down his phone number and got a chance to talk with him just a little while before his tragic death.
If you could work with any songwriter, who would it be and why?
There are so many! Bono, King David, Paul McCartney, Matt Redman, Dolly Parton, Ed Sheeran, Stuart Townsend, Fanny Crosby, Chris Martin! Where do I stop?! These writers have written some of my favourite hymns and songs.
How would you define success in your career as an artist?
Success for me as an artist has always been about finding a healthy and sustainable balance between family, work, travel, physical, emotional and spiritual health.
What is your favorite album of all time?
Joshua Tree - U2
You're stuck on an island, it's hot, you only have enough battery life left to listen to one song on your phone. What track is it?
Bad Habits - Ed Sheeran
What does the next year hold for you?
Hopefully getting back to a normal touring schedule!
