Interview: Luke Wareham
UK songwriter and worship leader Luke Wareham talks to Louder Than The Music about his recent singles, 'God of the impossible’ and 'All My Life', and tells us about his brand new EP coming out next month!
Hi Luke, you've just released a new single 'God of the impossible’, what can you tell us about the background to this song?
Hi, I wrote ‘God of the impossible’ with my friend Matt Caddick the song is based on when Jesus says in Matthew 19:26 ‘with man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible’. This has been my story of God working in my family’s life over the past year in situations which seemed hopeless and desperate. It was a privilege to have American songwriter and worship leader Molly Skaggs collaborate on the song as I have found her music inspiring over the years. I particularly love the way Dan Stirling has produced this song as I wanted it to be soothing to our souls. It was also great to have Jonny Bird mastering and Tim Cooke playing drums on the song.
Before that, you also released a song recently called 'All My Life' - you were joined by a couple of guests for that one right?
Yes, I wrote ‘All My Life’ with Joe Hardy for a youth festival we both lead worship at called Spree where 2,000 young people and children meet in the South West in England to encounter Jesus. It is great to have Joe feature on this new studio version of the song. My friend Dai Woolridge who is a spoken word poet also features on the song and he wrote an original spoken word for the song that really adds to it.
With a couple of new singles out, can we expect an EP from you soon?
I am releasing a new EP called ‘Christ is Lord’ which is coming out on September the 13th. It is the second studio EP that my friend Dan Stirling has produced with me and he has done an amazing job. The overall theme for the EP is about how having Jesus as the centre of our life changes everything! I love to write songs straight from the Bible and for the local church to sing. Psalm 146:2 has inspired us in recording these new songs when it says, ‘I will praise the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live’.
Who else have you worked with for this new EP?
Dan Stirling has produced this new EP and we worked with Jonny Bird who mastered the songs and Tim Cooke drummed on the songs. I love to work with other great songwriters and worship leaders and this EP features collaborations with Dai Woolridge, Joe Hardy, Noel Robinson, Molly Skaggs, and Millie Ferguson all who bring something different to each song.
Which is your favourite song on the album, and why?
At the moment ‘Set Me Apart’ as I have just been leading worship at a festival called New Wine in the youth venue Luminosity which I wrote the song for and the song went down really well with the young people during the worship times!
Did you consciously set out to write songs with a particular theme for this album?
Yes, the overall theme for the EP is about how having Jesus as the centre of our life changes everything! I love to write songs straight from the Bible and for the local church to sing. Psalm 146:2 has inspired us in recording these new songs when it says, ‘I will praise the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live’.
Over the past few years you've managed to work with a lot of talented people in the Christian music scene - what advice would you give to anyone hoping to make similar connections?
I have got to know people by serving at different events with them and by cheering others on. I think the main piece of advice I would give is to always look to encourage other songwriters in the Christian music sphere and to be inspired by them too.
Which worship artists do you look up to the most?
One of the most inspiring worship leaders and songwriters for me in my journey has been Matt Redman. I love this quote from him on songwriting when he says ‘I want to write songs that are both a chapel and a classroom’ - Classroom songs that - say something true, that means something, that matters, remind people something about God – His ways, His heart. Have the song be a Chapel a space for devotion, a space for us to say what we think about God’.
Away from your own music, if you had to pick one worship song that's really connecting with you at the moment, what would it be?
‘Holy Forever’ is one of the worship songs I am connecting with at the moment it is such an amazing song that is helping me and loads of others around the world worship and encounter Jesus. I sing it most weeks at church currently!!
