Interview: Planetshakers
Planetshakers are back with new album 'Outback Worship Sessions'. LTTM spoke with the worship team's Joth Hunt, from one of Australia's fastest growing churches in history, to find out how they crafted this special acoustic album.
Make sure you also check out this free song download from Planetshakers!
Tell us a little bit about your new album 'Outback Worship Sessions' and what the inspiration behind it was?
In the past Planetshakers music has organically reached a younger demographic. Our desire is to empower generations to reach generations, so for our newest project, the “Outback Worship Sessions,” we wanted to be intentional about reaching all generations. This album is a studio album with our good mate Ed Cash (Chris Tomlin, Kari Jobe). We wrote a bunch of new songs for this record with him and also rearranged new versions of some of our most requested songs, we are so excited about this album!
Which is your favorite track on the album and why?
Whilst I really love all the tracks on this album, “Like A Fire” is a really special one and I can’t wait for you to hear it and see the video clip for it that we have just filmed in Australia’s Outback!
This new album is about ‘capturing a more acoustic, organic delivery of some of your best known songs.’ Do you think it’s in the setting that the songs work the best?
As you will hear, these songs take on a new sound on this album. The more acoustic, organic delivery of these songs makes them more congregational for the wider church body. Small churches in the middle of Australia’s Outback or the big mega churches in the USA can sing these songs and get the same result of drawing people into worshipping God.
Why decide to produce an acoustic album now?
Although we have done acoustic albums in the past, we as a Church at Planetshakers have felt that we are moving into a new era, and, through prayer, felt God lay this project on our heart. We never want to keep doing the same thing year in year out without seeking God, and we are excited to try something new and for you to hear it. We will still record our live albums, but we wanted to try something new.
If you could work with any songwriter, who would it be and why?
On this project, we had the absolute honor of writing and working with Ed Cash, who produced the album. He was the perfect fit for this project, as we have been blessed by many songs that he has co-written, How Great Is Our God, Angel Armies, Our God, just to name a few. God has used Ed to bless the Church around the world, and it was a privilege that he wrote and co-wrote some of the songs on this new album with us. For the “Outback Worship Sessions,” there is no one else that we would have preferred to work with!
The newest Planetshakers album, because there is nothing more exciting than a new song! We are always writing new songs to the lord and releasing them on Planetshakers albums.
How would you define success in your career as a band?
1 Kings 2:3 says, “Do what the Lord your God commands and follow His teachings…then you will be a success, no matter what you do or where you go.”
Success for us is not about how many albums we sell, how many tours we play, or how many people know about us. We do what we do solely for the purpose of drawing people into encounters with God, lifting up the name of Jesus, and playing our part in seeing His Kingdom come on earth as it is in Heaven. When we see people all over the world praising and worshipping God with all their might or hear testimonies of how our music has helped them encounter their maker; that is what we call success.
What advice would you give to any aspiring young bands/artists out there?
Practice, practice, practice. If you want the fruit, you gotta sow. Also, allowing God to lead the way with all that you're doing in music.
You're stuck on an island, it's hot you only have enough battery life left to listen to one song on your mp3 player. What track is it?
If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands.
What does next year hold for Planetshakers?
Over the next year, it’s our desire to continue seeking the Lord - seeking to walk with Him in everything, not in front, not behind, but right next to Him. Life is an adventure. No doubt, the next year is going to be the biggest and best adventure to date. Life with God is exciting!
Find out more at planetshakers.com
