It’s no secret– Jason Nelson is one of my favorite male vocalists around. It’s not just his tone, either… it’s his heartfelt and passionate delivery of each note. There’s almost an implicit “listen to what I’m tryna TELL you” in each note. Love it. And beyond his vocals, he lives what he sings. That shouldn’t be a rarity, but it is.
So, I took a minute to chat with Jason Nelson about his new album, Shifting the Atmosphere, which hits stores this coming Tuesday, May 22, 2012. It’s his first release on Verity, led by the success of his lead single, “Shifting the Atmosphere.”
In our chat, Jason and I talk new music, sibling rivalry, integrity in artistry and more.
Check it out!
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EJ: Thanks for chatting with me, man.
JN: No problem at all. It’s my pleasure!
EJ: Let’s jump right in and talk about your new album, Shifting the Atmosphere. Now, this album has been a long time coming… your live recording for it was in April of 2010. Folks wanna know– what took so long?
JN: Well, the truth is… it’s all about God’s timing. It’s the right time for the record to come out, now. We recorded in 2010 and, initially, I thought it was coming right out. One bump after another kept me from getting it out like I thought I would. Now, here we are in 2012. There’s a space at radio for “Shifting the Atmosphere”… God makes everything beautiful in its time. Sometimes you have to wait for your season. I’ve learned to live with the delay and I think this is the right time.
EJ: How did you know that Verity was going to be a good fit for you?
JN: It’s kinda weird. When Stanley Brown came to me and talked to me about potentially signing with Verity, I was very humbled because some of the people I’ve looked up to are signed there. Fred [Hammond], Kirk [Franklin], Donnie [McClurkin], Marvin [Sapp]…
You know how you kinda just KNOW? It was one of those things. Something about being connected to Stanley gave me a sense of comfort that it was the right move to make. It’s a really good deal and I’m very grateful, but something about that Stanley Brown connection made the whole thing make sense for me.
EJ: Cool. So, now that the CDs are pressed and shipped off, headed to stores, tell us what we can expect to hear on the album. What’s the main focus of Shifting the Atmosphere?
JN: The focus is to take people on a musical journey into worship and praise. You’re gonna hear the gamut of what I represent as a musician, singer, songwriter, and even as a producer.
EJ: Do you have a favorite song on the album?
JN: I really like the whole record. Sometimes you have what people call “album fillers,” but I don’t think we have any of those on this record. It’s strong from top to bottom. I love “No Words,” but I also like “Nothing Without You.” My wife helped to write that one and there’s something about that one. But also, “Dominion” really is like a sleeping giant. I really think people will grab a hold to that song. It could be bigger than “Shifting the Atmosphere,” because of how it speaks to people. It may be the next single.
EJ: I thought it was, the way you’ve been singing it and carrying on!
JN: *laughs*
EJ: What is your prayer as it relates to this music and your ministry? What do you hope people will get from it?
JN: From the beginning, my prayer was “God, give me music that sings the lives of the hearer.” I want people to relate to it and say “I’ve been there. That makes sense for me.” That’s my desire for the record– that the music is so relatable that people go and share it with someone else. Ultimately, it’s about ministry.
I realize we’re in the industry, so there’s a level of responsbiliyy as it relates to making things happen, but ministry comes first for me. I want people to hear the music, be changed, be saved… as cliché as it sounds, that’s really what my desire is as it relates to music.
EJ: You don’t come across as an artist who’s big into the glitz and glam of artistry. You just kinda show up, well-dressed and ready to minister, then you head home. Is that accurate? Is that intentional or is it just how you are?
JN: Oh yeah. That is me in a nutshell. I like keeping things simple. It’s not intentional.. it’s just me. I don’t like all the glamour, glitz, lights… that’s not my personality. I’m not into being seen, per se, even though that comes with being in the industry.
I like “simple” and “low-key.” I may wear shades and a hat in the airport, not because I’m a superstar, but because I like being low-key. I’m not really an “industry guy,” but I’m a part of the industry. I think that’s what people sense when they meet me. Don’t take me to the front of the church; I prefer to sit in the back, slide out and for no one to know I was there. When you start feeding your ego, you start getting in trouble.
EJ: I’m not asking you to knock anyone’s artistry, but as you look at some of your fellow artists, is there something you think is missing from among our music ministers? Where is there room for improvement?
JN: You ARE asking me to knock somebody. *laughs*
What we’re missing nowadays is that authenticity. Gospel music has this commercial thing that people are buying into. I have heard the term “branding,” but where does the ministry piece come in? We, as artists, have a tendency to fall short. Everything is not about marketing, a bigger name, a bigger stage. It’s about your assignment. Are we just here to sell recods, or are we really here to impact lives? When artists get into authenticity again, we’ll see a change.
And I truly think that’s happening now, actually. People are getting back to the gospel roots.We’re moving back to real ministry and really impacting people positively.
EJ: Your twin brother, Jonathan Nelson, has experienced significant success as a gospel artist. Have the two of you ever had to deal with envy or jealousy as it relates to the other’s opportunities?
JN: No. And as weird as people probably think it is, we haven’t because we grew up supporting each other. It’s very natural for us to champion each other’s causes. Every record we’ve done, we’ve always had a part in each other’s albums. When Jonathan did his first record, I sang on “Everything You Are,” and in the group. When I did I Shall Live, he helped with background vocal arrangements and wrote “Mighty Wind.” On his other projects, we sang “Right Now Praise” and “Could’ve Been Another Way” together. He did vocal production on my new record.
We’ve always participated in each other’s records. His success is mine, and mine is his.
EJ: So, is there ever any sibling rivalry between the two of you?
JN: Oh, we get on each other’s nerves, but that’s family. *laughs* That’s being brothers. But as it relates to music, we generally agree.
When we were younger, we used to get on each other’s nerves– he was the choir director, I was the bass player and musical director. When he held rehearsal too long, or did something I didn’t like, I was very vocal!
People used to say “if Jonathan and Jason have an argument before concert, the concert’s gonna be good. *laughs* It generally worked out to be true!
EJ: That’s hilarious! So, after the album release, what’s next for Jason Nelson in 2012?
JN: I’ll just be supporting this record and building my family. I’m a family guy first, before being an artist or pastor. For me, it’s all about supporting my kids, supporting my wife and then my church… just backing up this singing with a life that actually matches what we sing about.
EJ: Good times. I appreciate you, man.
JN: Thank you. I appreciate you, sincerely.
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So, there you have it!
Again, Shifting the Atmosphere hits stores on Tuesday, May 22, 2012, but you can listen to snippets and pre-order it at Amazon.com TODAY.
What do you think of our chat?
All of My Heart is for the music lovers. I’m not talking about the kind of music lover that just likes to casually listen to hot music. We all want to hear hot music. I’m talking about the kind who can’t listen to music without making faces, playing your air guitar, singing instrumental solos, and hollering at the radio when you hear a tight lick or harmony. I’m talking about the music lover who really appreciates fine musical instrumentation and precision. I’m talking about the music lover who wants it churchy, jazzy, soulful, funky, and gritty…and done with real instruments. All of My Heart is for YOU.
Over Stellar Awards weekend, Karen Clark Sheard announced the signing of the newest artist to her label, Karew Records– Jonathan Nelson!
It’s a pretty well-known fact that Jason Nelson is just about one of my favorite male vocalists in gospel music today.
