There are times when our path seems… Read Full Bio ↴(courtesy of Centricity Records)
There are times when our path seems so certain and our future looks planned and perfect. Then suddenly we are called into the unknown. The faithful embrace their calling—even when it doesn't seem to make sense. Just ask Daniel Kirkley, the gifted young vocalist who abandoned a promising medical career to enter the mercurial music business
Having worked hard to achieve his musical vision on Let Love Win, Kirkley is basking in the excitement of a dream coming true. During his early college days, the Lancaster, South Carolina native couldn't have imagined that life would take such a turn. A good student, who grew up in a solid Christian family, he'd always loved music but didn't really see it as a career.
"I started singing just in church when I was five or six years old," says Kirkley. "When I got older, I fell in love with science and medicine. I ended up getting an academic and music scholarship to University of South Carolina. I double majored in pre-med and classical voice, but at that point, music didn't seem feasible as a career. I actually wanted to become a pediatrician."
Kirkley began performing at Paramount Carowinds theme park in Charlotte, North Carolina during summer breaks. "I loved the experience so much, being in front of people and connecting with people," the young artist recalls. "To see people's connection with you as a person and how they could connect with a song, it was something I never experienced in the classical academic part of music. I came back to school just completely restless and not satisfied. I started to want something more besides pre-med, which terrified me."
Julie Roberts, Daniel's friend from childhood who has since become one of the new successful female artists in Country music suggested he check out Nashville's Belmont University. Though people around him were surprised when he opted to leave the University of South Carolina, giving up a full scholarship, Kirkley felt compelled. "I define it as 'blindly leaping,' which I think you have to do often with faith," he says. "You just step out and go for it."
Daniel remembers sitting down with his parents one night. "They told me that they had made a list of reasons that weren't acceptable for me to go to Belmont and they wanted me to give them my top three reasons for going," says Kirkley. "My first reason was 'I legitimately feel that this is where God is leading me.' My dad stopped me and said, 'That's the one thing I needed to hear.' They said 'We'll make it work and do whatever we have to do.'"
While attending Belmont, Kirkley landed an internship with BMG Music Publishing, working in the Gospel division. "I worked there two years and I fell in love with publishing," says Kirkley, who worked with industry veteran Joe Shell. "I actually never had written a song before I started working there. I never had a concept of what a singer/songwriter was. Within my first couple of weeks there, Joe took me on what he called a field trip. It was a mastering session for Kyle Matthews, which was cool because that was actually the first time I met [Centricity A&R VP] John Mays."
After his internship at BMG, Kirkley landed a job at Brentwood Benson Music. He also began pursuing his goal of being an artist. People began paying attention to Kirkley's talent and it was obvious he didn't belong behind a desk or behind a studio console, but on stage and in front of a microphone. Wanting to do a project from start to finish totally on his own, Kirkley released an independent album in 2003. He began getting calls to perform at churches and events.
When a friend introduced him to Guy Zabka, Director of A&R, at Centricity Records, he found a label home and people who were excited about his innovative sound. Kirkley's vocal style incorporates elements of his classical training, fused with vibrant pop sensibilities, and the blend results in a unique sound, unlike anything on the contemporary Christian music landscape. His rich full voice is seasoned by years of performing and tempered by a classical education that places Kirkley in a class by himself as a vocalist.
Now is Daniel Kirkley's time to move forward. He's paid his dues and he's been faithful to the calling on his life. The folks in South Carolina may have lost a potential pediatrician, but the world has gained a tremendously gifted artist with a powerful voice and a vision to share hope. God had a plan and Daniel Kirkley has been faithful. The result is music for a bright new dawn.
Come
Daniel Kirkley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Bring all of your burdens
Your fear of what's uncertain
Come and lay it down
Come
There's a world that's broken
But promises were spoken
Pray
Pray that well will understand
That love is calling, take a stand
Come and take the Father's hand
Chorus
Come, we can break the walls down
And use our hands to reach out
Shine the light into the dark
Come, still the war that's raging
He heals the aching heart
There is a world that waits for us
Come
Go
Feed the man whose hungry
Hold the child whose lonely
Find the lost and lead him home
Trust
Pray that we will learn to trust
With every breath You've given us
Father teach us how to love
Chorus
We've gotta love Him
We've gotta love others
Show another beggar where we found bread
We should never be afraid
Never forget what He said
I'll be with you till the end
Chorus
The lyrics to Daniel Kirkley's song "Come" are an inspiring call to action for both believers and non-believers alike. The song starts by inviting listeners to bring all their burdens, fear, and uncertainty in faith to lay them down before the Father's feet. The lyrics acknowledge the reality that the world is broken, but hope is alive in the promises spoken to believers in Christ. The call to action begins with a prayer for understanding, that love is calling us to take a stand in the face of the broken world.
The chorus emphasizes the need to break down the walls that separate us from one another, reaching out to those in need, shining the light in the dark, and stilling the war that rages in our hearts. The lyrics acknowledge that the world is waiting for those who will follow in Christ's footsteps and respond to the call to love.
The second half of the song talks about practical ways to love and serve others, feeding the hungry, holding the lonely child, finding the lost, and leading them home. The call to trust in the Father, learn to love, and never forget what Christ said in His promise to be with us until the end of time.
Overall, "Come" is a song that reminds believers of their duty to love and serve others, to put their faith in action, to be a beacon of hope to those in need, and to trust in the love of Christ every step of the way.
Line by Line Meaning
Come
Invitation to come and leave behind all burdens and uncertainties
Bring all of your burdens
Bring everything that's weighing you down
Your fear of what's uncertain
Bring your anxieties about the unknown
Come and lay it down
Come and let go of your worries
Come
Emphasis on the previous invitation
There's a world that's broken
The world is hurting
But promises were spoken
God has made promises to heal
But we don't come alone
We have each other and God
Pray
Call to prayer
Pray that well will understand
Ask to understand the message of love
That love is calling, take a stand
That love calls us to action
Come and take the Father's hand
Come and take God's hand
Chorus
Refrain that emphasizes the main message
Come, we can break the walls down
Together, we can overcome barriers
And use our hands to reach out
We can help others
Shine the light into the dark
Bring hope to those who are struggling
Come, still the war that's raging
Come and bring peace to the conflicts
He heals the aching heart
God can bring healing to those who are hurt
There is a world that waits for us
There are people who need our help
Come
Re-emphasis on the invitation
Go
Call to action
Feed the man whose hungry
Help those who are hungry
Hold the child whose lonely
Comfort those who are lonely
Find the lost and lead him home
Help those who are lost find their way
Trust
Call to trust in God
Pray that we will learn to trust
Ask to learn to trust God
With every breath You've given us
In every moment of our lives
Father teach us how to love
Ask God to teach us how to love
Chorus
Refrain that emphasizes the main message
We've gotta love Him
We need to love God
We've gotta love others
We need to love those around us
Show another beggar where we found bread
Share what we have with others
We should never be afraid
We should have courage
Never forget what He said
We should remember God's promises
I'll be with you till the end
God is always with us
Chorus
Refrain that emphasizes the main message
Contributed by Addison L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.