(courtesy of Centricity Records)

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.

Lay It Down
Daniel Kirkley Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I've been looking till my eyes are tired of looking
Listening till my ears are numb from listening
Praying till my knees are sore
From kneeling on the bedroom floor

I know that you know that my heart is aching
I'm running out of tears and my will is breaking
I don't think I can carry the burden

Of this anymore

'Cause all of my hopes and my dreams and my best laid plans
Are slowly slipping through my folded hands

Chorus
So I'm gonna lay it down
I'm gonna learn to trust you know
What else can I do
Everything I am depends on you
And if the sun don't come back up
I know your love will be enough
So I'm gonna let it be
I'm gonna let it go
I'm gonna lay it down

I've been walking through this world like I'm barely living
Buried in the doubt of this hole I've been digging
But you're pulling me out
And I'm finally breathing in the open air

This room may be dark but I'm finally seeing
There's a new ray of hope and now I'm believing
That the past is past and the future's beginning
To look brighter now

'Cause all of my hopes and my dreams and my best laid plans
Are safe and secure when I place them in your hands

Overall Meaning

The song "Lay It Down" by Daniel Kirkley is a reflection of the human struggle to carry the weight of life's challenges alone. The first verse captures the exhaustion of searching, listening, and praying to find a way to bear the burden. The imagery of kneeling on the bedroom floor speaks to the desperate need for relief from the pain. The second stanza reveals the heart of the matter - the person is at the end of their willpower and cannot carry the load any longer. The chorus is a cry of surrender and trust in a higher power. The person acknowledges that everything they are depends on this force and the sun will rise again because love is enough. The last verse is a testament to the transformative power of faith. The person emerges from the darkness to see a new ray of hope and believes in a brighter future because they have placed their hopes and dreams in the hands of the divine.

Overall, the song is a message of hope and an invitation to let go of control and have faith. The lyrics are relatable and offer comfort to those who are struggling with life's challenges. The repetition of the phrase "lay it down" reinforces the theme of surrender and encourages the listener to trust in something greater than themselves.

Line by Line Meaning

I've been looking till my eyes are tired of looking
I have been searching so much that my eyes are sore and tired from it.

Listening till my ears are numb from listening
I have listened so intently that my ears feel numb.

Praying till my knees are sore From kneeling on the bedroom floor
I have prayed so much that my knees ache from kneeling on the floor of my room.

I know that you know that my heart is aching
I am aware that you are aware that my heart is hurting.

I'm running out of tears and my will is breaking
I am close to having no more tears left, and I am losing strength to go on.

I don't think I can carry the burden Of this anymore
I believe that I cannot bear this pain or burden anymore.

'Cause all of my hopes and my dreams and my best laid plans Are slowly slipping through my folded hands
Everything I had hoped for, dreamt of, and planned for is slowly slipping through my grasp.

Chorus
The chorus expresses the artist's decision to trust in God and give up control of their worries and problems.

So I'm gonna lay it down I'm gonna learn to trust you know What else can I do Everything I am depends on you And if the sun don't come back up I know your love will be enough So I'm gonna let it be I'm gonna let it go I'm gonna lay it down
I will give up control and trust in God, knowing that everything depends on Him. Even if everything seems hopeless, I trust that God's love will be enough, so I will let go of my worries and lay them down at His feet.

I've been walking through this world like I'm barely living Buried in the doubt of this hole I've been digging
I have been going through the motions of life but not fully living. I have been consumed by doubt and have dug myself into a hole.

But you're pulling me out And I'm finally breathing in the open air
However, God is pulling me out of this hole, and I am finally able to breathe in the fresh air of freedom.

This room may be dark but I'm finally seeing There's a new ray of hope and now I'm believing That the past is past and the future's beginning To look brighter now
Although things may seem dark and hopeless, I am starting to see a new ray of hope. I believe that the past is behind me, and the future is starting to look brighter and more promising.

'Cause all of my hopes and my dreams and my best laid plans Are safe and secure when I place them in your hands
All of the things I hope for, dream of, and plan for are safe and secure when I put them in God's hands.

Contributed by Violet S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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