Ca… Read Full Bio ↴“Turn the page because where we are is not where we’re going...”
Canadian-born singer/songwriter Matt Brouwer’s latest single, 'Waking Up', is more than just a nod to the past 14 years of being a recording artist, which Brouwer is celebrating on the release of his first career spanning ‘best of’ collection, "Writing To Remember". The sentiment of a bookend and a new beginning is no accident and reveals a season of transition that Brouwer is happily embracing. With more than a decade of hit songs, including “Water,” “I Shall Believe,” “Tonight,” and the Top 20 "Sometimes”; two GMA Canada Covenant Awards; two Canadian people’s choice Vibe Awards—not to mention a 2010 Juno Award (Canada’s Grammy equivalent) for Contemporary Christian/Gospel Album of the year—Matt has a lot to celebrate in all that has been accomplished so far over the course of his career. With the passage of time inevitably comes change and it is in looking back that Matt is starting to see a new and exciting road ahead.
Matt Brouwer got his start in the music industry while studying music at school in Alberta, Canada. While in college he and fellow students founded the band Monday Night Worship (MNW). Because of the spiritual content of his lyrics he was 'discovered' by a Nashville record company in 2000, and in 2001 recorded his solo debut CD "Imagerical". The album was released on May 29, 2001 on Reunion Records. He then formed his own label called Black Shoe Records and released an album titled 'Unlearning' in 2005, 'Where’s Our Revolution' (Universal) in 2009, and 'Till The Sunrise' in 2012. Brouwer's music has been hailed for its relentless vulnerability as he shares his life's story of tragedy (the tragic death of his father) and hope (his Spiritual pilgrimage) with his listeners.
“I never imagined where this journey would take me”, says Brouwer. “I can remember being 17 or 18 and feeling so compelled to want to shout from the rooftops about the Spiritual awakening I was experiencing. It was like being embraced by the most incredible love and connection to the Lord and the key to unlocking this door to my heart was through music. I was so hungry for that and totally committed and determined to follow it wherever it might lead me. My time in college and the friends I made there, the energy that was driving us, or driving me, to write songs and attempt to share them with the world felt like a humble but passionate expression of a new but relevant faith that was growing like a wildfire at the time. Fifteen years or so later, I still feel that longing. With all the miles travelled and water under the bridge, I still sit down in front or a piano or with a guitar and dream about what could be possible. I believe in the power of God’s love, transforming hearts through music and worship because I’ve experienced it and I’ve seen it happen in sometimes subtle and not so subtle ways. It’s something I believe I’ll be pursuing my entire life.”
That’s not to say that Brouwer believes that all anyone needs to find peace in life is a three minute pop song to solve all of their problems. Growing up in a very devout Christian family, Matt’s mom made sure that he and his siblings were memorizing full chapters of scripture by the time they started kindergarten and spending as much or more time during the week at church gatherings than in front of the tv or devouring any type of pop culture media. “I used to feel embarrassed by how sheltered we were, but now I am so thankful because it gave me an incredible foundation of solid teaching and an education in Biblical theology. But knowledge alone is pretty useless until it makes an emotional connection somehow and finds it’s way into your heart. For me, the music is what connected the two.”
Like so many new beginnings, much of the genesis for this fresh optimism happened when Hannah entered Matt’s life. The two first met while Matt was on a mission trip in Guatemala, where Hannah’s parents serve as medical missionaries. The relationship blossomed and they were engaged in spring 2010 and married later that year. The couple welcomed their first child, a daughter, in September of 2013 and life forever changed. The balance of career and family has been a stretch at times, but it’s something Matt says he is learning to embrace and explore. “It might sounds strange, but I’ve never been less interested in pursuing a music career. Being married and having a family has re-oriented my priorities completely and the career things that used to be so important to me have become less so. In that way it’s been very freeing and has forced me to let go of control and allowed my steps to be directed by opportunities that the Lord brings our way rather than striving and trying to ‘make it’. If ten or ten million people are listening, it really doesn’t matter. Being a great husband, father, and friend are much more important to me right now than striving for some big career that takes me away from these precious gifts of family and community.”
Community and camaraderie has become increasingly more important to the singer and one listen to 'Writing to Remember' reveals this collaborative spirit that is a hallmark of Matt’s musical pallet. Those lending their vocal talents include JJ Heller, Jill Paquette, and even Vince Gill and Amy Grant on a deeply personal and emotional track, 'The Other Side'. 'Writing to Remember' is equally saturated with a spirit of hope, togetherness, and God’s love. The album beautifully bookends this first chapter with a nod to the next waiting to unfold. “These 15 songs truly represent the progression of learning for me and express the joys and struggles of life that has been lived these past 14 years”, says Matt. “It’s been cool to re-discover how relevant these simple truths still are in my life and I believe for all of us.”
Till the Sunrise
Matt Brouwer Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't close your eyes now
Hey darling, look up at the stars tonight
Can you see everlasting light all around
And fear just melts away when I hold you close to me, yeah
I don't want to spend another night alone
Now that this lonely restless feeling is gone
Till the sunrise
Now we're waking up to the light
Of a brand new day
Seeing storms that might come our way
We can get through
And it's safe to say
Your love has changed everything
A new story and we're at the beginning
Feels like we could fly away, defying gravity, yeah
I don't want to spend another night alone
Now that this lonely restless feeling is gone
I want to stay awake tonight
Till the sunrise
It's like the stars are shining for us
And the moon is high
With these promises forever, till the end of time
I want to stay awake tonight
Till the sunrise
Oh, oh, oh I want to stay awake tonight, yeah
And we can count all the stars tonight
Till the sunrise
Hey baby, don't close your eyes
Don't close your eyes now...
I don't want to spend another night alone
Now that this lonely restless feeling is gone
I want to stay awake tonight
Till the sunrise
It's like the stars are shining for us
And the moon is high
With these promises forever, till the end of time
I want to stay awake tonight
Till the sunrise
The song “Till the Sunrise” by Matt Brouwer is a romantic and uplifting song about being present in the moment with the person you love. The first verse mentions the importance of not closing your eyes and missing out on the present moment, but rather looking up at the stars and experiencing the everlasting light. The second verse expresses the idea of starting a new day with hope and the ability to face whatever might come our way, with the reassurance of being able to get through it together. The chorus reiterates the desire to stay awake together until the sun rises, as if the promise of the night lasting forever could be fulfilled through the power of their love.
The lyrics imply a deep level of intimacy and connection that can only come from shared experiences and vulnerability. The imagery of the stars shining for them and the moon being high reinforces the theme of being present in the moment and taking in the beauty of the world with another person. The idea of defying gravity further illustrates the power of love and the ability to rise above any obstacle when we have someone to lean on. Overall, the song conveys a message of hope, love, and the power of shared experiences to bring us closer together.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey baby, don't close your eyes
The singer is urging his lover not to fall asleep and miss the beauty of the night.
Don't close your eyes now
The singer repeats his plea, emphasizing the importance of staying awake.
Hey darling, look up at the stars tonight
The singer is asking his lover to appreciate the wonder of the stars in the night sky.
Can you see everlasting light all around
The artist is pointing out that there is a sense of endless possibility and hope in the world.
And fear just melts away when I hold you close to me, yeah
The artist is elated that being with his lover makes fear disappear and brings him comfort.
I don't want to spend another night alone
The singer is expressing his loneliness and desire for companionship.
Now that this lonely restless feeling is gone
The singer is relieved that his loneliness has dissipated now that he is with his lover.
I want to stay awake tonight
The artist is excited about the night and wants to spend every moment with his lover.
Till the sunrise
The artist wants to experience the entire night until it reaches the promise of a new day.
Now we're waking up to the light
The artist is optimistic about the future and feels like a new day has arrived.
Of a brand new day
The singer is excited about the endless possibilities that exist in the future.
Seeing storms that might come our way
The artist is acknowledging that challenges may come, but they will face them together.
We can get through
The singer is confident that he and his lover have the ability to overcome obstacles together.
And it's safe to say
The singer is assured that the love he and his lover share has the power to conquer any problems they may encounter.
Your love has changed everything
The singer believes that his lover's love has transformed his life in a positive way.
A new story and we're at the beginning
The artist is excited about the future and feels like they have a new beginning together.
Feels like we could fly away, defying gravity, yeah
The artist is so happy and free, that he feels like they could do anything and everything is possible.
It's like the stars are shining for us
The singer feels like the beauty of the night sky and stars are meant specifically for him and his lover to admire.
And the moon is high
The singer points out the gorgeousness of the moon in the night sky.
With these promises forever, till the end of time
The artist is making promises to his lover that their love will last forever, until the end of time.
Oh, oh, oh I want to stay awake tonight, yeah
The artist repeats his desire to stay up all night and enjoy every moment with his lover.
And we can count all the stars tonight
The artist has an endless night of being happy together and enjoying the night sky with his lover.
Till the sunrise
The singer wants to experience the span of the night until it reaches the bright new day to come.
Hey baby, don't close your eyes
The artist repeats his plea, encouraging his lover to stay awake and continue to enjoy the night together.
Don't close your eyes now...
The singer emphasizes once more the importance of staying awake and not missing the stunning beauty of the night sky.
Lyrics © Unlearning Music Pub
Written by: Matt Brouwer
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind