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.”
You Are
Matt Brouwer Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Is this my destiny now
To never look back and go it alone
Can't make up my mind on what to say now
Just trying to please the people
Can't help what I'm feeling
I'm stuck in myself
I'm going, I'm already gone
I'm fading away
If I could be anything, know anything more
You are, you are the source
Going deeper than the feelings I know
You are, you are
Would You be ashamed, would You call me Your son
If You could only see now
Into my disgrace and what I've become
When will I find freedom in living
Why can't I just let it go
Been holding on for way too long
But I'm going, I'm already gone
Going, I'm already gone
Just let it go
Have You been waiting here long
So long for me to see
That this is where I belong
And everything You are is what I'm wanting to be
©2003 Made Music
(admin. by Brentwood-Benson Music Publishing)
The lyrics of Matt Brouwer's song "You Are" express a sense of inner turmoil and a longing for purpose and freedom. The first verse speaks to the feeling of being lost and uncertain, running away from something but not knowing where to go. The singer feels trapped in their own thoughts and emotions, struggling to find the right words to express themselves. There is a sense of trying to please others, but ultimately feeling stuck and disconnected from oneself.
In the chorus, the lyrics suggest that the answer lies in something or someone greater than themselves. The singer acknowledges that if they could know or be anything, they recognize that the source of fulfillment and understanding lies in this external entity. This entity is described as going deeper than the surface-level emotions and experiences the singer currently knows. It is something that can provide a sense of purpose and guide them beyond their current state of disgrace.
The second verse delves into a deeper contemplation of the relationship with this external entity. The singer wonders if they would be seen as a disappointment, or if they would still be considered a beloved son or daughter despite their flaws. There is a yearning for acceptance and redemption, a desire to find freedom in living. The singer questions why they can't let go of past mistakes and regrets that have been weighing them down for too long.
Overall, the lyrics of "You Are" convey a sense of longing, confusion, and the search for meaning and purpose. The song explores themes of self-identity, acceptance, and the desire for a deeper connection with something greater than oneself.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey, runaway fast, get ready to go
Prepare yourself to leave quickly and without looking back
Is this my destiny now
Is this what I am meant to do?
To never look back and go it alone
To move forward without relying on anyone else
Can't make up my mind on what to say now
I am struggling to decide what to express
Just trying to please the people
I am solely focused on satisfying others
Can't help what I'm feeling
I have no control over my emotions
I'm stuck in myself
I feel trapped in my own thoughts and emotions
I'm going, I'm already gone
I am in the process of leaving, I have already departed
I'm fading away
I am gradually disappearing
If I could be anything, know anything more
If I had the ability to be something or possess more knowledge
You are, you are the source
You are the origin or foundation
Going deeper than the feelings I know
Reaching further than my familiar emotions
You are, you are
You exist, you are present
Would You be ashamed, would You call me Your son
If you were aware of my actions, would you disapprove? Would you still consider me your child?
If You could only see now
If you had the ability to witness my current state
Into my disgrace and what I've become
My shame and the person I have turned into
When will I find freedom in living
When will I experience liberation in existence?
Why can't I just let it go
Why am I unable to release it?
Been holding on for way too long
I have been clinging onto it excessively
Just let it go
Simply release it from your grasp
Have You been waiting here long
Have you been patiently staying here for a considerable amount of time?
So long for me to see
For me to finally comprehend or realize
That this is where I belong
That this is the place where I truly fit
And everything You are is what I'm wanting to be
I aspire to become everything that you represent and embody
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Songtrust Ave
Written by: CAROLYN DAWN JOHNSON, TROY VERGES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind