Jon Reddick just garnered his first No. 1, courtesy of foot-stomping, country-tinged single “No Fear.” The chart-topping original became an instant fan favorite and serves as the title track of Reddick’s sophomore set. The longtime worship leader recently embarked on an internal mission to uncover a healthier relationship with anxiety. The nuanced adventure organically informed the songs on his new album — a diverse blend of the wide spectrum of musical influences that inspire the singer. Ahead of a fall tour with CAIN, Reddick stopped by the K-LOVE Studios to share more about the personal journey that led to “No Fear,” the anchoring force music provides in his life and the fan stories that have shaped his songwriting.
K-LOVE: When you were crafting “No Fear,” did you go into the studio intentionally wanting to make something that sounded different?
Jon Reddick: It’s funny because people are like, “This song is really different, man.” And for me, it doesn’t feel so different...I love all kinds of music. I mean, I’ll have Bach on one day, and the next day I’ll be listening to The Chicks or something like Yellowjackets or Snarky Puppy. If you take the guitar out, then it doesn’t feel like a stretch. It’s what I grew up on in African American culture. I wanted it to feel like we were stomping on a hollow floor. So, for me, it’s churchy and country meshed into one. In a way, it felt like a “no fear” step. I was like, “You know what, let’s just do it. One, two, jump. Let’s go. Let’s try it, no matter what happens.”
K-LOVE: What has your relationship with fear and anxiety looked like?
Jon Reddick: Fear had been debilitating me for so long. I was not trusting even the people I knew I could trust. Emotionally, I didn’t let people into my life, period. And that, honestly, has been the story since I was a kid. I’ve been carrying fear my entire life. I came to this place where I was just on a journey to dig in and find out: How do I get set free from this? We were actually done with the record last summer, and I had just gone on this journey of trying to chase down fear. I feel like it’s going to always be a journey, as we try to put aside the things that try to beset us. But I remember saying to the label, “I know we’re done with the record, but if you would allow me to just take in what I’ve been walking through and the things I’ve learned and capture things in real time, I might get another song out of it.”
K-LOVE: There’s often a lot of trepidation that accompanies a sophomore record, especially if an artist’s debut was successful. Were you hesitant or concerned about matching the impact of your first LP as you started album No. 2?
Jon Reddick: I’m always in the tug of “Is it the best I have?” and “Don’t overthink it.” It’s a ping pong game. I mean, this record has been a practice of me letting go and just running. And I think, when things do work out better than I thought they’d work out, then it does kind of push the train along the way, and the next album is kind of the caboose. We don’t even have time to think about it too much. We have to keep moving.
K-LOVE: What role did fan feedback play in the music you wrote for “No Fear”?
Jon Reddick: The stories I hear at the merch table are crazy. I think that’s changed a lot of what I do. I was telling one of my [songwriter] friends the other day, “Man, I wish you toured, because you get to see what’s happening on the other side of this, in real time.” When people come to the table, they tell you their story. They tell you how they were on their deathbed, and they were playing your song over and over and over again. And all of a sudden, life changed for them. It’s crazy how that happens. I may not always remember the face in that moment, but it’s almost like the stories are with me. It slows it down for me. We live in a world full of stories.
K-LOVE: You talk often about the significant role music has played in your own life. Is there a particular artist that’s a mood-changer for you?
Jon Reddick: My kids will throw on some Forrest Frank in a heartbeat, and I mean, all of a sudden, you just feel the brightness of the day, right?
K-LOVE: What do you love most about your new album?
Jon Reddick: I love that this record introduces more of who I am. I think it’s a lot more diverse than the first record. I started off with an instrumental intro. It’s called “Creation Imagined.” I just played a bunch of instruments for what I thought day one and day two and day three to day seven [of Creation] would sound like, for that week. It’s like me getting to paint, except it’s music.
K-LOVE: What do you hope listeners take away from this project as a whole?
Jon Reddick: My prayer is that people are able to find some kind of thread that hits them where they are, and it points them to our Savior. I hope it helps them navigate the hard things in life.
