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Momentous Mondays: Influential artists of the next 5-10 years – Week 12: Marc Martel

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We’re an odd bunch, us humans. Searching for meaning, searching for purpose, searching for identity in a wide variety of places. We think we’re content even if subconsciously we realise that we aren’t, and we all have our own weird and wonderful habits that make us all unique to each other. But what I reckon is the most quirkiest of quirks of all in the human race- and one might want to disagree with me on this, but maybe you all won’t- and that is that we are all seemingly obsessed to find again, or at least try to recreate what is lost. Think about it for a moment. We don’t like change, we like to stay in the comfortable. And the best example of us trying to control every aspect of our lives is when death comes knocking at our door. Yes the proverbial and literal monster that comes like a thief in the night when no one is watching nor listening. One minute you’re here and the next poof you’re gone, and no one remembers you. So I guess I can understand why we as humans would like to be remembered after we’re gone, or even still try to live as long as we can without the deterioration of the human mind.

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Momentous Mondays: Influential artists of the next 5-10 years – Week 11: Echosmith

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Up until now in my section of this blog series called Momentous Mondays, I have, and this is probably unintentional; written about and explored the discography of artists that, though are still somewhat finding their feet and not as established as others whom Jon is writing about in his list; are nonetheless seasoned in terms of years. As in maybe aside from Alessia Cara (from my memory, Alessia released her debut before she turned 20!), the other 9 artists I’ve talked about thus far had to do the hard yards and toiled for quite some time before their big break. Not that I’ve had any reason to avoid artists who are young and thrust into the spotlight for whatever reason- I actually reckon that some artists who are in the spotlight from a young age are mature and are wise beyond their years; but I reckon generally speaking artists who have been around for a while yet who are just making their mark now, are maybe slightly more humble and more mature. Yet an artist who has popped up recently on my Spotify playlist who I reckon will be a force to be reckoned with is the up and coming band Echosmith– and they fit in the category of Alessia Cara- they’ve been around for 12 years and lead singer Sydney is only just 22 years old!

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Momentous Mondays: Influential artists of the next 5-10 years – Week 10: Zach Williams

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I’ve been thinking about a weighty concept of late. I’m not sure what it is that prompted me to dwell on such a heavy topic, but…here goes. So; if the only way to empathise with someone is to imagine yourself in their shoes, well howabout I ask you all to close your eyes for a moment. Now let’s imagine. Let’s conduct a little hypothetical exercise, and put ourselves in the shoes of a murderer or a liar or a cheater. Is that a bit of a stretch? Yes? Ok, so now howabout we imagine ourselves to be…someone who’s a bit less evil-y. Maybe someone who is prideful, lustful, egocentric, narcissistic or the littlest bit envious. Now then…let us imagine that we are at the end of our rope, wanting to change, wanting to become a better person, if not for ourselves then for our family and friends. Yet we do not know how to change. Do you think such a person realistically exists? Someone on the cusp of changing for the better, but not there yet? If we’ve been brought up a certain way, and then find out we don’t like the way we’ve lived previously, can we change? Even if we have the capacity to, does making a complete 180 degree change make sense, and is the cost of losing our worldly relationships worth it, or too great? The world may say that what you are right now, and what you’ve grown up as, is what you are for eternity, and there is no room or margin for alteration; as in there is nothing in the world that can make you, or persuade you to change your behaviour, or change the reason for your behaviour. But is that really the case? Can a person who has made bad choices really change for the better? Can they be an inspiration to others and provide hope and encouragement, even when they still struggle with their demons and their better judgement?

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MOMENTOUS MONDAYS: INFLUENTIAL ARTISTS OF THE NEXT 5-10 YEARS – WEEK 9: MATTHEW WEST

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Do you think that it’s possible for an artist who has been around for a long time, who has had a ton of hits, and who has inspired and encouraged the hearts of many, to be only considered an influential artist- not now but 5-10 years into the future? Do you think that’s possible? Can an artist simply fly by relatively under the radar for quite a long while, unnoticed by the general public but then miraculously garner widespread and exponential acclaim and recognition, for whatever reason? Some may say no, and simply put, the artist I’m speaking about today has had plenty of hits and has been around since the turn of the century. Thus, you might tend to agree with most readers and listeners of music out there- that whom I am writing about should in fact be whom Jon is writing about instead. However I reckon this artist doesn’t fit in Jon’s category, and if you think about it, fits quite nicely in and amongst other artists like Tori Kelly, Lauren Daigle, Jess Glynne, Maren Morris, NF, Marc Martel, Colony House and Shawn Mendes to name a few. It might take convincing, maybe even convincing to the length of this entire blog, and maybe even longer than that; but Matthew West is sure to be an artist on everyone’s lips, if not by the time you finish reading this blog, then definitely by Valentine’s Day this year, when his brand new album Brand New releases. Are you sceptical? I mean, if Tenth Avenue North and For King and Country are present on Jon’s list, then surely Matthew’s discography deserves a place on “Most 100 Influential Artists of All Time” as opposed to ‘potentially being influential in the future’? Well to sway your scepticalness, read on- and to directly answer this question of why Matthew is in one list, while Tenth Avenue North and for KING & COUNTRY in another; let me first ask you all a question.

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