By Andrew Greer
Not too long ago Jon McLaughlin was roaming the halls of Anderson University as a music student when he began to make waves with his American heartland brand of pop, sharing his stellar singer/songwriter set in clubs, colleges and churches throughout the Midwest.
Fast forward to 2008, and the classically trained piano-popster is busy readying the release of OK Now (Island/Def Jam), his energetic, ’80s-influened follow-up to Indiana, last year’s breakout debut and ode to his Hoosier heritage.
Now with a little experience under his belt and credit to his name, Jon discusses his new record, faith in the spotlight and gigging at the Oscars.
CCM: Your bio describes you as an American heartland singer/songwriter. But OK Now makes a bolder, more progressive musical statement than Indiana. What inspired the creative difference?
Jon McLaughlin: OK Now is definitely different. I’m a huge ’80s fan, and I totally went back to my ’80s pop roots. There’s a lot of Billy Joel and Huey Lewis & the News kind of influence on this record. I loved it.
CCM: What is the story behind the first single, “Beating My Heart”?
Jon: This whole record is about me enjoying my life as it happens. I have a hard time just relaxing. I tend to get really stressed out. I always look back in time and wonder why I was so stressed out. “Beating My Heart” is a song about breaking it down to what really matters, not getting so stressed out about the little things in life.
Not to be cliché, but it gets down to this: God put me on earth for whatever reason, and I don’t really have to know that [reason] right now, right here.
CCM: Do you feel the call to relax has been a necessary move with the pickup of your career in the past couple of years?
Jon: It is definitely necessary. I just had a birthday. I’m gone all the time. My brother just had a little baby. I think I’m dealing with time moving by way too fast. Right now there’s not a whole lot I can do about that other than I might as well not stress my life away.
CCM: Being a recording artist in the mainstream music world, what do you feel your role is as a Christian when it comes to performing and making records?
Jon: Once I started writing songs in college, I would go play at a state school, and people would say, “You go to Anderson University. Are you a Christian artist?” I’d go play at a chapel and sing a song that didn’t have the name Jesus in it, and they would say, “I thought you were a Christian artist?”
So for a long time, I was annoyed and frustrated with having to choose a side. On paper, now that I’m signed to a mainstream label (Island Records), I’m a mainstream artist. But I’ve always felt the desire and responsibility to play in a church or play in a club or college.
