Last year back in March, New Jersey based artist-producer, Chris Howland posted his latest work-in-progress on a Facebook group of Christian musicians asking if anyone wanted to write and sing on the infectious blend of house and pop he’d put together. A couple of weeks later, Pittsburgh rapper Montell Fish was sending his vocals back to Chris, meanwhile down in Florida, Sarah Juers was already adding harmonies based on the Instagram video Montell had posted. Now, a year later, the finished song ‘Holding Me Down’ has over 1 million streams across all platforms and is still all three artists’ most popular song despite it being recorded in three different states without a single studio involved.
It seems natural then that Chris Howland and Sarah Juers would team up once again for another summer classic, this time joined by Austin Sebek – frontman of the acoustic worship trio Splendor Tree. Again and again Chris Howland not only brings out the best of his collaborators but he does it whilst pushing them out of their natural music style. Combining hip-hop with the chilled sounds of R&B and then dressing it up as a pop single, the new song ‘Keep Me’ would sound at home on any radio station but as you listen closer you hear a record that unashamedly sings of remaining close to God through all circumstances. It’s intimate and vulnerable but is so upbeat and fun you could listen to it in any setting and it wouldn’t feel out of place.
‘Keep Me’ is the expression of needing God as our comforter, carer and protector. Without the Almighty, there would be a sense of loneliness that nothing/ no one could fill. It’s all about the relationship one has with God; nobody else, not the world, nor the circumstances that happen around us. Just one with God alone; ‘high above the eyes can see, you and me’. Take your time to listen to it deeply; just listen and you’ll notice at the quieter intervals all the other artistes are having a one-on-one conversation with God.
Always looking to push the boundaries and bring something fresh to his listeners, a large part of Chris Howland’s success lies in this underrated talent of finding exciting artists to collaborate with, and through the creative process making friends with like-minded brothers and sisters pursuing God’s heart in all things. For Chris it’s always deeper than just making good records, but that clearly appears to be a happy side-effect of the work he does.
Now, put this on your morning playlist as you go to work/school/out, plug your headphones in (at this point you’ll be tapping your feet) and daydream about how God always has warm, open arms to welcome you once you seek him.
Connect with Chris on Facebook | Instagram and stream the new ‘Keep Me’ single here or by clicking image below.
