Dan Bremnes Interview
Dan Bremnes
Coming off the release of his latest album on the Sony/CMG label, “Where The Light Is”, Behind the Musician (BTM) caught up with Dan Bremnes while he was out on tour in Canada.
When asked what his initial reaction to winning a Juno Award for Contemporary Christian/Gospel Album of the Year was, he replied, “It was unbelievable! Something you dream about happening but I never really expected it.”
Not only does Bremnes thank God above for the award, but he also states “There have been so many who have helped me along the way. Many from the record label, but also a youth pastor when I was young was very influential,” he added.
Bremnes was asked what he felt his greatest musical strengths were; he declared, “Above all, I see myself as a singer and a songwriter. That is what I like doing the most.”
Dan’s journey into Christian music became clear to him during his YWAM (Youth With a Mission) trip in Australia. It had the biggest influence on him. He felt it was where God told this is what he should be doing with his life; he commented.
His Sony CMG Deal came about after he had recorded two records and had done 3-4 years of touring. The third record was given to the label by someone without his knowledge, he recalled, “But I was very grateful that they took it upon themselves to share it!”
BTM asked Bremnes what his biggest “wow” moment was on the road or in the studio. He responded “It wasn’t actually on the road. I was invited to an event. Delirious was my biggest influence and I was asked to play Delirious songs all night long. It was so neat!”
The message that he would most want to convey to his audience has a lot to do with what he remembers from shows he had attended in the past, and the songs and moments that had impacted him the most. He recalls, “Sitting there while caught up with God and the Holy Spirit.” His hope is, “Others will have that same experience after seeing one of my shows.”
When asked where he is most inspired to write music, Dan replied, “I write in the studio a lot. Writing is like dipping into a well. Looking into the well of past experiences and writing about them. Most of my songs come from past experiences I have had in my life.”
He also explained that his song “Beautiful” is about the dark side where he came from and how things have turned out so well by the grace of God. He says, “Everything it so beautiful in God’s presence.”
Many record labels require that an artist write or stay with a particular type of music, but Bremnes states his does not. In fact, they tell him that they want him to be himself…that they realize that he makes the best music when he is allowed to be himself.
The most fun with a band on tour Dan claims to have had was with Hawk Nelson. “I really had fun with them. Jon and I are both from Canada so we got along great”, he says. He added, “I also enjoyed touring with Tenth Avenue North and Sidewalk Prophets.”
There are times that Bremnes plays with a full band, as he is now on his tour, but during the recent Tenth Avenue North/Sidewalk Prophets tour, he was only able to play with two musicians as, “There was only enough room on the tour bus for me to have one other in my band”, he recalls.
When asked by Behind the Musician which music he currently listens to; Bremnes said, “I’m stumped. I mostly like to listen to Gospel music right now.”
Dan’s reply when asked what we could expect from him down the road, such as the complexity in his upcoming music was, “I’ve really tried to stretch my music. In the past it’s mostly been writing worship or really poppy music, but I’ve been trying to stretch my boundaries.”
Being from Canada, one would expect that in his spare time, he would enjoy something such as hockey, but when that question was posed to Bremnes, BTM received an unexpected response. “I love coffee! I dream about coffee roasting. Spending time in coffee shops.”
Dan is currently heading his own tour throughout Canada promoting his award winning record “Where The Light Is”.
He will be performing with Chris Tomlin on the Ran Red Tour, May 22, at the Abbotsford Centre.