American musician and TV host Harry Connick Jr. is set to release his new album "Alone with My Faith" on March 19.
According to the press statement on his website, Connick wrote and arranged all of the songs, played every instrument, and sang every part.
Unable to go on concert tours due to travel restrictions, Connick used the down time to cut an album that features his faith and story on how it has helped him make sense of the world's present dilemma.
"I found myself alone (with my faith!) in my home studio, surrounded by instruments and gear, bursting with an abundance of ideas," he said recounting his seven-month-journey of songwriting.
In what he calls as a "sort of musical isolation chamber or a silent retreat," Connick said that he was able to look deep within himself which inspired him to write song lyrics that are all about "the spectrum of faith." He added that his songs' contents allowed him to "heal (just) as much as (he) wanted them to help heal others."
"I, like most of us, felt joy, sadness, doubt, conviction, melancholy and inspiration - all the emotions that faith, or lack thereof, can elicit," he confessed. "Even though many of the songs are Christian, my hope is that they will resonate with people of all faiths, as it gives me great comfort to know that faith is an immeasurably beautiful gift that, with its universal spirit, can help bring us together in the most arduous of times."
In his interview with CBN's Studio 5, Connick disclosed that he has always wanted to make a Gospel album that's not a mere collection of previously written gospel songs, but would cover the honest struggles of either losing or doubting faith.
"I wouldn't call this the Gospel album I had thought about making only because it's not a collection of spirituals that everyone knows," Connick explained white noting that some familiar hymns were added into the album. "It's got some original songs and quite honestly, some of the songs deal with struggling with faith as much as having faith so when I was home, I found myself counting on my faith or questioning my faith."
Connick also called his songwriting experience as doing it in "real time" when many are experiencing all sorts of emotions due to the prolonged quarantine periods and economic losses.
"I don't know you but I know that you're feeling what I'm feeling because we're all wondering when this is going to end. I needed it for myself to sort of sing the songs that help me to articulate my feelings," Connick told CBN News
"Whether you're feeling doubtful about it or you're super powerfully strong about it - this is shared experience so these songs were written for what we're all going through together," added Connick.
Georgia Connick, Harry's daughter, directed the first video featuring the beloved hymn "Amazing Grace." She also helped in the design of the album's cover.
"She is an amazing photographer and film director," the singer proudly told CBN. "It came time to shoot the album cover and I said, 'Georgia, I'd love for you to do it.' She took an amazing picture, then it came time to do the video and I said, 'Do you feel like working with me on this?' and she said 'I'd love to.' She found the location and mapped out her artist vision and I thought it was terrific. She's just a super talent and I couldn't be more proud."
Connick's "Alone with My Faith" album is now available for pre-order here.
