From the moment I was introduced to Chadwick Johnson’s music, I was engulfed by his powerful vocals. Within the first minute of listening to his new album Unbreakable, Chadwick’s voice took me back to the day I first heard the incomparable Sam Harris sing. It was music to my ears.

As I continued to listen to Unbreakable, I became more immersed in this talented artist. Chadwick has a strong songwriting ability, comparable to the likes of Alanis Morissette, Lisa Loeb and numerous other story-like writers.

In this interview, Chadwick answered my call to share:

• The making of his new album Unbreakable
• His inspirations behind some of the songs
• Who his idols are
• His love of horses
• So much more

Connect with Chadwick: Website, Facebook, Instagram

1. This September you are releasing your new album Unbreakable. How does this album represent where you are at now with life/career? The Unbreakable album was basically weaved together over the last couple of years. My co-writer Kalani Queypo has been really pushing me to write and it was a gift because during that time there were certainly highs and lows, which I think most people can relate to. So we really focused on the songwriting and storytelling for this album.

Instead of writing songs from a place of feeling like I was broken, I realized that music is my secret power! Music gives me strength and understanding. I hope that it can do the same for those who listen. It’s really about resilience!

2. In the album's press release you say that writing music helps you overcome your struggles. Dolly Parton has always said, songwriting for her is like therapy & she is able to work through many of her struggles by writing songs. How does writing music help you get through troubling times? From the time I was a little boy when something upset me I always wanted to run off by myself and get wrapped up in a song that expressed the way I was feeling. It was like, once I started singing I couldn't be upset anymore. The music washed away that hurt. And now I feel I have just let that musical outlet evolve and grow into a way to express deeper meaning through my own words and melodies.

The lyric tells the story, but it's the melody that transports you. Music will always heal me personally, but creating an album like this with so many personal stories and emotions and then releasing it to the world is really about sharing that healing love, not just keeping it to myself. That would be selfish. Reaching out to others through music. It's a vulnerable yet precious experience for me.

3. Do you have any behind the scenes stories you can share about recording this album? Most of this album was recorded in Nashville. Music City! That was an awesome experience. There is a rich history in that city and those studios. They tend to do things the old way, which has a certain organic magic. For example, the whole band recording all at the same time while I was singing. The Nashville musicians and engineers that I worked with were so brilliant and had an innate ability to capture the vibe of my music and they deliver unbelievably fast.

Chadwick Johnson

4. Which song on this new album do you feel strips you naked? Why does this song make you feel so vulnerable? I would say both “Unbreakable" and "The World Made Me." "Unbreakable" because it is the most recent song that we wrote. I was feeling like everything had been taken away, not just from me, but from all of us. It all had come crashing down, but then I realized that life has come crashing down before and things not only got better, but things got great again. I looked in the mirror and saw my strength and a great deal of that strength comes through expressing myself through my music!

“The World Made Me” is about losing yourself to the demands of not just the business, but the demands society puts on us. I just wanted people to see me for me and love me for me. Expressing that through this song helped me find the balance. There is really something about getting your worries and concerns off your chest, expressing them and letting it go that makes it all better for me. Once I've said it, I have to let it go. That is healing.

5. Let's play with some of the song titles Unbreakable.

• "Bitter Sweet" - What was bitter sweet about writing this album? "Bitter Sweet" is about letting someone you love go and pursue their dreams even though it is breaking your heart. It is also about hope, hope that their love will return to you. I've been on both sides of this sentiment and it is pretty powerful when someone loves you enough to let you go and watch you fly. May everyone have the opportunity to know that kind of unconditional love.
• "Meet Me in the Sky" - Who do you want to meet in the sky? Which part of the sky do you want to meet said person? "Meet Me In The Sky" is an anthem and a figurative call to bring people together in the way only music can. One of my favorite things about going to see live music is to look around and see all the different types of people that music has the power to bring together. They might have never crossed paths if it hadn't been for their mutual love for that artist and the music they are sharing. That is beautiful! It is moments like those that inspired this song.
• "Ritual" - What are some of your rituals when you get ready to write an album and then when you are ready to record the album? “Ritual" is all about love and that bond you create with someone who you have history with. You have those little daily rituals that make you feel secure in your love for one another. I have to be in the right headspace to write and record. I have to disconnect from the pressures of business, put aside logic and just let myself be immersed in things that make me feel.

Chadwick Johnson in the recording studio

6. Because I am a gay man of a certain age, listening to your album, makes me think of the great Sam Harris. Who were some of your musical influences growing up? Sam is an incredible vocalist. You have great taste! My inspirations change as I roll through life, but my earliest inspiration was my Grandmother. I would sit next to her at the piano and she would teach me. Those are great memories.

Then my inspirations move on to Wynonna Judd, George Michael and Steve Perry. As I got into Jazz I was most inspired by Little Jimmy Scott. Now in the last few years I'm really inspired both as a songwriter and a vocalist by artists like Brandi Carlile, Chris Stapleton and Ben Platt.

7. What is the biggest stage mishap you have had while performing in concert? Forgetting the lyrics to the National Anthem that I have sung 100's of times in front of thousands of people. That was so embarrassing. It's not something that you can really disguise when you are singing a song that everyone knows every word to acapella. I've also had a wardrobe malfunction that was a bit embarrassing.

8. Outside of music, you love training horses. How did you get into this? My Dad got me into horses when I was very young. It was a dream come true for me and I am a better person for sure from the love I have shared with my horses and the lessons I have learned.

Horses require discipline and care. They are animals of flight and require you to be patient, calm and steady, which is useful in much of life. I am very thankful for my time with my horses.

9. What is the scariest thing to happen to you while training a horse? Oh my, well I've been thrown, and thrown again, but I don't have too much fear of horses anymore. Fear comes from the unknown. Horses are so much a part of the fabric of my life.

Chadwick Johnson with one of his horses

More on Chadwick Johnson:

Chadwick Johnson is a singer/songwriter who approaches the craft as a storyteller and revels in the complexities of the human experience. Chadwick's sound echoes the soulful stylings of Chris Stapleton and soaring vocals of Ben Platt.

Chadwick's forthcoming album Unbreakable demonstrates his songwriting prowess, showcasing twelve captivating new songs. The title track is a fierce answer to the struggles that may shake us, but will never break us. Chadwick also brings new life to the 1986 Crowded House cover "Don't Dream It's Over." The provocative track list resonates with personal themes of love, determination and resilience. Recorded in Nashville, the self produced album is set for release on September 16, 2022.

Chadwick's 2019 album Stormy Love topped Billboard's Contemporary Jazz chart and featured special guest, saxophone megastar Grace Kelly.

Performing both nationally and internationally, Chadwick’s acclaimed concerts have been enjoyed by audiences at venues including Birdland’s Jazz Club in NYC, Feinstein's at Vitello's, The Purple Room, Catalina Jazz Club and the prestigious Smith Center for the Performing Arts where he recorded his live album Live In Las Vegas.

Chadwick was recognized with the Hollywood Music in Media Award for “Song Of The Year," and experienced a dream come true when he collaborated with legendary producer David Foster.

Chadwick's critically acclaimed single "Remember Love," co-written with Hollywood actor and songwriter Kalani Queypo, explores the haunting effects of Alzheimer's from the perspective of a loved one. Proceeds from this song are donated to research for brain health.

In his personal life, Chadwick is a horseman and enjoys training horses and spending time in nature. Chadwick keeps true to his heart and continues to impassion his audience with the soul and sincerity of his music, while remaining on the cutting edge of the entertainment industry.