Growing up a minister’s kid, French experienced first-hand what hypocrisy in the church can look like and just how broken people can be.
Wide Open was clearly written by an artist who has experienced both joy and hardship and who has come out the other side clinging to Jesus, rather than running from him.īut this was not always the case for French. The album is refreshing in its honesty, addressing the brokenness in all of us, providing empathy in our most painful moments as well as presenting the hope of Christ. Set to release with Fair Trade Services September 7, the 13-track album features songs that speak to the ups and downs that inevitably occur while living the wide open life. “Life is meant to be lived wide open,” he says,“not closed off, not safe, but living close to the Lord where he leads us.our job is to live our lives with our hands wide open.” This openness to God’s leading is largely what inspired the album, Wide Open. Now, to add to the list, he is about to release his first full-length studio album.Ī life with this much adventure can only happen when you hold the posture that French does. And he and his wife went from having no kids to having two-one biological, one adopted-within months of each other.
Originally from small-town Georgia, he’s spent time in Los Angeles, competing on reality singing competitions like ABC’s “Rising Star” and NBC’s “The Voice.” He’s been a worship leader at a church where 80 percent of the members were recovering addicts. Rising contemporary Christian music artist Austin French has lived a lot of life in his 24 years.