Artist Feature | Kip Fox

What first drew you to music and songwriting?

I grew up in a musical home. My mother played and taught piano and was the Music Director for our church and my father played acoustic guitar and sang. They also had their own Folk trio, along with a friend, and they would travel around to churches in California putting on special services with folk tunes and skits. So, I grew up watching them perform for other congregations and doing “special music” type things in our church at home. I vividly remember, as a kid, falling asleep to them working out harmonies and arrangements of songs as a trio. I also just naturally loved music from a young age. I was constantly singing.

I was also consumed with sports growing up, so it didn’t dawn on me to write songs until I was about 16. I asked for a guitar for my birthday and that was the beginning of it all. I had just gone through a tough move midway through high school, and I think I needed the outlet. I made a new friend who was really excited about playing and trying to write songs. So we just started messing around. The first song we wrote was called, “Why Don’t Chicks Dig Me?” It was awful, but the chorus was catchy! If you just sing, “Why don’t chicks dig me?” over and over, it’s hard for folks to resist that self-deprecation! 

Who or what has had the biggest influence on you as a songwriter?

There were several big influences, but the first, and probably biggest, was Steven Curtis Chapman. I was all about that CCM! My dad was a fan and so I became a big one. In my formative years, R&B was actually my favorite genre, so I was definitely into all kinds of music. But SCC remained a constant. He kept consistently putting out great albums. He was a great guitar player, but lyrically, he had several songs that just absolutely moved me. And I remember pouring over the lyrics of albums for the first time. Those CD jackets with the lyrics included were gold. The first record I made sounded an awful lot like an SCC knock-off. As much as I’ve latched onto other styles and genres of music, I’m sure that my lyrics and melodies still sound like his.

If you could only listen to five albums for the rest of your life, what would they be?

This is impossible to answer, but…

“Graceland” - Paul Simon

“Fore” - Huey Lewis & the News

“Coloring Book” - Chance the Rapper

“Alison Krauss and Union Station - Live” 

“The Music of Christmas” - Steven Curtis Chapman

Tell us about where you draw your inspiration from?

Well, in terms of ideas, there are a lot of sources for me. Whether it be a section of scripture, a sermon, a book, or a conversation, I’m always sort of tuned in to interesting phrases and concepts. In terms of purpose, my inspiration comes from a desire to share the beauty of the gospel in a compelling way. I’m inspired to find new ways to tell the story. I’m inspired to have the impact that Steven Curtis Chapman had on me as a young person. I’m inspired by new songs that move me today. When a song I hear moves me, it pushes me to write better songs.

What does your creative process/rhythm look like?

As far as process, I am a lyrics guy, so I’m always starting with a line. Sometimes it’s the first line of the song. Sometimes it’s the chorus hook (I wish it were this more often!). From there, it’s an exhilarating and agonizing pursuit to make the song say what I want it to say...or what it wants to say. This can take minutes, hours, or months.

The rhythm has evolved for me over the years, but the key for me is consistently scheduled writing time. It took me quite a while to understand that the craft of songwriting is a skill that is sharpened with practice. And that that skill never stops being developed. Once I began to schedule consistent time to write, my whole songwriter journey changed. Having said that, as a human being, I can definitely get off course with setting aside time. But when I think about process, I think about consistency. The more consistent I am, the more songs I write. The more songs I write, the more that happen to be usable! 

What are you working on?

I’m releasing a new single on October 16th, called, “Beggars.” I’m excited for folks to hear it and I hope it’s a song that is useful for congregations. I’m also currently writing for a project called “The Psalms Project” with the Center for Worship Leadership at Concordia, Irvine. I’m partnering with Biblical scholars to write modern Psalm settings. And, speaking of the Center for Worship Leadership, I am the director for it’s Songwriter Initiative. Our goal is to encourage, support, and connect songwriters in our church body. I want to help people find their voice and improve their craft.

You can find Kip’s music at kipfox.com and more information about CWL’s Songwriter Initiative here.