Artist Spotlight: Matthew West

By Brian Johnson

Matthew West is a remarkable artist. It’s true that this could be said of many people; however, West is one of the few that seems to continue to resonate in your mind. West hails from the suburbs of Chicago, Illinois. Hoping to pursue a career in baseball, he pushed to earn a college sports scholarship. The Lord had other plans, though. He was offered a full-ride music scholarship from Millkin University. 

His latest album, “Something to Say,” has received great attention in the music industry, for good reason. After its release, it reached number 8 on Billboard’s Top Christian albums chart, as well as earning the 159 spot on the Billboard 200. “Something to Say” is a high quality contemporary Christian album. The songs on the album allow for easy listening, while providing a clear message of faith. At the beginning of the year a new single was added to the album, “The Motions,” which has become a radio DJ favorite. 

Matthew West, in any since, is an extremely well rounded artist. While gaining inspiration from other artists, he has also written music for other musicians. He has written songs for Jump5, Joy Williams, and Rascal Flatts. West is putting his foot in the doorway of success, and his inspirational songs are doing the rest.

For more information about this artist, please visit www.myspace.com/matthewwest