Luciano Santos is inspired by his Christian faith. Here he tells us about his new single ‘Gratitude’ and the feelings that inspire him.
What inspired you to write ‘Gratitude Song’? Was there a particular experience or scripture that sparked the idea?
I woke up in the middle of the night and I couldn’t fall back asleep. So I picked up my guitar and I started singing the chorus and that’s how the song was born. I also had a writing session with my producer the next day and we finished the song over a couple Zoom sessions. But before all that, I knew that I wanted to write a song about gratitude because I was so inspired by the songs ‘Counting my Blessings’ by Seph Schlueter and “Thank you so much Jesus” by Aodhan King.
You mentioned the influence of artists like Aodhán King and Chris Tomlin. How have their music and message shaped your approach to songwriting?
Chris Tomlin played a big role in my musical influences during my teenage years and early twenties and still is such a big influence in my life. Simple yet profound songs like ‘How great is our God’ shaped my approach to simple lyrics with profound messages. I love how Chris is a master in giving us the right words to sing back to God without being overly poetic and intricate, simple enough that a child can understand it.
I started listening to Aodhán King in my early twenties when he was part of Hillsong Young & Free. I really felt young and free listening to his songs at such a pivotal time in my life when I was discovering who I was. His songs had the same vibe and sound as the EDM songs that were so popular among millennials but with a gospel message that was able to attract many young adults to the church. King and Tomlin share the same characteristic: simple song lyrics with profound messages, something that I try to incorporate into my songwriting style.
‘Gratitude Song’ highlights the importance of thankfulness in both good times and hardship. How do you personally cultivate gratitude in your own life, especially during challenges?I start thanking God for the small things that are taken for granted in my life. Being grateful for things such as having a roof over your head or being alive and breathing will get you in the right mindset. During challenges, I cling to God even harder. Keeping a positive mindset is so important because you can’t be grateful when you’re negative.
Your journey in worship ministry started when you were 16. How has being part of worship teams influenced your musical style and spiritual growth?
Being part of a worship team has always been life-giving to me. Even before that, I was part of school and church choirs. Corporate worship is so important in the life of a believer. When I was sixteen, I was part of a church that sang hymns and it wasn’t contemporary worship. I learned a lot of traditional hymns and for that, I’m grateful because hymns are so full of theology. During those years I also learned about the heart of worship. I learned that worship is an offering and not a performance.
My musical style today is more contemporary worship but with influences from my early days. You can clearly see that in ‘Gratitude Song’ which has a calm and mellow sound as opposed to the loud and energetic sound you hear in modern worship,
The song’s peaceful arrangement is deeply moving. Could you share a bit about the creative process behind the music production?
I knew that I wanted it to have the piano and guitar as the main instruments. So my producer and I drew inspiration for ‘Thank you so much Jesus’ from Aodhan King because I wanted that mellow sound. My producer Matthew Moss, did such a great job making this song come alive with his musical arrangement expertise.
What message do you hope listeners will take away from ‘Gratitude Song’ and how does it align with your broader vision as a Christian artist?
I hope people can see God as their source and provider. That every perfect gift comes from Him. That He is the reason why we are grateful, for His perfect sacrifice at the cross. It aligns with my vision as a Christian because I just want to share the hope of Jesus with humanity. Also, gratitude moves the heart of God and attracts His blessings.
As an emerging artist, how do you balance staying true to your faith while navigating the music industry?
I don’t let the wrong people influence me. I have my beliefs and that’s how I carry myself. I stay true to myself and my faith is always leading the way. God always comes first and I won’t compromise my values.
Listen here:
