The fall leaves drifted lazily down as summer made a reappearance on Fall Respite. CAB sponsored the Hot Chocolatier for sweet treats and brought golden retrievers to visit the pet-deprived students on campus. Amidst all the action, a group of students congregated on the chapel lawn for a concert by Micah Iverson.
The setting was exquisite. The warm light of the sun, the changing colours of the leaves on the trees, the chapel walls dappled with neutral tones and Micah Iverson’s melodious voice echoing across campus. Students came and went, but the group size was kept very intimate at no more than 40 students at a time.
Listening to Iverson was not only a joy, but also such a privilege. He sang a range of covers from “All I Want” by Kodaline to “Make You Feel My Love” by Bob Dylan. He also sang multiple original songs that he has been working on including “Waves,” “Something Blue,” “Colder Nights,” “Lowlight” and “In My Head.” This was particularly special since the general public has not heard any of Iverson’s original work, aside from “Butterflies” (the original he released while on “The Voice”).
Micah Iverson was born and grew up in Tokyo, Japan. He is a missionary kid and one of nine kids. When he was fifteen years old, he started taking piano lessons simply to sing along to songs. Today he is a rising musician and excellent performer.
When asked how his childhood in Tokyo shaped his relationship with music, Iverson responded, “Musicians can be very eccentric and trapped in their own world, but the Japanese culture is very polite and centered around people and relationships, not just self-focused. You can't always have these your way.” He continued saying that, in music, Japanese culture causes him to “bend and move with the flow.”
Iverson’s faith is deeply intertwined with his music, as evident in his performances and good-natured character. “My faith has impacted me in a huge way. I have a different worldview from a lot of musicians. I think music is one of those cool ways God has allowed us to communicate the beauty that is in eternity.” Micah Iverson’s songs reflected this perspective as he lyrically wove his relationship with God and life experiences into his music.
To those musicians who want to pursue their music as a career, Iverson advised them to “practice, practice, practice” in their singing, songwriting and instruments. Additionally, he charged his fans with this: “Music can be a great equalizer, everyone can enjoy it and every style is inherently good. I’d encourage people to really think about what you listen to. Some music is very deep and some is very lazy. There is such a thing as good art and bad art. Be discerning of what you allow into your life.”
In the busyness and rush of school this time of year, Iverson’s words are a particularly good reminder for us all to slow down and contemplate what we allow into our lives. This applies in entertainment, art and all areas of life.