Danny Gokey unveils EP 'Brave' to restore patriotism, unity in the US: 'The enemy always works with division'
Just ahead of Independence Day, Grammy-nominated artist Danny Gokey has unveiled a stirring three-song EP titled Brave, fueled by a deep desire to restore patriotism and unity in the hearts of Americans.
“There are so many opinions out there, and when it comes to our country, since there are so many voices of shame, guilt, opinions and ideas, people don't know what to feel,” Gokey told The Christian Post.
“I think everywhere you live, you should celebrate. Every country has a past, but the people that decide where the country goes. So I started writing songs for our country … with the hope of restoring patriotism, the hope of restoring a sense of pride in our country. The United States of America is built on a system of freedom. And not every country has been able to have that. I want just to get a sense of pride in the people to celebrate us again.”
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Released on June 23,Braveincludes a powerful cover of Lee Greenwood’s "God Bless the USA" along with two original songs, "Brave" and "My America." “Brave” includes the lines “Be brave/ Stand up for freedom, stand for truth/ Don't be afraid/ You gotta voice that you can use,” echoing the spirit of the nation's founding fathers.
“The foundation of our country was built on bravery,” the Wisconsin native said. “It took bravery to begin to pull away from the British government that was very oppressive and to move to a new place and restart with the idea of ‘we the people.’ In our Constitution is the pursuit of happiness with liberty, freedom and justice for all, that all men were created equal. That’s a brave move because they had a fight to get that. It wasn't weak men who founded the United States, it was brave men. Every generation has a choice to exemplify that bravery so that the boundaries of freedom stay where they're supposed to stay and not close in.”
Gokey, a former church music director and finalist on "American Idol," said he felt the need to counterbalance the lack of patriotism in the country by highlighting the victories and the foundation of freedom upon which the United States was built.
“I think there's a magnification in the faults of the United States more than in the good things,” he said. “I think right now, there's an emphasis on the bigness of the mistakes of the past rather than the victories of the past and the victories of the future that we can have.”
“When I wrote these songs, I took a magnifying glass and put it over the good things in our country in order to move out the negativity and put the positive view in it.”
The father-of-four cited Galatians 3, which reads in part, “All nations will be blessed through you.”
“I should be a blessing to my nation and not add to the problem; be a part of the solution. That's the goal that should be, I believe, for every believer,” he said.
The award-winning singer expressed his passion for restoring unity in a time marked by increasing divisions. And when truly unified, Gokey expressed the belief that the country can address injustices and build a stronger nation.
“Unity is such a powerful force,” he said. “And unity is what we need to keep moving forward and to keep having freedom. Because the Bible says a kingdom divided against itself cannot stand. The enemy always works with division, with an over-emphasis on the problem versus what can be.”
Addressing the next generation, Gokey encouraged them to familiarize themselves with the country's founding documents, particularly the U.S. Constitution. He urged young people not to let others think for them but to develop independent thinking based on biblical truth.
“Begin to be part of the solution, not part of the problem,” he stressed. “A lot of times, there’s so much noise that we allow people to think for us. For the young generation, don't allow others to think for you. Learn to think for yourself, and learn to think in truth and not an emotion and not in anything else that can be misleading.”
A three-time Grammy nominee, Gokey is known for his uplifting hits, including "Rise," "New Day" and "Haven't Seen it Yet." The artist revealed he’s currently working on new music and is eager to continue exploring different styles while remaining grounded in biblical truth.
He challenged other believers to hold fast to the Word of God and view the world through a Scriptural lens to discern truth and break free from the bondage of lies prevalent in society.
“Some years ago, I was going through the same situations over and over, same struggles, same temptation, same things, and I heard the Lord in my spirit: ‘Truth does not transform until its truth received,’” he shared. “What that means is that whatever you lean into will transform you, whether it's a lie or whether it's truth. God's Word has true power. So, when you lean into the Word of God, and you allow it to transform you, you'll become more like the truth. But lies have conforming power, it conforms you. And if you lean into a lie — which our generation will see a lot of lies — you will conform and be more like that."
“God created you to be free,” he added. “Truth sets you free, but lies keep you in bondage and keep you bound and keep you away from God. Lean into truth … get into that truth and let that truth set you free.”
Brave is now available.
