‘Passion’ Performer Michael W. Smith Has Faith In The Future
Michael W. Smith is no stranger to faith-based entertainment. The Grammy-winning singer-songwriter has scored on both the mainstream and contemporary Christian charts and has released a bevy of successful instrumental and worship albums, such as “Freedom” (2000), “Glory” (2011), and “Decades of Worship” (2012).
While Smith, keynote speaker at Variety’s Purpose: The Family Entertainment and Faith-Based Summit on July 29, joined Fox’s “The Passion Live” as sort of a “last-minute thing,” he says, he jumped at the opportunity to play one of Jesus’s disciples.
“The main roles had been given away, but Adam Andrews wanted me to be a part of it and be involved musically,” says Smith of the Tyler Perry-narrated special broadcast on Palm Sunday. “I said, ‘I’ll do it!’”
“The Passion” was a life-changing experience for Smith and somewhat of a risk. He knew going into the project that it was a ready target for criticism.
“You’re doing something that’s never been done before,” he says. “I call it ‘Jesus Primetime,’ and it doesn’t happen very often. Presenting the Gospel in such a unique and fresh way, you’re setting it to pop music.”
Smith notes that while it’s easy to compare “The Passion” to other live made-for-TV musicals such as “The Sound of Music” or “Grease,” the main difference is that “The Passion” lacked a pre-existing Broadway template. The original production was a behemoth to complete.
“There was a lot to do in so little time,” Smith says. “You’re going to film a movie for a week and you’re going to integrate that into a live performance and then there’s also the cross going down the streets of New Orleans. And then you get there and the weather is horrendous. But we did it! We pulled it off.”
Smith says his music is not meant exclusively for religious devotees.
“I just write what I feel and who I am. I grew up on pop music, so I have a lot of pop sensibilities, so I just write what I feel. I don’t try to write for a certain genre unless I’m doing the worship songs.”
When it comes to the future of faith-based entertainment, Smith thinks that there is definitely room for improvement.
“I’m not going to say everything is bad, it is a genre that has come a long way. I’m not a big fan of too many Christian movies. I just want to see some great scripts and great acting. I just think we’re supposed to make really great art. I just want people to go ‘Wow, that’s unbelievable.’”
As for his own plans, Smith is ready to take some additional creative risks. “I think I’m supposed to do something that I’ve never done before.”
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