NIGHT

I used to think of the night as a purely negative thing - phrases like “the dark night of the soul” made it seem like nothing good can come from these periods. But recently my perspective shifted to see the good that comes from the times in our life that feel like “night”. The night is when we rest, it’s a healing time, our body literally recovers in our sleep at night. It’s a time to come back to our home, to be quiet, to be still. As John O’Donohue says:

“The world rests in the night. Trees, mountains, fields and faces are released from the prison of shape and the burden of exposure. Each thing creeps back into its own nature within the shelter of the dark. […] The struggle for identity and impression falls away. We rest in the night.”

After a period of grief, heartbreak and identity crisis, I had to face my own ‘night’. It was a wrestle, a fight - at its worst moments it felt falling apart completely, but in time it started to feel more like healing. God held me the whole time. I finally faced things I’d always been afraid to face. I had to un-learn and re-learn what it means to love and be loved. And through the whole process, music became my outlet. I set aside expectations of what a ‘Jonathan Ogden’ song was supposed to be and I just started to write from my heart. Writing became a lifeline for me and a way to process everything that was going on. Some of these songs I thought I would never share. They were just ways for me to get through the night. But I began to see that these songs were not just for myself. They were bridges and open hands to anyone going through their own struggles.

I moved my studio back to the old loft space in the family home, to look after my Mum in her final months. On the days I felt overwhelmed, I went upstairs and I made music. I produced and mixed everything myself this time. I collaborated with a few friends remotely, having them send in their parts, but for the most part, this was a solitary process and a deeply personal work. Several songs were written through tears. I poured everything into this one.

The result is, NIGHT, my next album, set to be released on September 12th. For those familiar with my music, you may find this one to be a little different. And yet, in many ways this feels like the most “Jonathan Ogden” album I’ve made. A mixture of hopeful psalms, honest prayers, laments and songs that tell my story. Grief and hope walk hand-in-hand on this album. I needed to make this album, and for those who need to hear it, I hope it can be your companion on the journey.