Christian music icon Amy Grant is opening up about one of the most talked-about songs on her latest album — a track titled “The Sixth of January” that directly references the events surrounding Jan. 6.
During a recent interview with NPR’s Rachel Martin on “Wild Card,” Martin admitted she was initially stunned by the song title.
“Before I listened, I was like, ‘Is that — no. Amy Grant. No,’” Martin said. “Is she singing a song about January 6th?”
Grant confirmed the connection.
“Yes,” she replied. “I was like just going right into it.”
Grant explained that the song was written by songwriter Sandy Lawrence, who originally began writing it years before the events of Jan. 6, 2021. However, she said the national unrest eventually shaped the song’s direction and meaning.
“She played ‘The Sixth of January’ for me, and she had started the song 15 years earlier,” Grant said. “So she started it with the second verse, but then life happens, and everything affects everything. And ‘The Sixth of January’ affected that amazing songwriter.”
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Grant said she immediately connected with the track.
“I loved everything about the song,” she said. “I loved it. It piqued my curiosity.”
Still, the singer acknowledged that some people close to her warned against recording such a politically sensitive song.
“I had a couple of musician friends that I worked with, and they said, ‘I don’t think you should touch that one,’” Grant recalled.
But Grant said she ultimately felt the song fit within the type of honesty and introspection that has long characterized her music.
“I’ve always welcomed singing the questions,” she said. “I’ve always sung about unrest in my own life. I thought, ‘Why wouldn’t I sing about unrest within our culture?’”
Grant said her goal was not to inflame division or publicly align herself with one political side over another.
“It’s happening at every end of the spectrum, at all times,” she said.
The singer then spoke about the importance of remaining reflective and compassionate during moments of national tension.
“I think that we have to be willing to sit quietly in unrest,” Grant said. “To not wave a banner, to not pick a team, but to say, ‘Where from here?’”
When Martin asked whether she intentionally avoids “picking a team,” Grant emphasized the importance of empathy and listening to others.
“I think there’s always in every scenario something to be gained by listening and by imagining what if our roles were reversed,” she said. “What if I were that person with fewer opportunities? What if I was in that role?”
Abby Trivett is a writer and editor for Charisma Media and has a passion for sharing the gospel through the written word. She holds two degrees from Regent University, a B.A. in Communication with a concentration in Journalism and a Master of Arts in Journalism. She is the author of the upcoming book, The Power of Suddenly: Discover How God Can Change Everything in a Moment. For interviews and media inquiries, please contact [email protected].
