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It has been nearly a decade since Colton Dixon first hit the music scene, making waves during his “American Idol” performances.
Throughout his career, Dixon has always professed the name of Jesus, and he is reaping what he has sowed over those years.
From performing in front of audiences on the “Today Show,” “Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” and at Passion Conference, Dixon has found success on both Christian and secular music charts.
Now, Dixon’s manager, Zachary Kelm, believes that his newest single, “Build a Boat,” could be a “career song” for him.
The hit song is currently enjoying its fourth week sitting at No. 1 atop the Christian Adult Contemporary charts.
The song is based on the story of Noah in the Bible, and Dixon’s success and gratitude for his success have earned him a spot performing his single at the Grand Ole Opry.
He shared what this opportunity meant to him with Religion News Service:
“Grateful is like the understatement of the year,” says Dixon. “I’m so glad that people are taking this song as their song for this season, saying, ‘I’m believing in something. I don’t see it yet, but I’m gonna build the boat anyway.'”
Just like it says in Ecclesiastes 3, “…a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted…,” Dixon is reaping his harvest for honoring God throughout his career.
Considering his humble and relatively sheltered past, being raised in a Southern Baptist church in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, Dixon experienced a culture shock when he auditioned on “American Idol” back in 2012.
“This was my first taste of what the real world was and seeing and hearing, firsthand, people’s religious and political views that quite often were different from mine,” Dixon explained.
During that time, Dixon believes God put it on his heart to “be a light in a dark place,” with the opportunity to share his beliefs in front of millions.
“The crazy thing about Colton is, because he stood for his faith on a national television show, people remember him to this day,” says Kelm. “Colton’s brand is larger than just the Christian market.”
Following his initial run of success after “American Idol,” the release of his first studio album and winning a Dove Award, Dixon went through several seasons of testing in his life.
From being dropped by his label to enduring one of his twin daughters being born without a heartbeat and having to be resuscitated, Dixon learned through the prophetic wisdom of his wife, Annie, that God was preparing him for the next season of his career.
These experiences gave him the faith and understanding to write “Build a Boat,” extolling the virtues and necessity of faith within the Christian walk.
“When Noah was telling people, ‘Hey, God spoke to me and said that a flood was coming,’ there’s no way people in their right mind took him seriously,” says Dixon. “How often do we let other people dictate our future? We believe what they say more than what God says.”
Dixon is staying focused on his goals in the midst of this wave of success. He explained that he is looking to “keep doing what God has called me to do” and create a positive experience for people who listen to his music. {eoa}
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James Lasher is a Copy Editor for Charisma Media.
