Getting to know Ian Yates

Getting to know Ian Yates

Ian Yates is a songwriter, husband and father from Liverpool. We took a few moments to find out more about Ian.

Tell us about yourself

I’m married to Kate, we have 2 boys Jackson (3) and Elijah (1). We live in Liverpool and are based at Bootle Elim Church.

I have the amazing privilege of working part time for Elim Sound and the rest of the time I’m working on my own music, recording, touring, writing, and doing plenty of admin.

I’m passionate about seeing people know they are loved by God and that He is for them and has plan and purpose for their life.

I recently released my fourth album Awaken To Love and I feel so blessed to be able to do what I do. Before September 2015 I worked for the Government in various rolls, but the last 6 years I worked part time as a Project and Process Improvement Manager.

Tell us about your new album ‘Awaken To Love’

Awaken To Love is my fourth album. I wasn’t sure if I’d make another album. If I’m honest I was ready to call it a day. Ready to move on. For a year I was like I don’t know if I can sustain this, pay the bills and provide for my family and not get burnt out.

Yet God had other plans and in June 2015, after a period of plenty of divine encounters, I knew there was enough songs, enough of a message and enough of a God-given calling to go ahead.

The result is Awaken To Love - 12 songs that revolve around themes of trust, hope and the unending love of God.

I feel like I’ve got my sound and I hope there’s a depth to it, that it’s not just nice songs but a journey that connects people to God.

My heart has always been to take the music outside the church walls. I’ve always aimed to make the kind of music that can be given to someone who feels far away from God or who is not a Christian. I want to create something that might help people encounter God’s love and goodness.

The album includes a cover of the Beatles classic, ‘All You Need Is Love’, and a couple of co-writes, ‘High Wire’ written with Nick Herbert and ‘No Longer I’ which I wrote with Matt Redman and Sam Blake.

We recorded the band at Martin Smith’s studio (Bones Studio) with Simon Francis (Ellie Goulding, The Pierces) on Bass, Paul Evans (Delirious, Tim Hughes, Cathy Burton) on drums and Jonny Bird (Martin Smith, Matt Redman) on guitar. A dream band! Trevor Michael co-produced the album with me and he mixed it at his studio.

What style is your music and how would influences you?

I think this album has a few 80’s vibes, a lot of warm synths, some fuzz and a few electronic drums. I think it’s raw, passionate and authentic. I want the songs to come from a place that I’ve been to or that I’m journeying through.

My musical Influences for this album would probably be the likes of One Republic, Paper Route, LANY, Oh Wonder, Kid Astray, The 1975.

The Lyrical content has been inspired by ancient church liturgy, Karl Barth, Richard Rohr, Numerous psalms, the gospels and becoming a father.

If I had to choose one Bible verse to sum up the album is would be Matthew 7:9-11 (JB Phillips):
If any of you were asked by his son for bread would you be likely to give him a stone, or if he asks for a fish would you give him a snake? If you then, for all your evil, quite naturally give good things to your children, how much more likely is it that your Heavenly Father will give good things to those who ask him?”

What do you do in your spare time?

I love spending time with the family, love being with my boys and Kate. I love eating and cooking food.

Love being with friends. I enjoy reading, talking theology with good friends. Occasionally I’ll watch Everton with my Dad, very occasionally i”ll go the cinema and I slowly make my way through a Netflix series.

What Music are you listening to at the moment?

I love music. Love finding new bands and new sounds. My main albums at the moment are:

Wonder - Hillsong United

Don’t Kill My Vibe - Sigrid

Real Emotion - Paper Route

LANY

Invisible - Leeland

There Is A Cloud - Elevation Worship

If you could go back to the start and give yourself one piece of advice, what would it be?

One piece is quite hard. Here are some thoughts:

Remember why you do what you do.
Know who you are in Christ. Get you identify firmly in Him
Serve God, the church and people
Know how loved you are
Trust

Awaken To Love

Ian’s album ‘Awaken To Love’ is out now and has received some amazing reviews and accolades. Including 10/10 from Cross Rhythms, 10/10 from One man in the middle and 5/5 from Louder Than The Music.