Jeremy Govender, a former drug addict who lived a “fast life” re-evaluated his life and turned it around after he met with an accident. A singer, songwriter and worshipper at heart, his passion for music never stops. He recently released a new song, and shares his spiritual and musical journey with The Phoenix Tabloid.
Phoenix Tabloid (PT): Who is Jeremy Govender? Where are you from and what do you do?
Jeremy Govender (JG):
I was born and raised in Phoenix. I currently reside in Durban with my wife Christal and son Sky. I am a business development specialist by profession but I am a singer, songwriter and worshipper at heart.
PT: When did you start this spiritual journey? Was it something you were born into?
JG: Although I was born into a Christian home and grew up in church, my spiritual journey began much later in life. Like most naïve teenagers, I enjoyed partying with friends that eventually led me to experiment with drugs and alcohol, to the point, where I can say, I was an addict. It was only until I was involved in a serious car accident in 2003, that I re-evaluated my life. I gave up the drugs and alcohol and the “fast life” and I decided to fully commit my life to God and use my gift of music for His purpose. I released my first extended play in 2016 titled “Who Am I” which received both national and international recognition.
PT: Tell about the song you released.
JG: The song is titled “Awesome God”, and is based on Psalms 130. It is a call for people to
put their trust and hope in Jesus during these uncertain times. The song is my journey from deliverance, to an expression of expectation, to a place of peace. The song was birthed in 2010 by Harold Francis, a seasoned worship leader in Durban during a time of worship. It was not until 2020 did God impress on my heart to complete and release the track. I have had the honour of working with some of Durban’s finest musicians namely, Jazz Sardinne and Christal Govender who captured the vision I had for the song and brought it to life.
PT: How has the song been welcomed by the community?
JG: I must say that the community warmly received both the song and music video for “Awesome God”. We are humbled that this message of hope has touched lives and resonated with so many people who are navigating through this extremely tough season; inspiring them to persevere. The song and t he music video have since aired on Christian channels and played on Christian radio stations respectively.
PT: Talk us through your musical journey? When and how did it start? Who have you worked with and what was the experience like?
JG: I started singing at a young age in school, in my church, local church events, concerts and music competitions and grew to love Gospel music. I was influenced by the sounds of Steven Curtis Chapman, and Hillsongs which fuelled my passion for music growing up. It was my privilege to share the worship platform with gospel artists like Joe and Becky Cruse, Lloyd Cele and many more. I am most passionate about worship that points people to Jesus. My hope is to lead people to worship more authentically, and passionately. My experiences have been both fulfilling and enlightening. SA has such amazing and talented artists and as a community, we need to support them.
PT: Has your family been supportive in your musical journey?
JG: Absolutely, my family are my greatest fans. They have supported me throughout my tenure as a musician. I am very family orientated and believe strongly that ministry begins at home. I am very grateful and blessed that I get to pursue my musical dreams with the love and support of my wonderful family.
PT: You have been through a traumatic experience of armed robbery in your home. Has that impacted anyway on your career?
JG: Yes, the robbery definitely did. It was a very traumatic experience for us as a family. It is something we would never forget. However, it was during this time that we found strength, peace and hope in God. Only by His grace did the impact on my music career turn out to be a positive one. It forced us to reflect on our lives and the time we have on this earth. Prioritise what is important and how we could best use our gifts of music to encourage and inspire others. It was actually while dealing with the trauma of this incident that inspired me to release “Awesome God”. It is our prayer that through this song many others will find in God the strength and hope that they need.
PT: What are your plans for the future?
Will you be releasing more music?
JG: I am working on new music and hope to be releasing it soon. As much as Covid has interrupted how we collaborate as artists, it also helped us reinvent how we reach people. You can look forward to seeing more content coming through social media and digital platforms.
PT: What is your advice to those who want to start a musical journey?
JG: If you are passionate about music, give it your all. Surround yourself with like-minded people, who share your passion and vision. You will face setbacks, but don’t let it discourage you and cause you to lose hope or stop you from pursuing your dreams. Remain resilient, set goals, put together an action plan, commit those plans to God then step out in faith and follow through on it no matter what. Remember, “All things are possible to him who believes”.
PT: Where can people listen to your music?
JG: My music can be found on all digital platforms, that is: Apple Music, Youtube
Music, Spotify, Deezer, Facebook and Instagram.
