Matt Redman // Writing 10,000 Reasons with Jonas Myrin // Premier Christian Radio

Matt Redman recounts how the worship song '10,000 Reasons' came together late one night with co-writer Jonas Myrin, who insisted on sharing a melody idea that quickly sparked lyrics.

Key Takeaways

Simple melodies can be highly effective in congregational worship.
Creative breakthroughs can come unexpectedly, even from persistent collaborators' ideas.
Songs can flow quickly in the moment and still benefit from later refinement.

What the video covers

Matt Redman and Jonas Myrin were songwriting together in a small chapel in Redman's village.
Myrin repeatedly pressed to share a melody idea over several days, while Redman initially asked to focus on other work.
Myrin eventually played the melody around 1:00 AM, and Redman immediately began writing lyrics.
Some lyrics had already been drafted, and new lines were added in the moment.
The song flowed out very quickly, though it was refined afterward.
The song was only finished about a week before the album was recorded.
Redman values the song's simplicity: it is not flashy or progressive, yet works well in worship settings.
The song has brought Redman unusual momentum and encouragement, making it a standout in his career.
The discussion is a brief, personal anecdote about the creative process behind a well-known worship song.

Who co-wrote the song '10,000 Reasons' according to this video?

Matt Redman discusses writing the song with Jonas Myrin. The two were songwriting together in a small chapel when the melody idea was shared.

How long did it take to finish the song?

The song came together very quickly in one late-night session. It was only fully finished about a week before the album was recorded, after some additional refinement.