Gospel artist Smokie Norful thought he was done making music 10 years ago — then his sons had the urge to make a record with him. After his hit song “I Need You Now,” Norful is back with “I Still Have You,” showing that God has never left his side. With his latest album, I Still Have You, Norful is going back to some of the old producers he’s worked with while also adding some new flavor to his style of music.
Norful spoke with rolling out about his latest project, the meaning behind “I Still Have You” and what to expect from the project.
What led you back to doing music?
My sons. They’re not babies; they’re grown men, and they do music. They play everything; they write; they produce; and they’re working with some of the biggest names in the industry out in Los Angeles. During the pandemic, I had everybody at home. We’re all locked in, and they’re, like, “Dad, we’re working with all these great people but we want to work with you. We want to do a Smokie Norful record. We want to know that we did a record with our dad.” It pulled on my heart because I thought I was retired. I was chilling, pastoring, working — and I’m busy. But I couldn’t deny that.
Once we started the process, it was just like a fish dropping back in water. I’m, like, “Yeah, I gotta do this. This is incredible. I forgot how much I love what I do and how God uses me in this way.” We sat down, and we wrote the song “I Still Have You.” Just the first part of the song. My son wrote, “I’m at my best when I’m at my worst. I passed the test even when I don’t come in first.” I said, “Oh, this is good.” That’s how I ended up back in the studio and back recording — it started at the house.
How can you encourage someone to still have faith in things they can’t see?
“I Need You Now” was that desperate cry. I think that’s why it resonates and has the longevity that it has had because it was a sincere, genuine, very transparent, very raw cry. It’s, like, I need you now. It’s a moment of desperation. I don’t think anybody escapes that. If you live and breathe, life is gonna life. We all have those moments, but to fast forward and just look at the testimony. That’s what Scripture says: “They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony.”
Our testimonial service was so huge back when our grandparents were in church because people can see through you that God is faithful. What I’ve learned even in the song, “I Still Have You,” is that when I was desperate for God to show up, to move, and to be there to help me, he was already there. To say “I still have you” is really a demonstrative declaration that says, “I’ve never gone anywhere; I’ve been with you the whole time. I carried you, covered you, protected you and dried your tears. I’m the one that made it possible for you to make it here.” Once you realize that God is with you, then you wake up and say, “Man, I don’t have to fret. I don’t have to worry because I still have him.”
