Kevin Olusola was on track to be a doctor. Yale, pre-med, the whole plan his immigrant parents had sacrificed for. Then God knocked on his heart with something that scared him: music.

In this conversation, the 3-time Grammy winner and member of Pentatonix opens up about:
- Why he went into music "kicking and screaming"
- The power of "no" — getting dropped by a record label 30 days after winning The Sing-Off
- How Yo-Yo Ma and KRS-One helped him believe his weirdness was his gift
- Chasing accolades to prove he made the right choice — and realizing none of it made him happier
- Redefining success as a husband and father
- His new children's book, My Voice Is a Beat (out October 13)

Kevin's story is for anyone wrestling between the dream they were handed and the one tugging at their heart.

📚 My Voice Is a Beat — October 13
📖 Designed to Succeed — available now
🎵 Dawn of a Misfit — out now

If this resonated, follow the show and leave a comment letting us know what hit.

Timestamps
00:35 Welcome to the show
01:12 Meeting Kevin & intro
04:06 Success as an immigrant kid
05:22 The Nigerian "holy trinity"
09:41 Cello + beatboxing is born
13:06 The power of "no"
17:38 From Sing-Off win to Grammy
22:13 Divorcing the doctor dream
26:18 Redefining success for his kids
29:36 The Hollywood Bowl moment
32:28 My Voice Is a Beat
36:03 Balancing family and career
40:28 If God could hear you

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Paul Young wrote The Shack as a Christmas gift for his six kids. He photocopied 15 copies at Office Depot. It went on to sell 25+ million.
But the story behind the story is harder than the fairy tale suggests: a missionary kid raised by an abusive father, sexual abuse starting at age five, and a three-month affair that nearly ended his marriage. What followed was an 11-year rebuild — the ground The Shack was written from.

In this conversation, Paul opens up about:
– The real origin of The Shack (and how it accidentally became a global phenomenon)
– Why forgiveness doesn't require trust — and why that distinction matters
– His 9+ year friendship with men on death row, and what "proximity changes everything" really means
– Making peace with his father at 80, and the two photo albums we all keep inside
– Living in the present moment as the only real world
– Return to the Shack, releasing October 6

Paul's honesty about grief, healing, and what it means to be human is worth sitting with.

Follow the show and let us know what landed.

Timestamps
01:06 Meeting Paul Young
01:49 The affair that changed everything
04:37 Writing The Shack as a Christmas gift
09:02 From 15 copies to a phenomenon
16:30 Barnes & Noble comes knocking
20:29 Why forgiveness became his message
23:30 Releasing his father from expectations
28:48 Friendship with men on death row
36:47 "Proximity changes everything"
41:23 Being present as the only real world
47:20 What awestruck by Jesus looks like
55:15 Grief, healing, and not building identity on pain

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40 years into his career, Michael W. Smith says he still hasn't arrived — and that's the point.

Ben sits down with the legendary singer, songwriter, and now executive producer of *Daniel and the Fiery Furnace* (in theaters September 18) for an honest conversation about faith, family, and staying grounded in an industry built on adoration.

In this episode:
- The story behind *Worship* (2001) and why it became a healing album for America
- Crying through an entire concert in Bahrain — and what shifted
- Working alongside his son Tyler, who composed the score for *Daniel*
- Why he thinks God only reveals certain things to "deep people"
- The rules he and his wife Deb set 40+ years ago to protect their marriage
- A missed flight, an Uber driver, and why the interruptions matter
- New music, a guitar solo from Dan Huff, and what's coming in 2026

Michael's mentors included Billy Graham and his own father. Now, at 68, he sees his role as fathering the next generation of artists.

Watch, listen, and share with someone who needs it.

Timestamps
00:32 40 years of God moments
02:40 Feeling the atmosphere shift
04:22 Crying through Bahrain concert
07:56 How Daniel movie came about
10:06 Watching his son Tyler compose
14:09 Why this Bible story hits different
17:41 We've got it too easy
24:22 Staying stirred and hungry for God
26:27 Missed flight, divine Uber ride
30:15 Surviving 45 years of marriage
33:28 Fathering the next generation
35:20 New music and a guitar solo
39:18 Teach me how to abide

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.