[EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW] Alan Powell Talks the Differences and Similarities of Himself and Jed King

Alan Powell has been best known for his part in Reunion Records' Anthem Lights. After today, he will also be known for his leading role in The Song. Though it is his first film, Richard Ramsey said that there was never a question that he was Jed King. "He had tremendous chemistry with the two lead actresses. He also had that 'swagger'... something intangible, that Jed needed to have to convince an audience his character could be famous. People gasp in disbelief when I tell them this is Alan’s first film. I’ve known people who’ve been acting for years who can’t do some of the stuff he does in this movie."

In this exclusive interview with Kim Jones, Alan Powell talks about exploring this new side of himself as an actor while still holding on to his identity as a singer, husband and father.

Kim Jones - Anthem Lights is doing really well and you're a husband a father. Adding The Song into the mix puts a lot on your plate. Why take so much on at one time?

Alan Powell - You're right, there is a lot going on. It's a pleasure though. Everything that I have a chance to be a part of, I love it and I feel so fortunate that it's what I get to fill my time with.

Kim Jones - Are you leaning more towards film or music at this point?

Alan Powell - Currently I'm privileged to not have to lean one way or the other. It's been great bo be able to do both of them. Personally, my passion for film and acting probably supercedes my passion for music, but I have a passion for music as well so I'll keep doing both of them as long as I can.

Kim Jones - You do both quite well!

Alan Powell - That's very kind of you.

Kim Jones - You're a husband and a father yourself. Much like Jed, you do spend a lot of time on the road and in the spotlight. How would you say Jed, the character, is like Alan, the man?

Alan Powell - Well, you mentioned it. As a musician, when we first started, I spent a lot of time on the road. I honestly spent too much time on the road. I understand what's that like to have it put a strain on your marriage. I understand what it's like to have that put a strain on your relationships with your children because you're gone too much. I certainly have some similarities with him in that regard.

Kim Jones - Aside from the obvious (the love triangle), how is Jed different from you?

Alan Powell - Jed went on a very kind of "meaningalistic" journey - life is meaningless and nothing matters. Though I have certainly taken stock of my life and have been analytical about my life, I've never come to the conclusion that nothing matters. I've been fortunate enough to be just enthralled and fascinated by my family and love my family. My faith is ever evolving, as I think all ours always is, but I've never come to the place where i thought that everything was meaningless. But I tell you what - playing the character was a learning experience for me. I learned a lot from Jed and the conclusions that he came to. That was something that I'll never forget.

Kim Jones - Our culture today is a kind of "he who dies with the most toys wins" mentality. People are led to believe that it's all about the spotlight, the fame and the money with everything else being secondary. If there is one thing that you could tell people that are chasing the spotlight, what would it be since this movie proves that to be totally wrong?

Alan Powell - I think you hit it on the head. If there was one message I could share with people who are looking at that scenario and desiring it, I would just want to remind them that those aren't the things that matter. They're certainly not the things that you can take with you. I would want them to know that I feel like our goal in life is to further love in our world - to treat our family well, prioritizing them and to show everyone around us that there is something more to this life than simply what we see. And while although the toys are really great and it's cool that people are paying attention to you (there is nothing inherently wrong with that), it's certainly a waste if you're spending your life attempting to gain those things. I would hope that people would see that in this film as well.

Kim Jones - Your musical style is so different than Jed's style. I read that you spent a lot of time working with Vince Emmett (the music director) to get you comfortable in the Americana style. Now that it's a part of your repertoire, is it something that you feel like will leak into Anthem Lights?

Alan Powell - I think that every experience you have as a vocalist will shape your voice and so there are things that I did with my voice while filming this that I've never done before. I think that strengthens my voice. Also, as a writer and an artist, to have gained a respect for a genre in a way that I never had before, that certainly shapes who you are as an artist. I don't think you can help that. I don't foresee Anthem Lights becoming an Americana or country act, but the idea of that shaping me personally as an artist as I create music for Anthem Lights is, I think, unavoidable - in a good way.

Kim Jones - You recorded several tracks for the soundtrack. Which one would you say spoke to you as a man the most?

Alan Powell - There's a song that Jed sings towards the end of the film called "Chasing After Wind" where he's talking about how everything in his life is meaningless and that song propels him to understand that he needs to just focus on the things that matter - essentially his family and his faith. Recording and performing that song really moved me.

Kim Jones - What's up next in the evolution of Alan?

Alan Powell - I've got an album coming out on October 7th with Anthem Lights. We've been releasing one song a week for the past few weeks as we lead up to that and I'm excited about that. Then the film comes out on Friday and obviously, I'm excited about that too.

Kim Jones - In all of the interviews that you've done so far about The Song, what is the one question that you haven't been asked that you wish someone had asked?

Alan Powell - Honestly, I feel like people like yourself have done good research and understand what we're trying to do, so I've been able to get it out there that the goal of the film is to remind people that your family is very, very important. Hopefully, when they walk out of the theater, they'll want to call their wife or their husband or their kids and say, "Hey, I just want you to know that I love you. If you didn't feel that today or if I forgot to tell you, I just want you to know."

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The Song