For San Franklin, singing about God's care comes from personal experience. The Chicago native credits her parents with encouraging her musical calling, while their deaths deepened her dependence on the God she invites others to trust. In this interview, the vocalist, arranger, vocal producer, and pastor discusses the heart behind "El Shaddai," her live performance at Enon Tabernacle, and why leading worship begins with understanding the people in the congregation.
Q: For readers discovering San Franklin for the first time, how would you introduce yourself, and what experiences have most shaped your voice as an artist and worship leader?
San Franklin: I am simply San... a girl from Chicago who loves all things music. A blessed girl who has worked in every genre, shaped by loving parents who supported me in my decision to pursue music and entertainment. The death of my parents has been most influential in shaping my authenticity as an artist/worship leader because my sole dependency is on the One we sing about!
Q: You've described "El Shaddai" as a personal response to uncertainty. What were you navigating when you co-wrote the song with John Matt Clark, and how did those experiences shape its lyrics?
San Franklin: We were in the middle of the pandemic, and nothing seemed to be getting better. I have studied the individual names of God, and El Shaddai (the Almighty/many-breasted God) would definitely be the One who could help us then and now in this political pandemic. His name is the only name that can do "it," whatever the need.
Q: What do you remember most vividly about performing "El Shaddai" at Enon Tabernacle, and what does the live video capture that listeners might miss in an audio recording?
San Franklin: I remember thinking... God, we wrote this song six years ago, and You are still performing miracles and taking care of us! What was captured that night is the practicum of the lyrics penned... I'm alive to sing about Him, seeing about us/me.
Q: As a vocalist, arranger, and vocal producer, how did you approach the interplay between your lead vocal, the background singers, and the choir to help the congregation participate in the song?
San Franklin: To be honest, you have to be well versed in all three; they all have a different dynamic and skill. I place myself in each role and do what I would want to hear from each and hit the record button, lol... tweak it if needed, and voilà! Congregations need simple and relatable, not complex and distant.
Q: How does serving as senior pastor of The Love Center South Church shape the songs you write and the way you lead worship, particularly when people bring grief, fear, or unanswered prayers into the room?
San Franklin: Before I was a pastor... I was a parishioner. I always think about them first. Our supreme goal is to see the Lord and minister to Him; once that goal is met, all else is easy. I want them to know I'm with them, not above them.
Q: For someone listening to "El Shaddai" who is struggling to trust God because their circumstances have not changed, what would you want them to hear-and what has helped you hold on during your own seasons of waiting?
San Franklin: The words of the last verse... penned by John Clark... "El Shaddai, we're trusting You... It's Your name that will pull us through... Your name can do it, Your name can do it... El Shaddai!!! Take care of us!"
The "ing" denotes continually, so I can't just do it once and expect good results, but something that I become comfortable in doing because I've experienced amazing results!
Song link: Listen to San Franklin's "El Shaddai" on Apple Music
