Rob and Bev Loper just released a new song Cover You with a music video to go along with it. The song was produced during the COVID-19 pandemic and associated stay at home orders. In a sit down interview, the songwriter Rob Loper discussed his inspiration for the song and what he’s been doing with his time recently.
What was your inspiration for Cover You?
I don’t remember exactly. For this song, I was actually breaking apart a song I’d written a long time ago. I was out shopping for clothes when I started hearing a new chorus to the old song. That’s how a lot of my songs come. I just start hearing them. I also got several nice shirts that day, so that was a bonus.
When did you start writing music?
I think I’ve always written songs. I remember walking through the school gymnasium on my sixth birthday writing songs and singing them to myself. There were lots of children in the gym, but I was walking around singing songs to myself. I guess I was a weird kid. I was in my early 20s when I really started formally writing songs. That was when I wrote the verses to this song. It was a really long song back then and had a lot of parts to it. It didn’t always go well when I performed it for audiences who didn’t already know it. I recently went back to it after advice I got from a friend of mine to break it down into multiple songs.
So, can we expect more new songs coming soon?
Possibly. I have a few other creative ideas I want to work through first. I want to write some new stories and scripts. But, I never take songwriting out of the equation.
Who are some of your musical influences?
Stephen Hurd and Anthony Brown have taught me so much. They’ve taught me the true purpose of worship music. They’ve taught me how to focus and bring my own energy to a song. That has affected how I write and present music. I’ve also learned everything I know about studio recording from working with them. Weather Report and Simon & Garfunkel affect how I play my guitars including the bass line of Cover You. I put together band music based on what I learned from watching Daniel Weatherspoon and Darryl Woodson. I admire the energy they bring to a song and how they have a way of putting new spirit into familiar music. Vocally I’ve been inspired by Daryl Coley, Smokie Norful, and Gaither Vocal Band. I used to practice Daryl Coley and Smokie Norful’s music every day, especially their diction and how they do their runs. I listened to Gaither Vocal Band a whole bunch growing up. They demonstrate the power of the human voice and complex harmonies. I could go on like this forever, so I’ll just stop here.
How are you spending your time during the current stay at home orders?
I’m trying to be smart and make the best decisions to keep myself and my family safe. I’m grateful for the safety of my family and I pray for all those who have been affected in any way by the pandemic. I’m grateful to be able to spend more time at home than usual. I feel energized because I’ve been taking time to rest. I also have a good environment to spend time with God. I’ve done much more study and research in the Bible than I was able to do before. I’m using that energy and research to fuel my creativity. So far I’ve written 3 songs, a poem, and I accidentally wrote the story for the Cover You music video. That’s another story for another day. And of course, I’m also doing whatever my wife tells me to do.
What do you want people to hear when they listen to Cover You?
God. The voice of God and the words that God has for them. I want them to feel encouragement, salvation, and hope. Give them something they can use to fight anxiety and depression. A lot of the songs I’ve written come from me fighting anxiety, depression, and discouragement. I want them to have something they can use to fight back against the lies that the enemy tries to get us to believe. I want them to see me working with my wife. Things are always better when we do them together. I wanted to show the unity of marriage and married people working on something together.
Cover You, the new song written by Rob Loper and performed by Rob and Bev Loper along with the music video produced by R.A.R.E. Soul Production Company shows us all hope in a time where hope feels so foreign. It conveys God’s grace over the world’s fear. Something we all need right now.
