World-renowned pianist, podcaster, and certified breathwork educator Chad Lawson has announced Where We Are, a new album of original solo piano works inspired by messages from his fans about how his music has affected their lives.
Lawson is known for exploring the intersection between music and wellness with chart-topping contemporary classical releases and his iHeart Radio Award-nominated podcast Calm It Down, which explores mental health topics and meditation techniques soundtracked by Chad’s music.
Lawson’s music has struck a chord with listeners worldwide, with plays of his recordings totaling a billion streams. His last two albums breathe and You Finally Knew have received over 700M streams, a staggering number in the classical genre.
A certified breathwork expert, Lawson has shared the lead single, “Sanctuary,” along with an accompanying music video to mark World Breathing Day, April 11, a global celebration of the practice of conscious breathing. Check it out below.
On the track he plays a delicate piano melody in an almost-cyclical repetition. “It sets the theme of what the album is,” he notes. “‘Sanctuary’ is the place where you personally find healing. People want to be gentle with themselves and feel okay, but they don’t know how.”
Coinciding with the announcement and release of “Sanctuary,” Chad is partnering with the International Breathwork Foundation for a Zoom workshop titled “Healing through Music and Breathwork.” Chad’s live piano playing will be interwoven with a conscious connected breath session led by Lauren Chelec Cafritz. The session will happen today at 4pm ET/1pm PT/9pm CET. Check out more information here.
“My role is to impact the heart rather than impress the mind,” he notes. “That’s how I see my music. Right now, it seems like everyone is very tired. So, I’m trying to meet people Where They Are—which is where the name of the album came from. I’m going to be in the thick of it with them. I’m putting my hands out and saying, ‘I’ll hold you through this’.”