Ep 1425 | Jase’s Bizarre Michael Jackson Encounter Leaves Matthew West Speechless

September 22, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

“I used to think grace was a ladder that every sinner had to climb. If only I could just do better, that I could earn it over time.” That line from Matthew West’s recent radio single captures the tension at the heart of this conversation: the difference between performing faith and living it. In a wide-ranging episode recorded in Nashville, the Robertson family sits down with Christian singer-songwriter Matthew West to talk about his unlikely path from songwriting-for-hire to managing young artists, the spiritual danger of getting better at talking about Jesus than talking to him, and the time he improvised a song about molten lava chocolate cake on a cruise ship that his wife’s friend later found on YouTube.

From the Songwriting Room to the Manager’s Chair

West started his career behind the scenes on Music Row, writing songs for other artists because no record label thought he was good enough to sing his own. That apprenticeship shaped him. “My favorite room to be in, no offense to today, is the songwriting room,” he says. “I get in a bad mood if I haven’t written a song in a day.” When he finally got a record deal, he kept both paths running—making his own albums while still writing for others.

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What you'll learn

1 Timestamped Navigation Outline
2 (01:08) **Welcome & Nashville Edition Introduction** - The Robertson family introduces guest Matthew West, a Christian music artist, and the conversation begins with mutual admiration.
3 (02:12) **The Michael Jackson Movie & Mexican Lookalike** - Jase recounts a bizarre experience seeing a Michael Jackson impersonator in Mexico who sang in Spanish and seemed eerily convincing.
4 (07:04) **Easter Eggs & Renaming Easter to "Eager Sunday"** - The group discusses the pagan origins of the term "Easter" and Jase's campaign to rebrand it as "Eager Sunday" based on Romans 8.
5 (08:45) **Spanish Language Mishaps & Cultural Humor** - Matthew West shares a mortifying story about accidentally telling a crowd of schoolchildren where the bathroom is instead of a meaningful message.
6 (14:46) **Improv Songwriting & The Chocolate Cake Moment** - Matthew West explains his signature skill of making up spontaneous songs on stage, which became his way of winning over tough crowds.
7 (18:40) **Authenticity Over Rock Star Image** - Matthew West reflects on choosing to be himself rather than conforming to industry expectations of being a "rock star."

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Guests on this episode

Phil Robertson

Show Notes

Matthew West looks back on the career advice that told him to be more of a “rock star,” a mold he knew he didn’t want to fit. He recounts touring with Willie Robertson, quickly realizing who the real celebrity was, and finding humor in some deeply humbling moments along the way. Matthew opens up to Jase, Al, and Zach about his brother’s long battle with addiction, the prayers that seem to go unanswered, and why his song and devotional book Don’t Stop Praying grew out of his own need for a deeper prayer life. The guys dig into surrender, grace, and Matthew’s new Jesus Is King album, reflecting on what it means to draw near to God instead of trying to control everything yourself.

In this episode: Romans 8:26-27; James 4:8

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Chapters

00:00 Matthew West Joins Unashamed

04:08 Jase’s Michael Jackson Story

08:02 Jase Pitches “Eager Sunday”

12:26 Matthew West Wins Over a Crowd

17:41 Why I Reject the “Rock Star” Image

24:16 Willie Humbles Matthew