John Berry Tells Powerful Story Through ‘Beautifully Broken’

John Berry sings the title track of the upcoming movie, Beautifully Broken, in theaters August 24. The film is based on a true story, which Berry was honored to tell through the song.

“It takes place in 1994 during the genocide,” Berry tells PopCulture.com. “In 1994, I didn’t know there was a genocide. I was busy with having my first No. 1 record, my second child was born, and I had brain surgery which I don’t recommend unless you really need it. So, I was busy doing that.

“Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, almost a million people are getting slaughtered because the other people didn’t like them, and it’s so sad,” he continues. “But, this is a story of these three families. Like I said, two from Rwanda, and one here in Brentwood, Tennessee, and the tapestry that God weaves where they save each other’s lives. It’s just – it’s unbelievable, but it’s a true story.”

Berry is one of three artists who recorded “Beautifully Broken,” along with Christian artist Plumb and gospel singer CeCe Winans. With lines like, “You’re beautifully broken / Made to be whole again / Even a million scars / Doesn’t change whose you are / God’s still working / You’re beautifully broken,” the song has an important message that Berry wants to share with the world.

“In some way there’s things in our lives that didn’t turn out the way we planned or there have been issues, there have been hurts, and just different things,” Berry explains. “And everybody can relate to that, but it’s a great song of great hope rising out of ashes. It’s really something special … It’s one of those special songs. I just go to be the lucky guy to get to record the song, but it is a beautiful message and a great powerful song that goes along with a very powerful movie.”

Berry might not have faced the genocide in Rwanda, like the families in the film, but he’s had his own share of challenges, which only made the song more important to him.

“There’s a lot of things in my life where I’ve been emotionally broken or physically broken,” Berry reflects. “I had to go through brain surgery in ’94. When I was a kid in ’81, I got run over by a car on a motorcycle, broke both my legs and my left hip and I was real physically broken there. But, there’s a lot of emotional brokenness that comes along with life and fortunate we have a heavenly father that helps us through those things and provides.”

The 58-year-old might have had some difficulties, but in hindsight he’s grateful for each one of them.

“You learn quickly what really matters, and the things in life that really are important,” shares the singer. “You can get rid of a lot of stuff that you think is important that you carry around with you. And then, all of the sudden you realize that those things weren’t that important,or people in your life that were weighing you down that you just kept hanging on to because you thought that was important as well. And they weren’t there for you.

“But then you find out those who are there for you,” he adds. “And, like my wife Robin when I went through the brain surgery in ’94, she went through a difficult time because I was changing. I turned into somebody else and then we find out I’ve got this thing growing inside my brain. That they had to go get, and she stuck with me through the whole time, and we knew it was important.”

Berry’s first album, Humble Beginnings, was released almost 40 years ago, but it took “Beautifully Broken” to capture what Berry has been looking for his entire career, but didn’t realize until he heard his voice on the track.

“[My wife] Robin walked in and she said, ‘Why do you have tears in your eyes?’ Berry recalls. “I said, ‘Because that’s what I’ve always wanted to sound like. I’ve been doing it all these years and I finally hear that’s what I want to sound like.’”

“This song, it embodies all the things that I had hoped – vocally, musically, lyrically – all those things kind of all came together in the song,” Berry says. “It really is a special song, and I hope people really dig it.”

For more information on Beautifully Broken, visit the film’s website.

Photo Credit: Getty images/Rick Diamond