Building Boats: A Conversation With Colton Dixon
By Darren Tromblay
Christian music’s largest tour — Winter Jam — will hit Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines this Friday, March 21, bringing with it an eclectic mix of musical genres, speakers and overall good vibes.
Tickets are in the form of a $15 donation at the door.
This year’s event features the hard rocking Skillet, Christian hip-hop maestro KB, the country leanings of Anne Wilson, as well as Newsong and Michah Tyler, to name a few.
Filling the pop side of the equation will be Tennessee’s own, Colton Dixon. Dixon, an American Idol grad, has been on a slow but steady climb over the course of his career, hitting the charts on a number of occasions including 2020’s “Devil Is A Liar” and “Miracles.” He landed his first No. 1 single in 2023 with “Build A Boat,” and his latest, “Up + Up,” has become yet another radio staple for the 33-year-old.
ListetenIowa caught up with Dixon in the midst of Winter Jam 2025 to discuss the tour, the trappings of fame, and being an extra in a Hannah Montana movie.
LI: You’re winding down the Winter Jam tour. How has it been out there?
CD: Winter Jam is a great tour. One of the highlights for me always is the backstage atmosphere. It’s like a big family. It feels almost like summer camp for adults. And every time I take the stage it’s so cool to see people connect with a song I’ve been a part of. And hearing and seeing people sing the words back is always just mindblowing to me.
LI: Have you been on the tour before?
CD: This is our fourth time. Some would say we are Winter Jam pros. (Laughs)
LI: Is it different each time? Or what keeps bringing you back?
CD: Man, I just love the heart behind Winter Jam. I love the diversity of the show, especially this year. You’ve got Skillet with the heavy, KB with the hip-hop, Anne Wilson on the country side, we’re more on the pop side of things. It’s just all over the map. But we’re all unified under this common thread that God’s been good to us.
LI: How much time are they giving you now?
CD: Man, we’re up to 23 minutes! (Laughs) When we started, it might have been 12. It kind of feels like you’re part of an infomercial. You’re kind of giving the fans a highlight of what you do, and then you’re just praying that they’ll come back to see you at a normal show. I wish we had longer, but we have a great time.
LI: With a large catalog like yours, do you have to do some medley-type things, then, or just pick a few of your best and go?
CD: We definitely have trimmed down some songs to get more in. We’ve done the medley thing in the past, but for the first time this year, I wanted to be intentional about the songs we pick and create a moment for each song, whether that’s a special effects moment, or a heart-to-heart moment. I want each one to be special in its own way. So we’re doing six songs. Some are the full songs, but there are a couple of others like “The Devil Is A Liar” where we’re actually starting at the bridge. It’s fun though. I love arranging a live show. I probably get too in the weeds over it.
LI: Prior to this, you were on tour in the fall on your own as a headliner. How’s the transition been going from being a headliner on your own tour to having to compress it down to this and only play six songs?
CD: Yeah, you blink and you’re in the last song. I think the harder adjustment will be going from the 23-minute set to the hour-and-a-half set this summer. That will be a stretch. I’m going to have to get back on a treadmill or something. (Laughs)
LI: I did a little research and learned you were an extra in the Hannah Montana movie.
CD: Wow, man, you dug deep! (Laughs) Yeah, that is true. My parents signed my sister and I up with an agent and we got our headshots done, and one of the first things we got pitched on was this Hannah Montana thing that was being filmed not far from where we live. My sister was geeking out about it more than I was, but I was like, “Hey, if they’re going to pay me to ride rides and eat fair food for a week, I’m in.” The funnier story is that, when it came out in theaters, we went to a theater to see if we could spot ourselves. There was a tornado in the area that day, and my dad and I had this running joke that if the tornado hit the theater, we had to sneak over the “The Fast And The Furious” so they don’t find our bodies in the Hannah Montana theater. (Laughs)
LI: And you were on American Idol. Without rehashing that too much, I noticed the songs you sang were very different from where you are now. How much of a say — if any — did you have on song selection?
CD: They left it up to me as far as song selection, however the list of approved songs some weeks was shorter than others. Some of those weeks were slim pickings. It gets a little tricky.
LI: Were there any weeks where you looked over the song list and thought, “Man, I’m not singing ANY of these songs”?
CD: Yeah, I forget which the category was, but I think it was the last week I was on the show, actually. I did “September” by Earth Wind and Fire, and “Bad Romance” by Lady Gaga. I don’t think my Christian fanbase liked that too much. (Laughs) Some of the weeks I hadn’t heard any of the songs, but yeah, that was a tough week.
LI: And did you run into any instances where what the producers wanted you sing, and basically be, kind of went against your Christian beliefs?
CD: They kind of gave a blanket warning for all contestants that said if we got religious or political, we could divide our audience and it could hurt us. But at the same time, they told us to be true to who we were. I took that with a grain of salt and kind of agreed with it, but my faith is what I sing and write about, so I’m not going to shy away from it.
LI: Fame. It comes the gig for a guy in your position. Talk to me about coming from humble beginnings, then having some hits and suddenly everyone starts to recognize you. How have you been able to handle that?
CD: Fame’s a really weird thing. It’s a tricky thing to navigate. I don’t think anyone is really designed to experience fame, even at the small level I’ve experienced it. One of my favorite quotes about that is actually from Jim Carrey. He was giving the speech at a college graduation and said, “I wish everyone would become rich and famous so that everyone would realize that there’s absolutely nothing here.” I think fame is overrated. It’s an empty, hollow tease. The world really wants you to buy into the lie that once you’re at the top, you’ll be happy. In the little bit that I’ve tasted, I’ve just realized that there really isn’t anything there. It’s a high that you’ll never fully reach. So it’s just a good reminder for me to dive into why I do what I do, which is to point people to Jesus. It’s not about me, but other people. That’s the only way I can stay sane in the music industry.
LI: If you could collaborate with anyone at this point, Colton, who would that be?
CD: A couple come to mind. Switchfoot — I just love those guys. I’m super grateful for the talks and hangs they’ve shared with me to this point, and being onstage with them, but being in the studio with them would be rad. The kind of “bucket list” one would be Ryan Tedder of One Republic. I just absolutely love his pop sensibility. He’s written so many No. 1s, from Beyonce to Adele. Just a powerhouse.
LI: At this point in your career, what is the song that you’ve written that you’re most proud of?
CD: The one that continues to stand out is “Build A Boat.” From my viewpoint onstage, it’s just undeniable how that song has resonated with people, and that’s such a cool thing. It’s just really special when you’re part of something that’s bigger than yourself. That song has transcended anything that I could have ever done. God put his hand on that and blessed it, and it’s touched a lot of lives. It’s cool to have a front row seat to that every night.
Winter Jam 2025
When: Friday, March 21
Where: Wells Fargo Arena, Des Moines
Doors: 6 p.m.
Show: 7 p.m.
Tickets: A $15 donation at the door
