Hey, I'm Steven! I was born and raised in the desert. Good ol' Phoenix, AZ. My musical ambitions were realized early on as a middle-schooler while learning the saxophone and piano at school. The summer before eighth-grade I dug out a three string classical guitar I found buried in my closet. I was determined to learn how to play. Throughout high-school I would spend every bit of free time practicing and dreaming about creating music. I began to perform at school talent shows, restaurants and coffee shops, open mic-nights and local music-jams. I would perform solo or play with my high-school garage band. The band was called "Red House", named after a Jimi Hendrix song. We would cover blues and rock n' roll songs. My journey into recording/producing began the summer after ninth grade when a friend of mine lent me his 8-track digital recorder. It came with two microphones, a CD burner and a pair of headphones. I can remember spending hours learning how to record and layer tracks.

It was during this season that I began to write my own songs. My three sisters soon became the backboard to all of my song ideas. I would write something down and bust into their room with my guitar, eager to share and willing to interrupt absolutely anything in my efforts. Lucky for me, I rarely got discouraged in the process of writing. At the time I was blind to just how terrible those early songs were. I found excitement in the small success and discovery of sound that I made each step along the way. As I reached my senior year of high-school, it was time to start thinking about college. At this point, I was undoubtedly convinced that music would be my only path going forward. I was either going to attend a music college or no school at all. Little did I know, I would soon find myself becoming quite burned out on music and feeling somewhat purposeless.

I was struggling with gripping anxiety during these years. It was the kind of anxiety that would shake me to my core and keep me from sleep at night. Along with the anxiety, I would make myself believe I had a terminal illness and wouldn’t be alive in a years time. This brought on some level of depression. I began to cope with the pain through entertaining destructive things that would only serve as temporary relief. I became addicted to porn. I was searching the pages of self-help books for true deliverance. That's when I found Jesus.

My uncle had given me my first “adult” Bible and commentary as a high-school graduation gift. I remember the day so clearly. I was on the roof of my house, a place I’d often go to get away from the world. This particular day I had brought along that new Bible. I was at the end of myself and prayed out to God for help. Taking a step of faith, I opened the book, rather intimidated at first. As I began to read I realized that it was much more approachable than I had assumed. Galatians happened to be the book I turned to and I read it fully from beginning to end. It was riveting, the way it was spoke directly into my guilt and shame, my fears and anxieties. I found hope for my failures and freedom from my bondage in lines like Galatians 2:16, “a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified.”. I was hooked.

As high-school came to a close, I felt the Lord directing my path away from college. I didn't know what lied ahead but I felt God speak to me, “I will take care of your education”. Within a month I overheard an announcement for worship-team auditions at my church. Up until that point, I had been a kid who would sit in the church service and nod out during the music. For as much as I loved music, I never understood what it truly meant to worship God and it was of no interest to me. Little did I know at the time, God was about to show me what I was missing. As I began to volunteer at church and gain healthy community with the worship team, my passion for music began to re-ignite within me, only this time taking on new purpose. With each new week, I was learning more about what this concept of "worship" really meant and what it required of me. I began dreaming up ways in which I could use my gift of music to praise Jesus and lead other people to do the same. This soon became my life purpose.

In recent years I have walked through many unexpected and challenging seasons but one thing has continued to grow; my passion for writing and creating honest music that points people to the one true God. I spent many years searching for vision for my music, always asking myself what would be next and where I was headed. In 2018 as I began to release music under the name LOVKN, I felt the Lord give me more clear vision and calling than at any other point in my musical journey. I plan on continuing on with LOVKN and releasing more and more music, Lord willing. All for the glory of God because His worthiness of praise is never conditional to the seasons of life we find ourselves. As always, thank you for listening and following along.

Name: Steven, Steve, Esteban, Stevo, Jeff, Shteebo, Fluffy-Luffy

Age: 30 

Hobby: Breakdancing. Only kidding. Sewing, driving through a beautiful countryside, hiking, drawing, working with my hands…

When did you come to Christ? I grew up in a Christian family but was baptized and re-committed to my faith at age 18.

What instruments do you play? Guitar, Piano, Bass, Voice, Mandolin, Ukulele, most stringed instruments. 

Favorite movie: Blues Brothers??

Interesting fact: I have a twin sister!! I also grew up the only boy with three amazing sisters.

Favorite original song: New Life

Unique skill: I love to pencil sketch and I build furniture (see below)

Favorite book in the Bible: Daniel (but in all reality, this answer is always changing)

Favorite Band: Beach Chapel

Most memorable performance? The opening stop on my first ever tour in June 2018 was in the small town of Northern Arkansas called Eureka Springs, tucked away in the rolling hills of the Ozarks. I drove there all the way from Phoenix. Within an hour of arriving in town, I was on the back of a parade float next to a young kid doing the floss, serenading the streets with familiar tunes from “Into Freedom”. It was my debut appearance in the town’s annual Jesus-themed parade. People were dressed as biblical characters, walking ahead of and behind me. I’ll never forget this hilarious memory. As a touring indie-artist, you have to be up for anything. I was just happy to be on the road sharing my songs :).

Other Christian-indie artists I love: Taylor Armstrong, Isla Vista Worship, Jonathan Ogden, Beach Chapel, Antoine Bradford, Cade Kellam, Young Oceans, Allie Paige, Sarah Juers, Jervis Campbell, Laity, John Mark Pantana, Praise Lubangu, Yaz Williams, Kelsey Breedlove, Jon Webster, Wilder Atkins, just to name a few.