With a new album and a new baby on the way, Danny Gokey is gearing up for a whirlwind next few months.
The American Idol alum-turned-Christian-music-chart-topper is set to release his fifth studio album, Haven't Seen It Yet, on April 12 and will soon welcome his fourth child with wife Leyicet in August.
While excited about the upcoming substantial changes in both his professional and personal life, Gokey, 38, is still figuring out how to find balance.
“I had to learn some things because it’s not easy,” he tells PEOPLE in an exclusive conversation. “Being a dad is one of my favorite things in life. This spring, I went on a 44-city tour. In addition to that, I did a 15-city radio tour and then I finished a record.”
“It’s one of those things where I had to buckle down and weather the storm,” Gokey explains. “From January until now, I’ve only been home probably three weeks at most.”
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Fourth Child on the Way for American Idol Alum Danny Gokey and Wife Leyicet
With a few days off this week, Gokey says he plans on spending time relaxing on his family’s 24-acre farm in Nashville, Tennessee. “We don’t have any animals, but all my neighbors have cows,” he says. “We just picked this place last summer, and I’m just thanking God for that moment of respite.”
While out on tour, Gokey was able to bring his two oldest children — daughter Victoria Isabella, 4, and son Daniel Emanuel, 6 — along for the ride. His younger son Gabriel Daniel, 19 months, had to stay home with Mom though.
“My daughter had been wanting a Daddy-daughter day, so that’s why I brought my two oldest out,” he says. “But my little one — when I get home, he does not let me go. I could literally hold him and hold him. He just needs my attention. I think it’s interesting at this age, introducing a fourth child into the mix. I think that’s pretty sweet.”
American Idol Alum Danny Gokey Shares How the Show Was “Healing” After the Death of His First Wife
Gokey reveals to PEOPLE that his kids couldn’t be more excited to welcome their soon-to-be little brother or sister, whose sex they will found out at Leyicet’s next ultrasound appointment in two weeks.
“These kids are just over the top, over their heads,” he says. “Now they’re all making their declarations of what they think the baby is. We’ll see. We don’t know yet. I think it’s a boy.”
In the meantime, the singer says his three little ones have adorably been talking to the baby through the “microphone,” a.k.a. their mom’s belly button.
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Since the baby on the way is No. 4 for Gokey and his wife, who have been married since 2012, he says he’s not so sure about whether they’re prepared to have four little ones running around the house pretty soon.
“I don’t know what to think,” he tells PEOPLE. “It’s like, ‘Whoa, we got all these kids now.’ “
While working on his new album and being out on the road, Gokey says he has also made sure to focus on helping out Leyicet, 33, through her pregnancy.
“My wife does not like being pregnant,” he says. “You hear about women who love pregnancy [and she’s like], ‘No, that’s not me.’ But she likes the product — what comes out of it.”
Gokey admits that this pregnancy has been “a lot of work” for Leyicet and has her thinking, ” ‘I’m done.’ ” But the dad-to-be, on the other hand, has complicated emotions about welcoming another child after this one.
“I have mixed feelings about it,” he says. “My wife is at a point where she’s like, ‘Dude, don’t ever think about it. We’re done.’ I’m not, I guess. I’ll be happy with four, but I’d be ready for No. 5.”
Gokey reveals to PEOPLE that his kids played a big part in inspiring the new music coming out on his upcoming album, which includes a song called “Undertow” that he wrote for them.
“It sounds like a really crazy name, but it is such an epic song that I wrote for my children,” he says. “Really, it’s a love song. It can be for a husband/wife, girlfriend/boyfriend, but that song I specifically wrote for my children with other writers. We wanted to write a song for our children. I hope it gets a massive movie soundtrack. It is just epic.”
Third Baby on the Way for American Idol Alum Danny Gokey
In January, Gokey released his single which shares his upcoming album’s name, "Haven't Seen It Yet." The message shared in the song hits home for Gokey, who tragically lost his first wife Sophia in 2008 after a routine surgery for congenital heart disease.
“The reason I wrote that song was because I’ve been through so many seasons of brokenness and painful moments,” he says. “I think everyone knows the most noticeable one that I went through publicly was the loss of a spouse. I walked out of that one better than I did going in — stronger, more grounded and more passionate. ‘Haven’t Seen It Yet’ is a song for people who are going through disappointment. It’s like, ‘Hey, good things are up ahead. Don’t throw in the towel yet.’ “
The rest of the album, he shares with PEOPLE, was inspired by a “divine message.”
“That might sound a little bit spooky, but when I go make an album, I [ask], ‘God, what do people need to hear?’ ” he says. “I feel like with this album, it’s resonating much stronger than other albums I put out in the past. Part of what I feel like I was created for was to bring hope through entertainment. That’s what I believe I’m called to do.”
Haven’t Seen It Yet, out April 12, is available for pre-order now on amazon.com.
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