Did you grow up creating with music, art, and writing, or did they come to you in adulthood?

My family is very musical and artistic, so I grew up in a wonderful environment where the arts were cultivated and just a natural part of our lives. My parents encouraged us to pursue anything, and that was huge too—having the freedom and support to try different things. We all started piano lessons around 5 or 6, and I haven’t stopped since. I used to write picture books as a child too—I remember stapling computer paper together and writing words on one side and drawing illustrations on the other side. I don’t know exactly when, but I knew from a very young age that I wanted to write and draw and play music for the rest of my life.  

Do you have a favorite project you’ve finished so far?

I have two favorites. The first is my 12-singles-in-12-months challenge. That was in 2021, and I had just released my very first single with Joel Schwartz in November of 2020. I was hooked. I bought recording equipment, set up a little “studio” in my closet, and went to work. I even continued it after moving to Nashville—I wrote in four different homes for that challenge. It was such a growing experience, and forced me to get stuff out there, even though I was scared.

The second is the first novel I wrote, when I was fifteen. I wrote it longhand in three notebooks and then typed it into the computer when it was finished. Every night, I would sit at my desk in my room and write three pages while listening to soundtrack music on my cd player. Haha! Those were good days.

When do you typically write?

Both for fiction writing and songwriting, I prefer the evenings. Especially with songwriting. I feel very self-conscious and don’t want anyone to hear me while I’m trying out new melodies or ideas because a lot of them don’t sound good. I want to be able to make mistakes and experiment while alone, and I can do that in the evenings.

What drives you to create art?

God has given us the arts, as with everything He’s given us, to bring Him glory. I think the arts are an incredibly rich and gracious gift, and I feel privileged to enjoy and share them, so I want to do that for as long as He allows me to. He’s particularly given me a heart to encourage my believing brothers and sisters with hymns, but I ultimately want anything I do to bring Him glory.

“Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.” Colossians 3:16-17