Britt Nicole - June 21, 2008

Bonnie: I got to see your GMA Showcase at BB Kings, and one of the things you said that stuck out to me was that in the past you had done songs that were fun but had little personal meaning to you. However, with your debut album you said that you wanted it to be something that was personal to you, allowing you to share your experiences. What lead you to that point?

Britt Nicole: When I moved here to Nashville, I started writing a lot of songs—over one hundred songs before this record came out. I had many songs to choose from. I was writing at ten in the morning and two in the afternoon five days a week. As I was listening back to the first thirty, forty, maybe even fifty songs, I was realizing that these were just songs, and they don’t mean anything to me. So, I just prayed and said, “God, I want to write songs that bring healing and hope to people’s lives.”

I started really opening up and being honest about struggles and real about pain that I went through—I think it is just knowing that my generation struggles with a lot of stuff. There are things that they see that aren’t real, even sometimes in church. I wanted my music to come across as real, so that is probably what lead me to the place where I knew I couldn’t just write fun songs—I have to write songs that mean something, just wanting to really minister to young people.

Bonnie: What has this past year been like for you?

Britt Nicole: I have been blessed as a new artist. I have been on three pretty major tours, and through those tours, I have been able to see so many kids’ lives changed through my music, through people’s music, just in general. I have seen kids give their lives to God. I get messages day after day on my website; sometimes it’s from kids struggling with personal issues of morality and faith, and sometimes it is from kids struggling with family problems or cutting or something else. They say, “Thank you. You’re songs have changed my life. Your songs have given me faith.”

I hear sometimes, “I’m not even a Christian, but your songs are giving me hope. Your songs are showing me that there is something more to life than just what we live every day.” It’s cool that God is using my songs to reach people, and there is nothing more fulfilling than that. Every time I read those messages, I am literally brought to tears to know that God is using me and has blessed me to do what I get to do. It’s through His mercy that I am able to do it because I am weak within myself, and I have my own struggles and my own mistakes. I said, “God use me however you want,” and through His mercy and through His love, he lets me help other people.

Bonnie: Some of your songs talk very specifically about instances of struggle. You have traveled across the country and have seen what people are dealing with. Have you had any reaction from addressing specific issues in your songs?

Britt Nicole: One song is called “When She Cries” which is about cutting. I personally have never struggled with cutting, but I have read that it comes from feeling rejected. Young girls start to cut when they feel rejected and alone. I have experienced some of those similar feelings and emotions, so I don’t look at them and ask, “Why would you cut? Why would you do such a dumb or stupid thing?”

I can look at them and say, “I know what you are feeling, but there is another way.”I get messages from girls who send me pictures of their arms where they have cut, and they say that they have this addiction and can’t stop, asking if I have anything to say to help them get through this. I get specific messages from fans struggling with all kinds of stuff—cutting, dealing with your parents’ divorce, relationships. Fans tell me their personal issues asking for prayer and help. I do what I can to help them get through it.

Bonnie: Can you tell me about your song “Don’t Worry Now” and the story behind it?

Britt Nicole: I wrote that song after going through my parents’ divorce when I was 7 years old. I was always a daddy’s girl, so it was hard when he left. I felt confused, and my parents never explained what was going on. I felt angry. I felt bitter towards love, and I just began to feel alone. Though, through all that I was drawing closer to God. At times when I wanted to rely on my family, I had to rely on Jesus Christ. I started to believe in this Jesus that my parents had talked about and that I had heard my grandfather preach about. Throughout high school, I struggled with letting go of the divorce. At age 19, I felt God telling me that I needed to forgive my parents and that I needed to let go. One day I said out loud to myself, “Mom, I forgive you. Dad, I forgive you. I love you both.” After that I felt a weight lifted off that I had carried my whole life. A joy came over me, and it was the most amazing thing I had ever experienced. I went from weeping and crying in that moment to laughing and receiving the joy of the Lord. Right after that is when I wrote “Don’t Worry Now.” To me it is a happy song, not a sad song. It is about letting go and not worrying about your past or future, just knowing that God is in control and you can trust Him.

Bonnie: How have people responded to that song?

Britt Nicole: Girls share stories with me of their own parents’ divorce and thank me for writing this song. Moms share with me that the song has helped them to hold on and get through hard times of marriage and helping them realize how difficult a divorce would be on their kids. Dads have shared with me that they have been through a divorce and ask what they can do to help their kids deal with it. It ranges from 5 or 7 year old kids to moms and dads coming to me asking for advice because they have heard the song, and they found something in the song that was real. It is hard sometimes, but even if I don’t know what to say, I trust that God will give me the words.

The song doesn’t even have to be about divorce. I had a 7 year old girl send me an email—she had just lost her father, her grandfather and her uncle, and she said that this song helped her know that she could trust God and that she did not have to worry in dealing with death.

We are in the process of putting together a music video of this song for the soldiers. We want to let people who are going through a time of separation from family members know that they don’t have to worry. We are piecing together pictures of soldiers with their families for the video, which will be posted on YouTube. I can’t imagine how hard it would be to trust God when your dad is getting sent off the Iraq, but I want to let them know that God is in control.

Bonnie: When I listen to your album, it feels very much like pop music, however, your live performance seems to have more of a rock influence. Is that any indication as to the direction you are heading?

Britt Nicole: I think the next record will be a little more rock—more edgy. I think I will still have a lot of the programming I had in the last record, some of the hip hop elements which make it fun and youthful. I want to have music that brings joy into peoples’ lives. I love having music that makes people dance and just feel like they can be a kid. Rock sometimes can be a little more heavy and more intense. I want to keep both of those elements, but I do think I will have more songs on this record that are rock than the last record.

Bonnie: Congratulations on the success of your debut record. We look forward to seeing what your future holds!

For more information online, you can visit www.brittnicole.com.