Canadian singer/songwriter Jill Paquette's self-titled debut CD (Reunion) was recently voted one of the best albums of the year by the Christian Music Today staff. Despite critical acclaim, the CD hasn't fared as well commercially. We sat down with Paquette recently to talk about her CD, and what God has been teaching her in her first year as a professional musician—a term she laughingly dismisses. Not surprisingly, Paquette was as honest in her answers as she is in her song lyrics.

What kind of reactions are you getting to your CD?

Jill Paquette: People who have heard it say they like it. On the forum on my website, some people have said, "I recently became a Christian and somebody introduced me to your music, and it's been real encouragement," or "I saw your cover and I thought it was cool and I bought your CD and it turns out I like the music," or "I didn't think I'd like it at all and I do." One person was kind of worried about me. They thought I'm a really sad person [laughs], and they sent me some scriptural encouragement.

What's the best thing about being a professional musician?

Paquette: That people actually call me a professional musician! Besides that, the personal and spiritual growth I've seen in this whole process has been unbelievable. Sometimes I wonder if that's the whole purpose behind this. I'm like, Well, my CD's not selling great, but maybe God just wants me to get some character. But it's just awesome to be able to play music and travel and meet people all over the place. It's all making God's truth much more real in my life.

How?

Paquette: There's something about getting out on your own that makes you go to God and say, I don't know what to do. I have nothing to give to this situation. Seeing God's faithfulness on a daily basis has been wonderful. I grew up in a Christian home and I went to a Christian school and Bible college, but in a lot of ways, I feel like dedicating my life to Christ has really just been a very recent thing. It's just been such a gentle but consistent leading from God, drawing me into a real hunger to know him and seek him.

Has leaving home in Canada and moving to Nashville been difficult?

Paquette: I guess so. I really left home when I was 17, when I went to college. I never really ended up going back home, just getting summer jobs or touring with a band. But now that I'm getting older, I wish I could be with my family more. But that's been my life—God is always drawing me away from places I might get dependent on. It's been hard, but I've learned to ask God to do whatever it takes to draw me closer to him.

You grew up in a music-loving home.

Paquette: Yes. We were all encouraged to play or sing or whatever. My dad was my voice teacher; he is just an amazing musician. And I have a friend named Kim Menu who could sing all the Sandi Patty songs perfectly. That was my big inspiration. I wanted to be just like Kim. To this day I can't sing Sandi Patty, but between Kim and my dad, they're the big reasons I wanted to learn how to be a singer and piano player.

You took piano lessons from an early age, but didn't pick up guitar till you were 16?

Paquette: That's right, and I felt like I'd come home. Oh, man, it's just something about the acoustic guitar that is just so roots. It's a great instrument.

Better than the piano?

Paquette: Different than the piano. I'm classically trained on the piano, but I've had no formal training on the guitar.

How does your classical background combined with the guitar define your music?

Paquette: As far as chord progression, I think I'm still very classical in structuring. But sometimes I feel so trapped in that classical box. I'm like, I want to be a jazzer, but my brain doesn't go there. Maybe one day.

I hear your official "debut" came in college.

Paquette: Yes. Prairie Bible College is a musical college. I went there thinking I'd be a piano teacher or something. Well, I used to play songs for my roommate and for friends. One day, we stopped in at the coffee house just to see what was going on. My friends were like, "Jill, go up there and sing." I don't do well in front of people. Paul says we should boast in our weakness, and I want to say that I hate getting up in front of people. It makes me so nervous I almost get sick every time. Anyway, I got up there, borrowed somebody's guitar, scrambled to find a pick, and played this song called "Forget." I was looking down the whole time. When I was done, everybody was clapping and screaming. Matt Brower was there that evening, and he apparently liked what he heard. I worked with Matt a lot of years after that. [Brouwer, a worship leader, later recorded a CD with Reunion and scored a radio hit with his song, "Water." Paquette was in Brouwer's band at the time, playing piano and singing background.]

How old were you when you realized you wanted to do this professionally?

Paquette: Twenty-four—this year! "Professionally" always cracks me up. There's nothing that feels professional about what I do. I feel like God is building in me, more and more, a desire to do this. I'm not sure what else I would really do. I don't think I'm really created to do like carpentry or anything. So I'm just staying with this as long as it lasts, I guess.

What else would you be doing if you weren't doing this?

Paquette: I really don't know. I guess it's just part of being in your mid-twenties and finding what you're passionate about and what you want your life to be about. Maybe I'm still in that process, and right now music and meeting people and traveling is the opportunity I have.

What needs to happen for you to get your big break? A radio single?

Paquette: Radio really doesn't like my stuff, I don't think. Hopefully a single will catch on. But I'm way more concerned about doing a good live show. It's important for me to be growing and becoming a better musician.

Do you have a specific audience you're trying to reach?

Paquette: I was the kind of kid who always tried to be somewhere with God that I wasn't, wanting to be like people who seemed like they had it all together. I hope my music resonates with people like that—people who maybe feel pressured to be something they're not.

Isn't that the theme behind your song "Not the Only One"?

Paquette: Yes.

Faith is hard, so don't pretend like you've got it all together, right?

Paquette: Yes, and I used to be really intimidated by people like that. Because I didn't know where I fit. I knew all this stuff, but wasn't sure if I really believed it. It was a lot of looking around and thinking, Who am I going to mimic so I can make sense of this? Yes, that's the theme of "Not the Only One." That song sounds frustrated, and it is. I was tired of looking at other people's lives and comparing mine to theirs.

What do you see yourself doing in ten years?

Paquette: Probably teaching piano.

In Nashville?

Paquette: I don't know how long this Nashville thing will last. I don't know what next year looks like. My manager is like, "We've got to set goals." I'm like, "What?" I don't know. I hope I'm doing something that's meaningful. I don't know what it looks like, though, in ten years. When I look at a year ago, I never would have foreseen this year. So I don't know. I hope to be a passionate person. I think I'll always lead an exciting life.

For more about Jill Paquette, visit our artist page for her, where you'll also find a review of her self-titled debut. Visit Christianbook.com to listen to sound clips and buy her music.

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