The Stress of Success
by Michael Herman | posted 5/01/2003
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Five years ago, fledgling songwriter Nichole Nordeman would have never guessed that she'd become one of Christian music's most popular and acclaimed artists, not to mention a wife and mother. We caught up with the Dove Award winner during Gospel Music Week 2003 to discuss her dramatic life changes and the effects they'll have on the years ahead.
Let's start by looking at your future plans. Woven & Spun has been out for a while now, so after your new live album, how much have you thought about your next project?
Nichole: Zero. I'm in a season of re-evaluation, because there's so much happening in my personal life with the baby on the way. My husband and I have only begun to scratch the surface of understanding what this is all going to look like. How on earth do I manage to marry career, motherhood, travel, ministry, and marriage … and then prioritize those in the right order?
So I'm not making any kind of official announcement or anything. I'm probably going to take some time off after the baby comes, but I haven't decided how much time that'll be yet. Obviously, I feel very called to do what I do and God has shown me unbelievable favor. I've seen that as it relates to success – our version of success – in Christian music. I don't have any plans on leaving that.
Who are you looking to mentor or lead you through this upcoming juggling act you're talking about?
Nichole: [My husband] Errol and I have a really small circle of people in our lives, some of which are immediate family and others being close friends from within and outside the church. Those are the people I really count on for perspective and for accountability. When they see something in me, they ask me, "Are you unraveling? Because you're giving me answers that aren't 'Nichole' answers." They sense that I'm going on autopilot, and I need them to tell me what they see in me.
Everybody needs those people in their lives, not just artists. They gently tell me to re-examine my schedule and the effect on who I am and who I am becoming. They stay in my face, which is good.
When your song "Holy" quickly gained popularity, it really took you by surprise. Did you look back on it again with a different perspective after all of the airplay records and accolades came about?
Nichole: As a songwriter, everything feels so personal. Every song that I'd ever write is from my experience. I've never sat down to say that I'd love to write sort of a big-picture song about life in Christ or grace or whatever. I'm not a thematic writer, so I tend to write more like, "This is where I've been, for better or for worse."
It's always shocking to me when someone says, "That's me, that's the story of my life. I've been there. I am there." It's just this tremendous sense of "kindred-spiritness." I specifically remember sitting down to write "Holy" because I just wanted to tell the story of where I had been spiritually. Many of those places were far, far away from the faith where I grew-up in and how I made this roundabout, full-circle turn back to the cross and what that meant.
It was weird, and it continues to be wonderfully weird to realize that so many people shared that experience. It's a reminder to me about how much bigger the picture is and how it's about shared experiences and affirmation.
Whether it's in poetry or songs or whatever else, what have you been writing about recently?
Nichole: Oh, not a lot. You know, I go through really intense periods of writing. Usually it's around the time of writing for a record, but it's not all music writing. It's journal writing, poetry writing, it's essay writing. But then I go through periods when I just don't have a whole lot to say. I've made the mistake of attempting to draw from a well that is dry. The bucket really feels empty when I go back and read what I'd written during those times – musically or otherwise.
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