Since she was a little girl, 17-year-old Stacie Orrico has known she could reach people with the universal language of music. Her first two CDs, Genuine (ForeFront, 2000) and Christmas Wish (ForeFront, 2001), both reached a primarily Christian audience. But her third CD, Stacie Orrico (Virgin/ForeFront), is reaching much more of the mainstream—thanks in large part to a deal with Virgin Records and MTV airplay of her first video single, "Stuck." Christians have criticized her for "going secular," but take it from us—Stacie is one of the most solid Christians and level-headed artists we've ever interviewed. A strong supporting cast of family and friends keeps her accountable and rooted in the faith.

What are some things you're really excited about right now?

Stacie: It would start with getting the opportunity to do something that I've dreamed of for a long time. But I don't think it even has to do directly with music. I grew up in a missionary family. I grew up with thinking that I wanted to go out into the world and bring God to people who didn't know him. I was a seven-year-old trying to share Jesus with younger kids. And I didn't even speak their language. Music has been that outlet for me.

So, getting the chance to go out into a world that's so dark and tell them about Jesus is thrilling!

Speaking of languages, how is music a language in itself, and how do you "speak" it?

Stacie: Music is an incredible tool, and everyone can be reached through music.

People ask me things like, "How do you feel about Eminem?" I have to say I don't agree with the points he takes on things, but he has mastered the art of reaching kids with music. The reason people love him so much is, yeah he's angry and he's gross, but there are a lot of angry kids out there who listen to what he says and agree with him.

I want to reach kids in the same way, but from the opposite side. I want to be able to talk about some of the things I go through—even as a Christian girl. There are things I deal with and struggle with that I'm able to put into words and then into music.

It starts with the hook, something that gets stuck in someone's head. Whereas, you might read a spiritual book, but not have the words of a passage running through your head all day. But that occurs with a song.

Another thing about music is it's easy to memorize. So it's important for me to write about my experiences in a way that leaves the listener with something to encourage or challenge them. That's why I branch out in my writing and don't just sing about spiritual things.

Tell me about your songwriting process.

Stacie: Some of them begin at a piano, and some of them begin with tracks. I'll usually write at the piano for ballads, and for more upbeat stuff I'll sit down with the producer or a programmer. Then I'll say, "Okay, let's try to lay down a beat like this," and then we work on it and play a bunch of sounds with it.

Which of your songs are you particularly proud of?

Stacie: On the new album, my favorite is, "I Won't Look Back." It's about how the decisions I'm making now are really important. Even though our moms and dads tell us about the importance of making good choices, we often think our decisions at a young age don't really matter—at least not until I'm married or in a good job or something.

I'll have to look back someday and see all of the decisions I've made and realize how they've affected me. I was really passionate about that one. I love to sing it and it was fun to record.

On the Christmas Wish album, "O Come All Ye Faithful" was also a lot of fun to record. I did that one with my producer Mookie. We've worked together on all of my projects. He's always been the one who totally gets me as an artist and what I want to do. He came up with this really laid-back urban track for that song, and it worked. Sometimes you hear someone try to make a traditional Christmas song contemporary or funky and it doesn't work. But Mookie made it work.

What are some special events you're looking forward to?

Stacie: Shooting my part in "American Dreams" [an NBC drama] was my first time acting—other than junior high musicals! I recorded a song called, "My Boyfriend's Back" for that episode. I'm the lead singer of The Angels in the show.

We're also doing a lot of magazine and television interviews for the new album. Then I'll be touring starting in either August or September. So, I'll be keeping pretty busy and I am looking forward to it all.

How did you react to MTV's interest in your "Stuck" video, which was one of its most requested videos on their TRL show?

Stacie: It's pretty cool. When you hear yourself on the radio or see yourself on TV, it's interesting to hear what people are saying about you. You know, MTV is all about the gossip and they're picking apart what you're wearing, how you look, and they want to compare you to everybody. It's interesting to hear what they come up with.

With TRL, it's really honoring that people are so into the video and the music. It only gets played when people vote for it. I know I have a lot of friends and existing fans that are voting for it, but there are also people who've never met me or heard my music before this, and they're voting for it too. It's humbling.

The first time I saw my video on MTV, they played a video before mine that showed two girls kissing. When I first started school, I remember the worst thing my Mom worried about was that I might hear a bad word. The world has totally changed since then. It's crazy. But I'm excited to be in that world. It might make me scared at times, and some people won't understand how I can stay strong in that world, but I'm ready for it.

How have you prepared yourself for opportunities to be a witness for Christ, especially as you becoming well-known in the mainstream?

Stacie: A lot of it has to do with my family and the people around me. They keep me accountable. Between the seven of them, somebody calls me each day to tell me they're thinking of and praying for me. They'll sometimes tell me to check out a Bible verse or they'll challenge me to work on something specific in my life that day. Other times I'll ask them to call me about something I'm working on that day or that week. Most people don't understand how blessed I really am to have this family. They're incredible.

Personally, I have to prepare my heart in a way that I can go into the next event or meeting with confidence. I've learned that if I go into a situation with fear, I often find myself backpedaling – wondering how I'll answer questions about my faith, or how I can be politically correct.

So, I go into every interview the same, whether I'm being interviewed by a Christian or a non-Christian. It helps to keep me consistent and honest in what I say and do. That applies to questions about God, relationships, sex, business, or whatever.

I have to constantly equip myself to be ready for whatever comes my way. I tell God I don't know what I'm doing, and I don't know what crazy question I'm going to be asked next – but God knows and he will prepare me. I'm confident that God brings me into each situation, and I'm just as confident he'll help me each time if I ask—and I do.

What else would you like to say to the ChristianityToday.com reader?

Stacie: I'm always asked, "Are you going secular?" "Are you still a virgin," "Are you abandoning your faith, your fans, the Christian market …" Some people assume that the day I signed with Virgin Records, I threw everything my life was based on out the window.

I want people to know that the experiences I've had over the last couple of years were the most amazing times of my life. I've had the opportunity to talk to teenage girls about their relationships, their families, and the issues they deal with. Those issues range from eating disorders to problems at home or with guys, to girls who just found out they're pregnant and don't know what to do. I've talked with girls who ran away from home and don't know if they should go back, and other girls who've talked about suicide.

It's sad to talk with girls who have no one to support them. I mean, when I need something or when I'm hurting, I can think of 10 people right now that I would trust to talk to and to receive good advice from. So many of these girls have no one to trust.

All that to say, I really appreciate the support that the Christian market has given me. I will continue and continue to thank them because they're like my family. And the more I spread out, the more I feel safe and at home in the Christian market. So many people have stuck by me and have been encouraging me and praying for me.

Want to read more about Stacie? Click here to read another in-depth interview with Stacie, courtesy of Forefront Records.

For more about Stacie, be sure to visit her artist page, where you will also find a review of her best-selling self-titled album. You can listen to song clips and purchase her music at Musicforce.com.

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