Onepence Still the Richer
Two years ago, one of Christian music's best bands, Sixpence None the Richer, broke up. Frontwoman Leigh Nash still laments the loss, but she's found her feet as a solo artist—with an album due this summer.
by Mark Moring | posted 5/30/2006
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Leigh Nash recently asked her blog readers to suggest titles for her upcoming solo debut. One fan's idea—Onepence Still the Richer—seemed an appropriate summary of Nash's last two years. Now a solo artist—that's the "onepence" part—Nash wondered how things would turn out after her band, Sixpence None the Richer, broke up in 2004. She still laments that loss, but she's found new wings by flying solo—starting her own label (One Son Records), writing her own music, and now, releasing her own album, Blue on Blue, due August 15. Add to that a strong marriage and the joys of motherhood (she and husband Mark, PFR's drummer, have a 2-year-old, Henry), and Leigh Nash is one happy person—that's the "richer" part. All of that in the wake of a difficult season in which Sixpence's old label, Squint Entertainment, fell apart, leaving the band in a lurch and delaying their next album, Divine Discontent, for two "horrible" years, as Nash says. By the time Discontent released in late '02 (Warner/Reprise) with little fanfare, Sixpence was essentially done. "[The situation] was just bad," Nash told Relevant magazine recently. "People were unhappy." And that's the "still" part of the fan's suggested title—despite those painful memories, Nash is still content. In our recent conversation, we skipped those difficult topics and focused on what's happening today—going solo, the new album, her family … and how she really feels about Christian music.
I'd like to start by saying that I'm not going to ask a bunch of questions about Squint, record labels, contracts, and stuff.
Leigh Nash Thank you! Oh, that's like a Christmas gift!
You've talked about that painful time, and how it still hurts to think about it. But these days are good times for you—a happy family, the joys of motherhood, and now a solo album. And yet, the title of your new album sounds like a downer: Blue on Blue. So, Leigh, where are you really?
Nash (Laughing) Well, I think maybe the album title is somewhere in between. I definitely would not say that I'm sad; I am extremely happy right now. I can't believe how great this situation is, having my own label—not having a contract, owning my own masters, no publishing deal. I just feel like I'm more in control of the business aspect than I ever have been before. And I'm really blessed that the folks at Nettwerk are looking out for me. There's all this newness with that, and of course motherhood.
So there's all this great stuff, but then I think with my history, with the success of Sixpence, I just have some doubt—you know, not exactly being sure. I'm a pretty anxious person. I guess all this newness has made way for new anxiety as well. Like, what's going to happen?
Going solo after Sixpence can't be easy. Do you miss it?
Nash I don't think I have regret over Sixpence, but I still mourn a little bit, 'cause that was such a huge part of my life. So if there was any area of sadness, that would be it—and wondering about our breakup, Was that what we were supposed to do? Over 13 years, people kept telling us—and I believed it—that God put Matt [Slocum, founder of Sixpence,] and I together for a reason. So now I'm thinking, Well, was that reason fulfilled? Are we supposed to still be together? I probably shouldn't have just said all that (laughs). But that's the way I feel.
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