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Christian singer/songwriter Nicole C. Mullen has been several places no African American's ever been before. After winning the 2001 Song of the Year Dove Award for her sweeping ballad of faith, "Redeemer"—making her the first African American to win in that prestigious category—Nicole's been invited to sing at several churches across the u.s. that have never before invited a black performer. And because of her song's popularity, Nicole's music—an eclectic blend of pop, funk, black gospel, hillbilly, and urban sounds she refers to as "funkabilly"—has been played often on many Christian radio stations where African-American artists rarely receive much airplay.
Nicole uses these newly opened doors to lovingly address sensitive racial issues. "I feel called to be a bridge builder—to help others celebrate our differences and our sameness," says Nicole, who's also toured as a backup singer and choreographer for Michael W. Smith, Amy Grant, and the Newsboys; was the vocalist for the popular VeggieTales' "Larry-Boy Theme Song"; and sings "I See You in His Eyes," the first song released from Let's Roll, the benefit album sponsored by the Todd M. Beamer Foundation. "'Redeemer' opens the door for me to sing other songs about racial unity, for which God's given me a passion," says Nicole.
But issues of racial unity aren't just close to Nicole's heart, they're close to her home. Her husband of eight years, David, is white; their seven-year-old biological daughter, Jasmine, is biracial; their four-year-old adopted son, Maxwell, is full-blooded African American, just like Mom. One of Nicole's favorite songs to perform in concert, "Black, White, Tan," celebrates the rich hues of those she loves best. Another song, "Black Light"—from her latest album, Grammy-nominated Talk About It (Word)—was inspired by her visit to the Civil Rights Museum in Birmingham, Alabama. "I'd always taken for granted that we African Americans were alone during Civil Rights marches. I was surprised to see photographs of white Americans who marched alongside us. I thought, I have to write about this part of the story, too." Near the end of her song, Nicole calls for Christians of all colors to come together and be a light to a dark world.
When Nicole's not building bridges across racial divides, she's building bridges to future generations as the unofficial big sister to a group of girls ages eight and up who serve as her backup dancers, protégées, shopping buddies, and friends. Off-stage at the Franklin, Tennessee, studio Nicole shares with her husband, David, a fellow musician and respected producer, these girls talk to Nicole about everything under the sun—including boys. It's this particular topic that gives Nicole the chance to share her own hard-earned lessons. "I want to spare these girls the mistakes I made," she says, "and to invest in their lives the way others did in mine when I was growing up." It's that conviction that also leads the Mullens to work at Kids Across America, a camp for inner-city children, every summer.
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