Hello internet fam! I am thrilled for you to e-meet one of the most talented people I have ever met! She is a vocal coach, worship leader, wife, mother, and all around incredible human being. I met her about 5 years ago when I lived in Colorado and started attending church at Denver United. I had joined the choir for our Christmas service and she was the choir director. She also had sung Oh Holy Night at our Christmas service and I was so captivated by her voice, that I knew I wanted to get to know her. I finally built up the courage to introduce myself to her and she is the epitome of someone who carries the joy of the Lord within her. She’s sweet, positive, encouraging and passionate about music. Without further ado, meet Sarah!
1. Let us know even more about how you started with singing and your background. Did you grow up singing? How did you get into singing?
I grew up in a very large musical family. My dad was a pastor of music at our church, and it provided such a natural place to grow and develop my musical gifts from a really early age. Actually, all of my seven siblings are musical as well, and most ended up majoring in music. There was never any pressure in my childhood to do anything I didn’t feel drawn to, but by being around it all the time and having so much opportunity – the passion clicked in early and never left!
2. Who were some artists that inspired you? Is there a particular song that you loved?
90s RnB was the first genre that awakened something new in me. I felt this genre in a deeper way, even though I was just a kid. Something about the way these singers would convey emotion and creativity through vocal runs, dynamics, and all these stylistic devices. It just seemed so passionate, and it resonated with me instantly. Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston were my two idols, and in the Christian world I was obsessed with Cici Winans and Jana Lang from Avalon. Anything with soul got my attention – that’s definitely still true today.
3. What made you want to become a worship leader?
I started leading worship in a middle school band, and I believe it’s both a calling and a set of skills that need to be developed. I can tell you those skills were not refined at all as a kid. I’m so grateful for the opportunities I’ve had to learn by doing.
That being said, I’ve always been moved by the pattern in scripture of worship going before all things. In the Bible, worship was the starting point. Before a decision was made, before a battle, in times of celebration. It is a proper response, no matter what you are facing in life. We need to meet with our Father, and I love that through worship His desire is to communicate His presence to us.
4. How did you come to know Christ and did that have an impact and how has that impacted the way you sing?
Because I grew up in the church, I came to know Christ at an early age – I want to say 4 or 5. I was asking my mom about the song Joy To The World. I was confused about what the line “let every heart prepare Him room” meant, and as my mom clarified it for me she led me to the Lord. My relationship with Him really began to grow through worship, as I began to understand what “preparing room in my heart” for Him truly meant. As I grew to know Him more, my passion for meeting with Him in worship grew as well.
I still love the side that is performing – that is a huge passion of mine, and I think that even serves a really important purpose from a Kingdom perspective. There are some beautiful songs that have gotten me through some hard times – and I love the chances I get to use my craft in that way. Performances can and should be really genuine and connecting.
But there is a such a beautiful shift that happens in worship – where the focus is on magnifying God. You’re building a space for people to meet with their Father, and you just get out of the way. It’s so amazing to hear God’s voice leading you as you lead His people. Maybe it’s towards a moment of celebration, or a time of quiet reflection. Being part of what He’s doing in worship is mind blowing and humbling.
5. What are some challenges you’ve faced being a singer and songwriter?
I think creative roadblocks can be really frustrating, or living with so much chaos and busyness that there isn’t any bandwidth left for creativity and growth. Recently, one of my dear friends who is also our creative director at our church has been breaking down the biblical implications of creativity and it’s been blowing my mind. I think I buy into the idea that creative pursuits should be the first to go when my plate gets too full, because it’s just not a must-do. It feels like it’s not practical. But it’s so important for all of us to understand that creating is something we are literally designed to do, and we should. It’s completely life-giving and worthwhile, and it’s okay to make time for it. I’m totally talking to myself, here! Maybe there is something within you that God has really special plans for – He just needs you to step out in faith.
6. How do emotions and scripture help to convey the message and the way you sing?
I love the implications of this question, especially in worship settings because worship involves both of these elements. There are some schools of thought that think emotions aren’t to be trusted in worship – that they are manufactured and distracting. On the other side of the coin, there can be a tendency to seek an experience above all else. The you run the risk of losing your foundation when you aren’t grounded in that truth. I’ve been in both environments here or there, and I’m so convinced you need both. You always start with the truth of God’s word. It’s a heritage that belongs to all of us – no matter your status, race, age, gender, or anything else the distinguishes us. And we know it isn’t a stale, dusty old book – it’s the living and active word of God. The more we internalize truth, the more it is illuminated in our hearts and lives – and worship involves an emotional response to this truth as we pour out our hearts to Him!
7. Do you have any advice for beginner singers? And advice for advanced singers?
My advice for beginner singers is to dive in and do it all the time. There are a lot of muscles involved in producing sound, and you can increase their strength just like you would any other muscle! The only word of caution I have is to avoid strain, especially on the higher end of your range. You’ll know when it’s happening, because you can see it or feel it.
If you’re an advanced singer, my advice to you is to not turn down any opportunity. I had been guilty of this, and used a bunch of excuses to not do what I absolutely loved. It’s important to step into the opportunities you were gifted to step into, even if you feel afraid of it! Give yourself a year of saying “yes” to all that you have the availability to say “yes” to, and see what happens!
8. You are also a vocal coach! How did you get into that?
Singing is my greatest passion, and enneagram 2 over here – I love helping other people discover that passion inside of themselves. A lot of people know they love to sing, but they just need someone to connect some dots between emotion and technique. When you use my vibrato in a certain way, it communicates something. Or when you do a run or riff with intention, it can really move your listener. When a student is able to express themselves through this art form, it warms my heart!
9. How do you juggle being a mom, wife, worship leader and vocal coach? Tips for us?
Balance is so tricky! My family is definitely in a crazy season because now our children also have full schedules. We try to make decisions based on our big picture values and priorities, rather than knee-jerk reactions to opportunities. Figuring out what you want your life to look like, and what’s most important to you can really help you see your schedule in a different way. It’s allowed me to say “no” to some really worthwhile things, but it’s also compelled me to start saying “yes” to some things I know I should be stepping into.”
10. How do you spend time with God? In addition to reading your bible and praying?
A few years ago, my pastor’s wife shared an app called She Reads Truth and Ive really been enjoying their studies! I use both their app, but I’ve also purchased some of their hard copy studies because they’re just so beautiful. It’s so simple – just the word of God. But I also love the artwork they incorporate, sometimes even maps, recipes, songs and poems – and if you’re right-brained at all, these forms of expression really come alongside scripture and illuminate it.
I’m also into the subject of neuroscience right now – which is the idea that we can train our brain to follow positive thought patterns. This is totally a biblical concept. My favorite book on this subject is called Switch On Your Brain by Dr. Caroline Leaf. She’s a believer, but also a pioneer on this subject. Her perspective is amazing.
11. Tell us a bit more about your course!
This course is a comprehensive study. It’s for anyone who loves singing. Beginners will feel right at home here, because we cover everything foundational! If you’ve been singing for awhile, it’s also for you because we go deep and wide into the entire subject. We start will how sound is produced – even touching on vocal anatomy a little bit, then by the end of the class you’ll be focusing on stylistic devices and techniques to put the final touches on your sound. It’s a great resource, and it’s a lot of info packed into it!
Well wonderful folks, there you have it! My interview with Sarah from Sarah’s Vocal Instruction. If you’d like to learn more about Sarah and her vocal course, please see the links below!
Instagram: @sarahsvocalinstruction
Sarah’s vocal curriculum
