We’re always excited to catch up with some of our favourite artists! This time we were able to connect with the lovely Jamie Grace, all the way from California!
We’ve loved your music over the years Jame. Can we go back to the start and find out about your music journey?
My Dad is a Pastor so I grew up singing in church when I was really little. I’ve always enjoyed music and my Mum always sang in church too, so I loved sharing her thing. I always knew that had a passion for music and I loved seeing how songs could impact, change and move people. When I was 11 years old I was diagnosed with Tourette’s syndrome and that was a really difficult journey for health wise, and emotionally.
Knowing that I could bring joy to people as a little girl through music, and then more for myself as I got older, I found that joy, peace and comfort in music and songs about the Lord.
Music was definitely something in my heart from a young age since 12 or 13. That was when I realised that it was something more than just a hobby.
Can you explain to us a bit about what Tourette’s Syndrome is and the journey you went on with that?
The symptoms started when I was 9 years old, and Tourette’s is a neurological condition, which means that it’s a brain condition. It causes uncontrollable sounds or movements called ‘ticks’. So basically I can’t control ticks that I have – my arms or eyes might twitch.
Now at 26 is pretty manageable and I am able to live a pretty normal life, but I do have anxiety and OCD and ADHD, so sometimes those things come up on a day to day basis. So I am able to live a somewhat normal life now. But from ages 9 – 16 I was incredibly sick and severely depressed, and bullied a lot by kids from school and the neighbourhood. It was definitely more challenging growing up with Tourette’s Syndrome, and I think that’s why when I discovered music and Gods word in song, it really changed me.
You’ve got a new album called 91 – is that to represent the year you were born?
Yes! I am actually wearing a 91 shirt right now! Just a little shameless promotion!
So tell us about the journey behind this album. Is there a theme or can you tell us how it came about?
I usually write my albums and then I go around and tour, sing the songs and talk to people, then figure out what the theme is. Just being honest I think that the team is just whatever is in my brain today! I just wrote a bunch of songs and picked the ones that I felt like made the most sense and worked with a couple different producers.
As the album was wrapping up there were some 90’s throwback vibes on songs, and a lot of lyrical throwback that I grew up on as a 90’s kid. And so I really wanted to do some 90’s stuff with the photoshoot, wear my hair in all these braids and so all these things that 90’s kids did. My Mum is my manager and so she said that we should just call it 91, and just do it! It came out on 9/1 (September 1st) of 2017. It’s been cool to share that record and been awesome to have people supporting it!
Thanks for catching up with Rhema FM Newcastle Jamie! We are excited to see what the future holds for you! If you’d like to listen to the full interview, you can listen here at rhemacatchup.com.
