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10 Questions with ... 1GN
May 9, 2016
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BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:
Members:
- Lauryn Taylor Bach
- Kayli Robinson
- Carmen Justice Hadley
Discography:
- 2013 1 Girl Nation
- 2016 Unite
1. Brief history, synopsis....birthplace, childhood, schools, jobs, current hometown
LAURYN - I was born in Birmingham, AL and still live here! I'm blessed to be only 2.5 hours away from Nashville where 1GN is based. I'm a family girl, and want to be as close to home as possible. I graduated from Vestavia Hills High School. Go Rebels! The main job I've always had since I was at least 12 is babysitting. I'm the oldest of four kids, so it comes naturally and to this day I still babysit. I'm more of a glorified babysitter (sometimes I call it nannying), but I iron, help with school projects or homework, organize closets, really anything needed. I honestly love it and can tell it's definitely preparing me for when I am a mom myself one day.
KAYLI - I was born in the Philippines. My father was in the Air Force for over twenty years so I literally lived all over the world. I moved from the Philippines when I was three years old, and from there I lived in Hawaii, Italy, Germany, Florida and I went to Dallas, Texas where I graduated from Bible College. Currently I live in Nashville. I attended the American schools on every Air Force base we were stationed at, however once my Father retired I attended a Christian private school in Central Florida from seventh grade to my senior year. My dad just so happened to be the Headmaster of the school, too. That made things interesting. It actually was not bad at all. It was kind of cool having my dad at school. My father is an incredibly brilliant man and his love for the Lord has made me the woman I am today. He is a good man, strong leader, and has served Jesus fervently for most of his life. As far as jobs, I worked retail a little bit after high school. I love fashion, so I guess you could say it's another passion of mine. My family is still in Central Florida and I try to visit them as much as possible.
CARMEN - I was born and raised in Hendersonville, TN. I grew up dancing and singing whenever I got the chance. In 2006 I was on ESPN with my dance team at Hendersonville High School for winning the national championship at the UDA Nationals in Orlando. I actually quit that dance team my junior year of high school to pursue singing and I really wanted to attend Belmont University to major in music. Through a lot of perseverance, I was accepted into Belmont and my time there was so fruitful. I started to pursue a solo career through my years in college and tried to immerse myself in the Nashville music culture while also leading worship at my church. It was the summer after my junior year that I auditioned for a Christian girl pop group which would later be named "1 Girl Nation." I've learned that nothing happens on accident. I can see God's hand all over my story when I see how carefully orchestrated each step of the way was for me. As far as work goes, I've had a job since I was 15 years old. I've worked at Shane's Rib Shack, Smoothie King, Starbucks, Express, and Sopapillas Mexican restaurant. I've learned so much by working in the service industry about people and have had some really cool experiences where I've gotten to share my faith with people while also serving some chips and salsa;). My latest part-time job was at a non-profit in Nashville called The Well Coffeehouse where all the proceeds go towards building water wells in countries where they don't have clean water. I love how 1GN and working at the Well Coffeehouse go hand in hand with ministry. I currently live in Nashville with my husband Matt who also works in the Christian music industry.
2. What does a normal day at home look like for you?
LAURYN - A normal day at home when I'm off work, I wake up around 9am, get breakfast--I have to eat breakfast pretty quickly or I start feeling sick. Usually eggs of some sort, but today I ate a cinnamon Poptart. After breakfast, I like to do my quiet time and write in my journal. The girls will tell you my memory isn't the best, so I like to keep a journal. From there, it changes. If it's pretty outside, I love to hike or get some sun. If it's a gloomy day, I love to watch movies-happy ones; not a fan of sad or scary. I love spending time with my family and friends or my boyfriend. For dinner, I love to cook. Right now, my go-to is stir-fry. Definitely on a stir-fry kick, but I like to mix it up and use quinoa so I at least feel like I'm eating healthy (don't mind all the soy sauce and yum yum sauce). I cut up different veggies, whatever I have in the fridge, and add it in. Rotisserie chicken is my cooking secret. I use it in everything. It's already cooked to perfection and ready to go! After dinner I like to get in my jammies (fav outfit of the day) and fuzzy socks (also a fav) and wash my face (not my fav) and brush my teeth and just chill with my family until bedtime.
KAYLI - A normal day in my life at this point is definitely always having my phone on me. Everything and every detail of any engagement I am apart of is listed in my phone. We have a group calendar with my band mates and management team and we are always in contact daily about updates on shows, interviews, filming, etc. Cooking is new for me! I am trying to be better about that! I love keeping up with the latest fashion trends so I love to watch fashion bloggers on social media too.
CARMEN - Most days I get up super early, then go work out or run (I'm a huge believer in fitness!), do a lot of work/rehearsals/phone calls for 1GN and then hang out with friends and my husband at night. If it's nice outside I love going hiking, hanging out by the pool, or drinking an iced coffee while hanging out with friends.
3. What's the song that you just can't get out of your head right now (from another artist or band)? Why do you like it so much?
LAURYN - Our album just came out so I've been listening to it a lot, trying to listen with a fresh ear so I can kinda feel what you guys do when you hear it for the first time! Other than that, I would say Lauren Daigle's "Trust In You." It's been my anthem throughout this season of life.
KAYLI - There is a fairly new song by Capital Kings called, "Live For The Drop," and I crank this song in my car so loud it's a bit ridiculous. I love the production, the lyrics, and everything! It's a good listen and so current sounding with a positive message. It's just fun!
CARMEN - I seriously love Hollyn's song, "Alone." There are some days when I literally can't get it out of my head.
4. How much do you travel, what are the challenges? How do you juggle life on the road with wanting to be home?
LAURYN - Normally we travel a lot with 1GN. The biggest challenge is missing family back home. FaceTime is the best invention, but it's still not the same as being in the same room. It's hard, but when you know you're in the Lord's will and you're doing what He has called you to, there is a peace, and He equips you to be able to handle it! I'm really looking forward to getting back on the road soon and meeting new fans! The only part I'm not looking forward to is living out of a suitcase. A girl needs her options (and clean options)!
KAYLI - Since we have toured a lot I know the challenges of being away from loved ones and not staying in your bed that you are used to every night. You just have to learn to roll with the punches on the road. It makes or breaks you. I actually do really love to be on the road, but I think that's a quality an artist should have. It just makes touring a lot easier if you embrace it for what it is and enjoy it. It's an awesome part of the after life of a record releasing. When we're on the road we see and hear fans singing our lyrics and we get to love on them and just have a great time. It's amazing. I think every artist finds a rhythm that works for him or her while touring. For me, I have to have an hour or two by myself every day. So I tend to always take the opportunity to go to a hotel before a show; make calls to friends and family, watch TV, be alone with God, be alone with my thoughts and essentially mentally and spiritually prepare for the night. I like being on the road; for me it's a reminder that I am living my dream. It's hard work but I love it.
CARMEN - Traveling and touring is so much fun but definitely comes with its challenges. Being away from my husband and family and friends is super hard, especially when you miss things like weddings, funerals, and birthdays. I think the only thing that keeps my head on straight is the reminder that God has vividly called us to do this ministry and that it is worth the sacrifice of leaving home to tell more and more people about Jesus.
5. What Artist or Pastor has had the greatest impact on you, and why?
LAURYN - Pastor Chris Hodges from Church of the Highlands for sure. He is my pastor at my home church here in Birmingham. His teachings are so relevant and applicable. I love how he doesn't just tell you what is right, but he tells you how to do it in easy steps! He calls himself a tour guide leading us to our next step in our faith. Love him. Lots of the songs I write come from his messages!
KAYLI - My youth pastor growing up held huge influence on me besides my parents. He poured into me and really fostered a passion for me to lead people in worship and into the presence of God. So I began leading worship when I was fourteen. He and his wife always made the entire youth group feel loved and valued. They showed Christ's love through their life and through sharing God's truth every week. My youth pastor gave me the confidence to use the singing ability God blessed me with for His glory. I'll be forever grateful for this.
CARMEN - My mentor, Beth Barcus, at a ministry and counseling center in Nashville called Porter's Call has been the greatest influence in my life. She has counseled me during some rough seasons of my life for the past 3 years and also did Matt's and my marriage counseling. I can't imagine what I'd do or where I'd be if I didn't have her speaking wisdom into my life and praying for me. I always call her my personal pastor who preaches into my specific situations I'm going through.
6. What's the last book you read?
LAURYN - Sadly, I'm more of a movie watcher than a reader. I hate it, but whenever I try to read, I start to fall asleep! I blame it on my mom for reading us to sleep at night when we were younger. But, I do read the Bible daily and it impacts me in every aspect of life!
KAYLI - "Empty Promises," by Pastor Pete Wilson. The book has a very real and approachable way of communicating that we are all guilty at some points in our lives of believing this world's empty promises. And the author shares a lot of personal instances in his life that help teach his valuable life lessons so his readers can hopefully benefit from what he has learned about God and his value. We are all deceived about what is important on this earth from a young age actually and those distractions and lies from the enemy never really go away. If we stay grounded in Christ's word we can make it!
CARMEN - I recently have re-read "The Case for Christ" by Lee Strobel. I read this book in college and it literally brought me back to having a way more real relationship with God. I'm the type of person who questions everything and this book goes into detail proving that Jesus was real, walked this earth, is the Son of God, and the resurrection actually happened. It is a life-changing book for me, and I'd recommend highly that everyone read it at least once in their lifetime.
7. Funniest or most embarrassing moment on the road?
LAURYN - The first one that comes to mind (there are many) is one night after a show we were on the bus, Carmen had just taken a shower and gotten all clean and ready for bed. She sat down on the couch in the front lounge ready to chill as Lindsey walks buy opening a fresh water bottle, when BAM! Our bus driver hits a bump and Lindsey goes falling into Carmen and the water bottle and all and soaks Carmen!! Of course I pull out my phone and video it and Carmen is laughing and crying at the same time. She was so mad but dying laughing because it was hilarious!
KAYLI - There are so many embarrassing situations that happen on the road. I can be a character! I'll say one of the funniest things I have done while touring happened at an outdoor festival. With me being pretty girly, I don't really care for being outside and all dressed up. I love sports so if I'm dressed for the occasion I am totally down to be outside in what I call, "the wilderness." So one day at an outdoor festival we were playing, we have an hour to go grab food so we were walking around for a bit, grabbed lunch, but next thing you know I need to use the restroom, so my manager gets me in a golf cart and pulls me right up to a porta-potty. Keep in mind I am pretty girly, so I was already pretty skeptical using this porta-potty so I walk up to the porta-potty, open the door and immediately scream so loud, and bolt out of the there faster than lightning! My band mates and manager were hysterically laughing. What I smelt and saw was a horrible thing. But I guess that's a funny story from on the road.
CARMEN - Haha! There are way too many! One of my most embarrassing moments was a show we did at a water park festival. The sound system had been giving us problems all day and when it came time for the show, it hadn't gotten any better. We got through the first few songs pretty roughly so we all decided to take a break in our set to give the sound guy time to fix the problem. I thought I had a "great idea" to tell jokes and get the crowd involved and loosened up. Let me tell you--it was a horrible idea. My jokes were not funny and it ended up embarrassing all the other girls. We always refer to this show as the show where Carmen thought it was a good idea to tell jokes.
8. Take us through a couple songs on your latest project. What's the title of the CD, the "story behind the song," how is it impacting audiences, etc.
LAURYN - My favorite song is "Guard Your Heart." It was written from my journal and from my life experience. And it's really the heart and soul of our message. It's based on Proverbs 4:23-27 which encourages us to keep ourselves away from perverse and corrupt things, and to walk carefully on God's path for us, which is not always easy. In the world of social media today, we are hit with so many things that keep us from what God has in mind for us. This song combats those negative messages and encourages us to guard our hearts.
KAYLI - The latest record is a very special album to us. When we wrote these songs for our listeners, we actually realized that these songs ministered so much to us. They helped us see God in our stories. I love the song, "Impossible." It is such an easy-listening true pop song that talks all about how WITH GOD, anything can happen. He can surpass our biggest, wildest dreams. We as a band have seen God do the impossible in our lives so this song means a lot to me. My other favorite song on the record is, "Haters." It's just a good beat. I love the production on the track. The concept is so relevant for what this world is faced with as far as being bullied, or feeling the world's pressures to live up to certain expectations, or maybe just people hating on who you are because you're little different than them. It takes the step farther to say, "haters are going to hate, but let's love them anyway."
CARMEN - My favorite song off the new album (Unite) is "Cinema." When we went to write it, I had tons of ideas that related life to a movie. I was reflecting on my life at the time and realizing that I needed to be more conscious about what my life was pointing to. Is my life pointing to God or to myself? This song is such fun to dance to, but the message is so important and is a great reminder that our life is like a movie and God is our director.
9. What organization/service group are you affiliated with?
LAURYN - 1GN is looking for a strong anti-bullying organization to partner with because we feel like it's such an important message. One of our big messages is about stopping bullying, which is a huge problem especially since social media is such a part of our daily lives. One of our songs, "Haters," specifically talks about overcoming hate with love, and even loving the haters themselves, which is what Jesus encouraged us to do.
KAYLI - In the past, we have partnered with Holt International and Food for the Hungry. Both are exceptional organizations and are both very near and dear to my heart because I was adopted from the Philippines when I was only hours old. Any chance I can help a child in need get what they need I feel I am doing what I am meant to do. So I speak in our shows quite often about the children over seas who need some finances to help get them clean water, books for school, food for them and their families and even partnering families with children to be adopted. It is such a beautiful thing every night to talk to crowds of people and potentially help change a life somewhere across the world.
CARMEN - We are super passionate about the adoption process since Kayli has such an incredible story about how she was adopted from the Philippines. So we are always looking for opportunities to speak up for babies needing to be adopted and stand behind organizations that are helping families adopt!
10. Person you'd most like to have a discussion with, living or dead.....Deities are excused from this question
LAURYN - The prophet Elisha, because he dreamed big and asked God for big things. And God showed up big. Because of his faith, he performed huge miracles, second only in number to Jesus Himself.
KAYLI - I know this may sound so weird but I have always wanted to meet and talk to Dolly Parton. This woman has been in the music industry for decades. She has written thousands of songs. Most importantly she has written what has been deemed the most famous love song of all time which is what I listened to as a kid growing up, "I Will Always Love You." I think she is brilliant businesswoman, insanely talented songwriter/singer, and a faithful wife who is still married to the same man for all these years. Who knows? Since I live in Nashville maybe one of these days I'll bump into her!
CARMEN - I would love to have a conversation with Paul and Timothy from the Bible. Since I've currently been reading through the New Testament I feel like there are so many details and stories about their ministry that would be so cool to know. I'm sure they were under so much pressure from people who didn't want them preaching the Gospel and I would love to know what day-to-day life was like for them.
Bonus Questions
1. Favorite Bible Verse....life verse. Why?
LAURYN - Psalms 37:4, "Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desire of your heart." This was my mom's life verse she passed down to me. It's a constant reminder to seek His will first, and when you do, His desires become your desires.
CARMEN - I love Ephesians 2:10 (our song "No Filter" was inspired by this verse). Having dealt with a lot of back problems and insecurities that came from that, I love hearing that I was created a "masterpiece" by God. Most times "flaws" we see are actually intentional things that God has placed in our lives to give Him glory. Ever since I really understood this verse, I've been able to encourage so many other people who have skeletal problems and help them know that God loves them and created them for a purpose.
2. How & When did you become a believer?
LAURYN - I was four years old on my pink bedspread with my mom. People say I was too young to really understand but I totally disagree! I was so on fire for God that I wanted to tell the lady at the fast food drive thru about Jesus! I believe God grabbed my heart at such a young age and kept me pure so I can now talk to young girls and tell them how worth it it is to follow Him now.
CARMEN - I became a believer and was baptized the first Sunday in the new millennium when I was 8 years old and have been a believer ever since. However, I really think that in high school was when I really finally understood the concept of having a personal relationship with God.
3. What's the biggest "God moment" you've ever experienced? Personally or professionally, when has God shown up in a powerful way?
LAURYN - I would say just being part of 1GN and the way God has continued to walk with us and bless what we're doing, even through group member changes, getting this new record finished, etc.- with God nothing is impossible!
CARMEN - As cheesy as it may sound, the biggest God moment of my life so far was meeting my husband. I had been single for a while and, to be honest, was longing so badly to have a boyfriend. I think a lot of this came from seeing my friends having boyfriends or getting married and social media being false advertising telling me that I needed to have a guy in my life to make me happy. It wasn't until I completely let go of all of that that I met Matt. When we first met at a concert, I literally just knew that it was God orchestrating it all. We have seen God all over our story and it is crazy the timing of it all. I always encourage other girls to not be impatient and that God will show up in huge ways when you can be completely fine sitting in a room by yourself with God alone.
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