“The true beauty of music is that it connects people. It carries a message,
and we, the musicians, are the messengers.” – Roy Ayers
Stephanie Owens is one of those messengers. Born with the desire to perform, Owens faced her own issues of body image in her teens and knew that through her music she could bring such universal matters to light, help others battling their own demons and let them know they’ll be ok. Her current single “Little Girl In the Mirror” – and second from her self-titled debut EP released in May – carries that message to her audience.
We caught up with Stephanie to get to know the singer-songwriter and her music, and to discuss her very important message.
CN: For our readers who may not be familiar with you, can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
SO: Hi Everyone! I moved to Nashville from my hometown of Lynchburg, Virginia just shy of five years ago to pursue a career in country music. I always knew that I wanted to be a singer. When I was a little girl, I used to run around the house using a turkey baster as a microphone haha! Both of my parents are career musicians, so performing was always in my genes I guess. After graduating from college with a music degree, I moved to Nashville and dove into co-writing. This past May, I released my debut self-titled EP!
CN: You have been surrounded by music since your childhood, and landed your first professional recording at seven years old. Can you talk about what it was like to be in that situation at such a young age and how that was the spark to follow a path into a music career?
SO: When I found out that I was selected to sing on that recording, all I can remember is how excited I was that my singing dreams were already starting to come true! Even at a young age, I felt right at home recording vocals in the studio. I knew then and there that I could get used to that!
CN: Around that time is also when you started writing songs. Do you remember the first song you wrote?
SO: I do – sort of haha! I don’t remember if this was the first song I ever wrote, but the one I remember pretty vividly was titled, “King of Heaven”. It was a little praise and worship song. My parents were both church musicians, so I was constantly surrounded by that type of music. There were several other praise and worship songs that I wrote, but that is the one I remember being the first that I completed.
CN: Which musicians, country or not, have influenced you both personally and as an artist?
SO: While this may sound cliché, my parents really have influenced me the most. Having their encouragement, insight, and support in growing as a musician and artist has really made all the difference over the years! When I was young, I mostly listened to Christian (CCM) music. Natalie Grant and Nicole Nordeman were a couple of my favorites. Natalie has such a powerful voice and sings with such emotion, and I love Nicole’s tone. Then, when I was in sixth grade, a friend gave me Martina McBride’s Greatest Hits album, and it forever changed my life! This was the first country album that I owned, and I had actually never really listened to country music before then. I loved the raw vulnerability of the lyrics, and Martina’s song, “Concrete Angel”, really made me want to be a country singer. When Carrie Underwood was on American Idol, I also started following her. She is a powerhouse and a stellar performer!
CN: In addition to music, you also have acting on your resume, making your film debut in 2014’s “Finding Faith” with the Erik Estrada (C.H.I.P.S.!). You also have a song featured on the soundtrack. What was that experience like?
SO: I was very involved in theatre growing up, but that was my first time acting in front of the camera. During the whole process, I learned so much and had a blast. Working with Erik was definitely a blessing. The experience as a whole prepared me for Nashville in the sense that the camera training helped me when it came time to film my music video and various interviews. Also, having my song selected to be in the film really gave me confidence as a songwriter and singer.
CN: Circling back to songwriting, you recently released your self-titled debut EP which is very personal as you co-wrote each track. How did the process flow regarding writing each of the songs?
SO: Co-writing all of the songs on my EP was a very special process for me. I wanted my debut music to really be true to who I am vocally and to reveal what I’m passionate about. During the writing process, I tend to be quite picky. I don’t like settling on a lyric or melody that doesn’t quite fit. With these five EP songs in particular, I knew there was something special about them when they were finished. I owe a lot of thanks to my co-writers for helping me communicate exactly what I wanted in each song!
CN: In theory you worked on this EP since you moved from Virginia to Nashville in 2013. When did you know you had the right songs for the EP? How did everything come together?
SO: When I first moved to town, co-writing was a new thing to me. People say that co-writing is a lot like dating because you have to find the people that you can connect with personally in order to create great songs. Writing by myself was such a different process because it is easy for me to get stuck in my own head haha. Once I found several writers that I really liked, I feel like we got a good vibe going. When it came time to pick songs for the EP, there were around seven or eight that stood out as the best songs in general. The five we selected to record and release then became obvious because I wanted to make sure each of the songs honestly represented little different parts of me.
CN: What was it like to work with Grammy-nominated producer Brad Hill?
SO: Brad is awesome. He is an incredibly talented producer and all-around great guy. From the beginning stages, he took the time to really understand the vision for my music and what I am about as a person and an artist. I appreciated and still appreciate that so much, because I know that helped the project become something that represents me so well. During the pre-programming and tracking stages, I was really impressed with Brad’s creativity and musical instincts. He could hear in his head what we needed instrumentally to “make” each track. I feel like all those extra sounds – guitar licks, pads, etc. – took the project to another level. Then, when it was time to record vocals, Brad did an incredible job of coaching me. We kept working until we knew we had the right emotion and sound in all of the phrases.
CN: One track in particular, “Little Girl In the Mirror,” which is also your second single, is so personal and so powerful. You are talking to your teenage self who battled body image issues and an eating disorder. Can you talk about how important it is to you to use your music to help raise awareness on such a critical subject and to also let young girls out there know that they aren’t alone?
SO: I have always wanted to be an entertainer, but, after battling my eating disorder, I knew I was given my story for a reason. Being an artist is so much more to me than singing songs and putting on a good show. While I would love to have a huge fan base, I want my music to make a real impact at the end of the day. If my music is speaking hope and encouragement into people’s lives, that is success to me. Eating disorders and body image struggles are so common today, especially because of social media and the way it causes us to compare ourselves and focus on external qualities. But I feel like our culture in general does not like to talk about “problems”. I don’t believe that anyone should be ashamed to talk about struggles because we are all human, and pain is real. Learning where to put your identity and developing a positive body image can truly transform your life. I hope that, through my song, I can encourage those struggling to seek help and help them know that healing is possible.
CN: You also released a beautiful music video for “Little Girl In The Mirror.” The image of you looking in a mirror at a younger version of yourself is so moving and very relatable. Who thought of the concept of the video?
SO: Thank you for your encouragement. I wanted to have some sort of reflection thing going with a mirror, but I was not sure how to really bring that to life. When I was researching to find a videographer, I ran across Logen Christopher, founder of Stormlight Pictures. After initially talking with him about the emotions I wanted to communicate through the video and letting him know that I wanted to do something with reflections, he came up with the treatment and storyboard. I think he is a genius!
CN: At this point early on in your career, have you had a “WOW” moment that you can’t believe has happened? Is there a moment or possibly an award, that you are setting your sights on achieving?
SO: Honestly, seeing my EP and music video come to life was a “wow” moment since it has always been a dream to write and record original music. This October 13th, I am really thankful to be making my national television debut on The Huckabee Show, where I will be performing “Little Girl in the Mirror” and talking about my story. I am very excited about that! I think every phase of this journey has some really special moments; some moments seem more “wow” than others haha, but I am seeing that they all add up to make a beautiful picture. Performing on the Grand Ole Opry and one day becoming a member has always been on my bucket list. It would of course be an incredible honor to win any awards, but I feel like performing on the Opry has such history and meaning, so I am really looking forward to that day!
CN: If you could describe yourself in one word, what would it be and why?
SO: I would describe myself by the word passionate. My personality tends to be very intentional, and I am also a pretty emotional person. I always strive to do everything whole-heartedly and with excellence, whether that means pursuing relationships, chasing dreams to the best of my capabilities, or making purposeful decisions. I have learned the hard way that perfection is not achievable, but I want to do all I can to use my God-given gifts to reach my fullest potential.
CN: What’s next on the horizon?
SO: I am very excited to start performing more with a full band. The stage has always been my sweet spot and where I feel most at home, so I am actively looking to book gigs and get on the road! I can’t wait for what’s ahead!
For more information on Stephanie Owens, visit her website www.stephowensmusic.com, follow her on Facebook. Twitter and Spotify.