V180
V180

Living through the pandemic has been a whirlwind for most of us. But it’s been particularly difficult for Christian musicians like Holly Halliwell. Just months before Covid hit, Holly and her husband had the opportunity to work with a Grammy award-winning producer. And despite the challenges, they managed to launch her debut EP, Kickstarter.
Holly says that she is grateful for the extra time at home because she was able to focus more on songwriting and producing. She has seen the Lord’s faithfulness throughout the whole experience. She even set herself the audacious goal of writing a hundred songs in a year!

“I learned and grew so much,” says Holly. “There were songs that I was so enthusiastic about, and I would give them to my husband who is also my producer. We were working together and getting more excited about the songs as we finished them.”

Holly’s worship song, ‘Before Me’, is actually about the Lord going before us in all things. She says it was a song that people needed to hear at the height of the pandemic. Everything that was happening might have caught us off guard, but it was not new to the Lord. We just have to follow Him and be faithful.

It’s in those really hard seasons that some of the most beautiful lyrics come out

Holly says she doesn’t know how she would have survived the lockdowns without music. She felt led by the Lord to write a hundred songs in 2020, and that kept her focused and driven.

“I will say that it really tests you. I kept asking myself is this what I really want to do? I sat at my keyboard and poured out songs of what we were going through. It’s in those really hard seasons that some of the most beautiful lyrics come out.”

Holly had to commit to the opportunity to produce her EP, before Kickstarter could be recorded. “We took a leap there. We felt that God was calling us to do this, and we had to trust that He’d provide. He wants us to leave the boat first, and then He’ll support us.”

It was challenging for Holly and her husband to narrow down the songs for the EP. But they chose ones that they hope speak to what people are going through and will minister to them. One such song is ‘Brand New.’
“It’s 2 Corinthians 5 that talks about the old is gone, and the new has come. That is actually the new self in Christ,” says Holly. “I was really thinking about that and how we do have to take steps into that newness and freedom. We have to be diligent in remaining close to Him. I wanted the song to help people step into that.”

Holly believes we can very easily overcomplicate our relationship with the Lord, and that can leak into the way that we love people. One way she and her husband guard against this is to make the distinction between work and home life. It’s important to have those boundaries in place.

“I remember vividly praying to the Lord for someone who could team up with me and be part of what I feel He’s called me to do,” says Holly. “And He very clearly answered my prayer in ways I couldn’t even imagine.”

Though it can be difficult to press on, Holly encourages young songwriters to keep at it. She believes that prioritizing quiet time, and sitting with the Lord every day to pray is so important.

“Become so captivated by God and His love for you, that fear and worry have to walk out the door,” she says. “They have no place at all in the presence of Jesus.”