We met Eowyn at the 2006 GMA Week activities in Nashville and got to learn more about her and her music...
MQ:
We've heard a lot about music influencing society positively and negatively. We can get music from itunes, cell phones, and it's also used in advertising. What do you see music's role as being in society right now?
Eowyn:
I really think that because music is everywhere, that it's sort of something that someone can run to. Sometimes when I'm down, I'll pop in a CD and listen to the lyrics. It really is something that speaks to the heart - whether we know it or not. You know, how you can re-sing the jingles after you hear them. It's something that is soaking into our mind, soaking into our hearts. It can be a positive or negative influence - depending upon what the words are and the intention of the music.
MQ:
Let's talk about your musical influences.
Eowyn:
Yeah. Mine are so .... (searching for the words) - people probably laugh at me ... I actually listened to a lot of rap music growing up. I loved bass and I loved the, you know, hard thumping. I didn't start heavily listening to rock until I got to college. I listened mostly to pop, rock music. I loved the heavy guitars and the in-your-face vocals. So, I began transitioning over to that - what I was listening to - which became my style. But it's funny, rap is so melodic. There are a lot of 'in' and 'outs'. And how I write - even though I'm not rapping - typically tends to be very melodic.
MQ:
Cool. We've asked artists what venues they've played at - good or bad. The places you'd want to go to, and the places you'd never wish to go back to...
all: laughing
MQ:
We've heard of a trailer in front of a wal-mart parking lot, laser tag/birthday parties, a pet store with poisonous snakes...etc. Is there anything that stands out for you?
Eowyn:
I love playing anywhere and everywhere - honestly. I've played anywhere from a water park where they're watching you from the wave pool - all the way to the bigger arenas. It's fun no matter where it is. My heart is just to go - anywhere and everywhere - and God has taught me that, sometimes though, because I think a lot of times we look toward the big crowds and the big venues and that that's where it's fun, and it's cool. Sometimes it's the smallest venues and the smallest crowds where you get the most ministering done and that's amazing to me.
MQ:
Who would you consider a mentor - either on the music side or the personal/spiritual side.
Eowyn:
I would say that my parents are definitely big mentors in my spiritual walk. They are always there. I grew up in an evangelistic household. My mom and dad were street evangelists and went and ministered. They quit their jobs - fulltime. They went out there and did that and they were constantly living by faith. They were definitely encouraging me to step out. And then, when me and my husband just recently quit our jobs in Atlanta, we did kind of the same thing. We followed what they had done, ironically enough. When they were doing it I thought they were crazy, but now we just sold everything - quit our jobs - and jumped into full-time ministry. So, the doors just began to open from then.
MQ:
You mentioned about street evangelism and ministry, was there an event or action that was a confirmer - something that gave you peace and let you know, "Hey, this is what we need to be doing."
Eowyn:
It was really weird. Like, we began just kind of talking it through one day. I actually came to Nashville every week, but I lived in Atlanta. So, I was coming up here for the band. I did that for a year, not even thinking anything of it. So, it was a steady, slow process and God began to call us here full-time. And it was like, all of sudden, we both just kind of knew that we were supposed to do this. It was scary though. But we began trying to see what doors opened to lead us out of there ... and the doors began to swing wide open.
MQ:
How do you see technology influencing what you do - either the interacting with your fans, or the creation/distribution process?
Eowyn:
It is so huge.
MQ:
Now you can get very good production and sound quality from just a desktop computer or a Mac.
Eowyn:
I think technology is so critical. Especially to an independent artist - I'm independent - and that kind of stuff has been what has helped launch me into farther and farther realms because people can find it at different avenues on the web and they can easily access it, where in the past you wouldn't have been able to go find someone's CD online. You'd have to be in the stores. Now they can get my stuff anywhere on the web. So, it definitely has been a huge, huge help in that process. I'm thankful for it!
MQ:
Want to talk about the 'Locked Away' video shoot?
Eowyn:
Yeah! 'Locked Away' is going to be the first single off of my new album 'Identity'. Both are coming in April. Identity will be nationally released April 25th. The music video will be pushed around that time as well. I'm very excited about it. I actually
kind of had the picture of - just being in a lake that matches the cover aspect of the album as well - that the water is the Holy Spirit and being submersed in what God has called you to do - and not being locked away - but actually experiencing your freedom. So, the whole video idea was based around that in scripture: Isaiah 43:1-3, which is basically saying that, "He's in the waters with us. The waters won't overcome you." The whole video was around that and that was really awesome. A company called NitroLife films came in from Michigan to do it. It was amazing. We spent a whole day - from 6 in the morning all the way till 1 at night - and went to several locations around the lake and the rocks. They had me on a tree stump - and they had fog machines - and a boom camera. It was so much fun!
MQ:
I know there's no song vending machine, no magic formula. ..but is there a certain process or tool that sort of helps you along? Some people use voicemail or carry notepads with them...
Eowyn:
I'm constantly a note-taker. I write down lists and lists of things to do - and what's next for the day. I don't always get to everything, but it's definitely something that keeps you on track because there is so much to do in this kind of ministry and especially when you're doing it yourselves and trying to get sponsors, and distribution, radio - it's everything. Your constantly doing your own emails and that's a lot! In regards to songwriting, I write songs by just getting before God and seeking after Him and really writing based on what I feel. Sometimes when I'm really going through something or being discouraged about something at that time, I have a release through my writing. I just go sit and write the lyrics, melody - all at once - and start typing as fast as I can. I usually hook up a little microphone and sing into it and sing the lyrics as they come.
MQ:
Going back to lyrics, are there any lyrics you'd like to share?
Eowyn:
'Locked Away' is pretty interesting because I was actually listening to another song on a CD and I'm one of those that can sing over someone singing and totally not be singing what they're doing but get different melody just based on what they're playing. So, I was listening to a song and 'Locked Away' came in about 5 minutes! I remember when writing it, it was like saying, "Push past all I've ever been before - and I'm longing, pleading for so much more." And it was like at that moment, just crying out to God. I think people can relate to this - when your lost and feeling hopeless and alone. One lyric is,
"I'm on this cliff, afraid. I'm waiting, praying for You to take away the pain."
It's like you're just crying out to God ... and I think people can relate to that. So, that song, I think will really minister to them.
