Britt Nicole is Not Afraid to Say It

Thought I might put up a review of Britt Nicole's Say It. Your regularly scheduled book review will return next post.

When I say “teen pop/rock”, what do you think of? Cds full of songs that all sound alike? Fluff and no content? Without sounding too harsh, I think it’s fair to say that a number of listeners are a bit, well, cynical when it comes to teen pop. I was. I had practically written of that type of music. I thought artists who sang in that category all sounded alike and sang about the same things. I thought teen pop was fluff without substance. I was wrong.

What changed my mind? Britt Nicole’s Say It. At first listen, you find yourself bouncing and wanting to learn the words just so you can sing along. This album is just plain fun. The album is produce by Tedd T. and DoubleDutch. Both of these producers have a history of producing danceable, energetic music. Nicole even mentions Venti Chai and Starbucks—and that’s only in the first 35 seconds! This cd makes you want to put it in the car stereo, roll down the windows and blare the music.

But Say It doesn’t stop there. Britt Nicole co-writes each of the song on the album. Nicole chooses to write about topics that are not necessarily easy to write about. “Don’t Worry Now” is about divorce. Nicole is not afraid to ask the hard questions about divorce. Questions like “Why would He let us hurt so bad? Can anything good come from these feelings I have?” These questions are not easily answered. Yet Nicole is not afraid to ask them. In asking them, there is no doubt that Nicole speaks of the feelings of many children and teens who have gone through divorce. Through this song, she gives them a way to express what they are feeling while giving them hope to hang onto.

“When She Cries” tackles the topic of abuse and the phenomenon of “cutting”. Again, this is not an easy topic to talk about. The person in the song endures abuse and as a result abuses herself. Once more, Nicole offers a voice to those who have gone through these problems and offers them hope—the hope that God hears her when she cries.

Nicole is not afraid to tackle the heavy topics. Yet, the cd is not afraid to address lighter but still important topics such as making time to rest (“Holiday) and being what a significant other needs you to be, even if that means crying with them (“Sunshine Girl). The cd closes with questioning what the answer is for a world that breaks, and then coming to the conclusion that, unequivocally, the answer is Jesus.

This cd is a blast to listen to. But it is more than that. This is one to hold onto. Britt Nicole should be commended for tackling the hard topics and for, in the end, proclaiming Jesus’ name without mincing words. God has used Britt Nicole to offer hope to teens in hard times. I am excited to see where God uses Britt Nicole next.

The Giver and the Gift

This is to be sung to the tune of "I Will Praise Thee":

When Your children groaned in hunger
Wand'ring through the desert land
You rained manna from the heavens
Provision flowing from Your hand

Let us never take for granted
All the ways You meet our needs
Give us thankful hearts and spirits
For the gift which from Your hand proceeds

List'ning to the Master's teaching
Two fish, five loaves to divide
'Twas enough to fill the people--
All full with twelve baskets beside

Let us never take for granted
All the ways You meet our needs
Give us thankful hearts and spirits
For the gift which from Your hand proceeds

When You hosted Your Last Supper
Broke the bread and blessed the wine
There You gave Yourself forever
The Giver and the Gift divine

Let us never take for granted
All the ways You meet our needs
Give us thankful hearts and spirits
For the gift which from Your hand proceeds

Let Us Live in the Garden Today

This is a hymn I wrote for one of my classes:

Though in Adam we fell from our created state
Let us live in the Garden today
For the New Man came our souls to translate
Let us live in the Garden today

Let us live in the Garden today
Let us live in the Garden today
Through Christ let the Tempter no longer have sway
Let us live in the Garden today

If we walk with the Lord we'll have no need to hide
Let us live in the Garden today
If we just let his Infinite Word be our guide
Let us live in the Garden today

Let us live in the Garden today
Let us live in the Garden today
Through Christ let the Tempter no longer have sway
Let us live in the Garden today

Our Savior has gone to prepare us a place
Let us live in the Garden today
But for now let us grow little gardens of grace
Let us live in the Garden today

Let us live in the Garden today
Let us live in the Garden today
Through Christ let the Tempter no longer have sway
Let us live in the Garden today