Christie steps into the bright light

Christie Balcombe’s love for music began at an early age. As a child, she would sit before the image of the Sacred Heart and sing daily to Jesus. As she grew older, she taught herself how to play the guitar and sang in choirs. The St Vincent and the Grenadines national is a former member of the Dynamic Voices, the junior Choir of the New Kingstown Chorale in her home country.

According to Balcombe, music helped her to get through the challenges she faced and was her way to escape into a world “of love and peace. To give praise and glory to God. God heard my voice and He blessed me with several songs,” she told Catholic News. Music, the 24-year-old stressed, is a “huge part” of her life. “I breathe, eat and sleep music.”

Balcombe is a 2021 graduate of the Kingsborough Community College (City University of New York) with honours in Liberal Arts as a member of the National Society of Leadership and Success. She is currently furthering studies in Philosophy and Greek at Brooklyn College.

She told Catholic News she is inspired by American contemporary Christian singer Chris Tomlin and Canadian contemporary Christian artist, Matt Maher. “They are both amazing Christian artists and never leave God out of anything,” she said.

Balcombe’s website www.christiebalcombe.com states that her career began in 2022 thanks to producer Ryan Dodge, with the release of her first album titled Victory in Jesus. She, however, explained she began writing songs in 2018 and has “written hundreds since then”.

She shared that it was during a charismatic prayer group retreat in Garrison, New York at the Graymoor Spiritual Life Center Saturday, November 10, 2018, that God revealed Himself (the Eucharist) to her.

“At the end of Mass, as the priest prayed over me, I saw a bright light and was never the same. It is a blessing to hear God’s voice and we should all strive to live our lives fully for Christ. I would always say to my loved ones, ‘it is a blessing to have Christ in my name and Christ in my heart. God did it for me, and He can do it for you too. Let go and let God’.”

Saint Philomena, she added is her “go-to saint”. “She has never left my side. I thank Archbishop Charles Jason Gordon for his spiritual guidance from childhood,” she said.

Of how the album came to fruition, Balcombe explained she met producer Ryan Dodge at St Matthew RC Church in Crown Heights, Brooklyn where he is currently the music director of the parish. Upon sharing her songs with Ryan, “he was impressed, and we partnered to create Victory in Jesus.”

Ryan, Balcombe said, is a talented composer, organist and producer who graduated from The Julliard School, a private performing arts conservatory in New York City.

The Victory in Jesus album consists of ten songs: Victory in Jesus, Jesus is Here, In the Name of Jesus, Come Holy Spirit, Come, Up, Broken Heart, Remember Me, Turn Up for Jesus, and Come and Take Me Home.

She hopes to inspire others through her music. Balcombe stated she has written every song on the album. Of the inspiration for the album, she said, “My main hit ‘Victory in Jesus’ is a song of overcoming. No matter the battle, we should always give God the praise He deserves. Live for Jesus, sing for Jesus, and dance through it all.”

Her album is currently in the top 100 on Amazon music as one of their best-selling new releases in Christian Contemporary Music.

Of her plans as a composer, Balcombe shared that her second album Great is Our God will be released later.

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Website [Ryan Dodge’s website] https://ryandodgemusic.com/