Premier Gospel Media Magazine Article (~July 1996)

       In a packed Nashville auditorium some of the "top" names in Christian music grace the stage to perform and lead an evening of worship. The nature of the evening (a worship service to open the Gospel Music Association week) negates any kind of artist league table-besides when it comes to performers of the calibre of Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith, Gary Chapman, Rich Mullins and Kathy Troccoli, who is to say which one plays "top of the bill." But no doubt the odd eyebrow is raised as following Michael W. Smith's blow out performance (no change there then) the spotlight falls auspiciously on the figure of a 16 year old girl by the name of Jaci Velasquez.
       You can almost feel the slightly embarrassed shuffle of the crowd as they prepare to offer warm welcome to a young girl, slightly out of depth, but prepared to give it a shot. That moment quickly passes and a few minutes later, following a breathtaking, tear jerking performance, Jaci Velasquez is accepting the heart felt applause and sincere standing ovation from both audience and fellow artists.
       So just who is Jaci Velasquez? The youngest of four children, Jaci has been based in both Texas and New Mexico, but with her parents as full time travelling ministers she has enjoyed their example of following God's leading across the U.S. Says Jaci "I think my family has instilled so many different things in me. I had a pretty happy childhood, surrounded by a lot of love. It made my ears really keen, for one thing, and I learned so much about music because of their involvement, but also why they were doing it. They were living it too. That's how it shaped me. I know how important it is to walk the walk, not just talk the talk."
       Jaci told Premier more how the pieces that led to her own move into the contemporary Christian music scene fitted together. "A lady invited us to come and sing at all these different schools for the Week of Prayer. It was hard work--we were waking up at 5 o'clock in the morning to be at the school and ready to lead chapel at 7.30. We got really tired that week and we weren't getting paid, but the lady said she would try to book us at a church on the Sunday," Jaci recalls, "it was there we met a man who was booking Point of Grace and he asked me to come and sing for the girls. Now when he said 'come and sing for the girls,' I didn't know that he really meant open the concert for them," she laughs. "When I went along I was wearing jeans and he said, 'well how come you're not ready to open the concert?' I couldn't believe it, anyway I did open the concert and they videoed the night and it was sent back to Point of Grace's management." That was the beginning for Jaci and news of her remarkable talent and ministry was soon reaching the relevant music biz personnel who would start her on a recording career.
       Says Jaci "That night really was a 'God send,' because I wasn't looking for a record contract. I was kind of just doing it because I love singing and I love the Lord. I wasn't in it because I wanted to do 'Christian music.' I was doing it," she continues, "because, you know, sometimes we would be at different churches and there would be only five people there, but one person would get saved that night, so it was all OK. Sometimes we wouldn't even have enough gas money to get to the next church, but that was OK because there was Mum and Dad, the three of us together and that was all that mattered to me--I was only thirteen or fourteen really."
       At present Jaci has the opportunity that many a sixteen year old would dream of, but still her family life is her daily grounding and she quotes her time on the road with her missionary parents as "the happiest years of my life...I loved being in the Honda and our radio being out, the air conditioning not working and being lost in the deserts of Las Vegas," she laughs. Of this new chapter in her life Jaci admits she is a little scared and nervous but, her years trusting in God's provision have prepared her well to keep her feet on the ground and turn in every decision to Him. "Now I have had this sudden twist in my life which is a whirlwind and I am very excited about it. I'm really happy and I pray that everything I do will be pleasing to the Lord and that He will close the doors that He doesn't want me to go through and open the ones He does," she says.
       Indeed, there are plenty of doors being opened for Miss Velasquez. And they don't just creak--they fling wide open with opportunity. Take for instance her debut album. Recorded with some of the best musicians in the business--including the song writing credit of Chris Eaton--Heavenly Place was produced and co-written by Mark Heimermann (Anointed, DC Talk, Steven Curtis Chapman, et. al.).
       One of the highlight tracks has to be the Latin pop flavored "Un Lugar Celestial". From its Spanish translation, "A Heavenly Place" is, says Jaci, "one of my favorite songs on the album...it's about bringing a little bit of heaven wherever you are. It's a really poetic song," she says as she rolls off the title in beautifully accented Spanish.
       Other strong tracks include the breathy, energetic, pop song, "Baptize Me" and the beautiful ballads "Flower in the Rain" and "On My Knees" which prove Jaci's dynamic vocal prowess and passionate delivery. But the song Jaci chooses as her own favorite is the Chris Eaton penned "Thief of Always." "It basically says 'time waits for no-one'," she says, "It's a message that's so perfect for our world right now, because we have so many bad things going on. The chorus goes: 'You've got to live every moment as though it was your last, before the thief of always steals tomorrow from your past,'" she sings. "It's a powerful message but the song expresses it so well."
       It's a long way and only a few short years since Jaci set out with her parents on their first mission of faith. "On the first trip we took $150 and left in my mother's '86 Honda Accord. In the first service so many miracles happened that we knew it was God," she quotes. Prepared to face head-on anything that comes her way, Jaci confesses a secret ambition to join the Air Force and fly an F-14 but her faithfulness to her Father sees her flying to a much more Heavenly Place. Says Jaci of any further ambition "...I think to continue to do what God has in store for me -- I've always said 'to whom much is given, much is required,' and I guess I have to continue doing what He has in store, whatever it may be."