Natasha Owens Teaches Us How to Rise Above a Trial Via Her New EP "No One But You"

Contemporary Christian pop artist Natasha Owens returns with her sophomore effort "No One But You." This new 5 song EP drops on August 28th. Produced by award-winning producer, Ed Cash, with Cash co-writing all five songs on the EP, the title track is the first single and is currently going for adds at Christian radio.  

Hallels:  Natasha, thanks for your time.  When I read the story of how your dad tragically died when his gun accidentally fired when he was cleaning it, my heart was shattered.    How did you get through such devastating times? 

I am the first one to admit that I did not do very well on my own.  I thought I was anchored in Christ because I was raised in church, but the first faith shaking thing that came into my life I drifted. I was the planner in the family so I made all the arrangements and tried to support my family. That only delayed my own grief. When the shock wore off, I started going downhill.  After the first year anniversary of his death, the grief that I was running from finally caught up with me. I spiraled down into a depression. I put myself into a depression because of my thoughts and speech. I was so angry at God, and no matter what I did I could not seem to dig out of the hole of depression. But God knew what I needed before I needed it. He had already put a plan in motion to save me from myself.   

Hallels:  How did such a trial shape you as a songwriter and a singer? 

My pastor came to me, saying he had been praying, and God laid it upon his heart that I needed to be the new Music Minister. I turned it down because I could not understand how I was going to get up every week to motivate people and tell them how great God is when I did not feel He was great. My pastor came back to me and stated that I needed to take the position, because sometimes when you minister to people God will heal you in the process. I said yes, but it took me a while to get out of the depression, however, taking the position was the best thing I could have ever done. By focusing on the music, which turned out to be all restoration songs, it put a pause on the action of moving further away from God. It held me until I was able to get stronger.  This was a timeframe where I couldn't even open up my Bible because of my anger, but the words of the songs would penetrate into my mind. It wasn't long before I figured out that listening to a worship/restoration song in the morning caused me to be able to get out of the bed.  That position was a training ground for what I am doing today. When I felt like I didn't have anything left to give, God poured into me an unending flow of strength and encouragement for others. That encouragement was captured through the songs on my first project I Made It Through. 

Hallels:  How is this EP different or the same in terms of the songs compared to your last album? 

Each album is different but both of them focus on restoration. The first album was a journey of making it through a trial from the beginning to the end. No One But You has the message of rising above a trial. So many times people stop in the middle of their trial, or they make it through, and they think that they are done. They are not. I believe our mission in life is to make it through our trial and then help someone else with the knowledge that we have learned. God's plan of restoration is a bigger picture than we realize. I Made It Through had songs that touched me enough to want to record and minister. For No One But You, the songs contain my thoughts and words.  

Hallels:  Let's talk about your new song "We Will Rise." For our readers who may not have heard it yet, what's the song about? 

"'We Will Rise' is exactly what it says, rising above our trial. Coming out of the fire, focused on Him, with our hands raised and feeling stronger than we ever have before. After the first album was released, I prayed one night and asked God for direction. Two days later, a woman I had gone to church with, e-mailed me. She said she had a dream that she didn't understand but she felt like she needed to tell me. She was not aware that I had completed an album or that its name was 'I Made It Through.' She stated that I made it through is not the real message. It's just a stepping stone.  The true message is rising above. I knew immediately that dream was the answer to my prayer. I knew that I needed to go into the direction of rising above. Fast forward 1 1/2 years, and my first meeting with Ed Cash. I told him the story and said that I wanted this next project to be about rising above. He excused himself from the meeting. When he returned, he said that God had given him a song and he wanted to get it down on voice memos before he forgot it. He starting playing and singing it, and I started crying. It was exactly what I needed - the core of this project. God gave him the chorus to 'We Will Rise' within seconds and we did not change one thing.  Ed then asked me to help him write the verses and bridge. I am so honored to be a part of a song that God breathed in.   

Hallels:  I believe you co-wrote all the 5 songs on the EP, who did you co-write with?  And what's it like to have Ed Cash as your producer?  

I co-wrote four of the five songs on No One But You.  

'No One But You' - Myself, David Owens (my husband), Cass Dillon (my musical director), Ed Cash and Cody Norris 

'We Will Rise' - Ed Cash and myself 

'Wings' - myself, Scott Reed, Shawn Craig, Ed Cash and Cody Norris 

'Move Me' - myself, Cass Dillon, David Owens, Ed Cash, Cody Norris 

'One Name' - Landy Maughon, Ed Cash, Cody Norris 

Ed Cash is amazing. I was so intimated at first to meet with him, but I worried for nothing.  He is such a 'real' human being.  He loves God with all of his heart and he has such humility.  After the first meeting, I felt like I had known him my entire life. I cannot say enough about this man and his musical ability.  He blows me away every time I am around him.   

Hallels:  Speaking of trials and faith, what encouragement do you have for our readers who may suffering loss and pain right now? 

It's very important to go through all the stages, but you have to be careful not to get stuck in a stage.  If you find that you are stuck please seek professional help either from a pastor or a counselor. When we get stuck in a stage, more times than not, we try to numb the pain. People turn to alcohol, drugs, or try not to face it with depression.  After a while, when they can't numb it anymore, they turn to suicide. Every situation that is 'faith shaking' really goes through the same steps of grief.  Our words are so important.  What we speak is eventually what we think.  The Bible says that our tongues have the power to speak life or death into our situation.  We have to pick out every positive in our situation.  And trust me, you will find some positives.  You would be surprised how many positives I found in my situation.  When a negative thought comes in you have to speak the positive.  Quoting scripture can be great as well.  When you don't feel that you can open your Bible or attend church turn on worship music. For example, 'How Great is our God' or 'Healer.' 

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake, Deuteronomy 31:6.  You may feel all alone but He's there.  He knows what we need before we need it.  He will always throw you a life raft to save you from your situation.  The biggest battle we fight in a trial is on the ground right between our ears.  If we can conquer the mind then we have won the battle. 

Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to tell my story.  God Bless you! 

 

 

 

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