1 Girl Nation was originally made up of five talented young women but since its formation, Kelsey has left the band. Each lady possesses a strong, distinctive voice and tons of personality. “The really cool thing about the group is all five of us are individual people,” says Lindsey. “We have individual looks and styles and our voices are different. A big part of our message is that five completely different girls can come together and be unified and sound like one. We’re driven by our over-the-top, fun personalities. We have a blast!”
Each member of 1 Girl Nation had been pursuing separate musical careers when they heard about a unique opportunity to audition for a faith based, all-female pop group. They decided to try out and see where the open door would lead, and through a series of events, all were distinctly chosen to make up the group.
“We couldn’t imagine doing this journey alone,” says Kayli, who grew up on military bases all over the world due to her father's career in the Air Force, settling in Orlando, Florida. “I was already an artist on my own and heard about the audition for this group and thought it was the perfect fit. It’s such an incredible experience. We’re sisters. More than friends, we’re family and it’s just amazing.”
The 1 Girl Nation musical family also includes Lauryn Taylor, a 21-year-old from Birmingham, Alabama who heard about the opportunity from a friend who works inside the music industry; Kelsey, a Chicago, Illinois native with a degree in music education; Carmen, a singer/dancer who grew up in the Nashville area and attended famed Belmont University and the youngest member of the group, Lindsey, a pastor’s kid who hails from Jacksonville, Florida. “I was leading worship there and teaching K4,” Lindsey says of life before 1GN. “I’m overwhelmingly honored and blessed to be a part of a group of so many talented people.”
That bold sense of purpose and genuine affection for each other informs the music of 1 Girl Nation. Its influences range from the country sounds of Vince Gill and Alan Jackson that Kayli listened to as a child to Stacie Orrico and Kelly Clarkson, who are among Carmen’s favorites. Lauryn Taylor says her family listened to Steven Curtis Chapman and Michael W. Smith. Kelsey says those artists were also favorites in her home along with Rachael Lampa, 4Him and ZOEgirl. Lindsey smiles as she recalls being “obsessed with Jump5” and has always been a big Amy Grant fan.
Indeed there’s a sense of fun and a musically adventurous spirit that is pervasive throughout 1 Girl Nation’s debut, self-titled album. The title track, co-written by Lauryn Taylor and Lindsey, is a buoyant anthem sure to get audiences on their feet as the girls declare their mission. “Lauryn and I wrote ‘1 Girl Nation’ with Barry Weeks and this is our theme song,” says Lindsey. “It’s our message. It encourages girls to stop all the gossiping and trash talk, but come together, be strong, and live for their faith. Come together as a 1 Girl Nation. Our message is unifying the generation that’s rising. When we sat down to write the song, we talked about what our name meant to us and thought, ‘Let’s just write it down so no one has a question.
The group co-wrote more than half of the album, collaborating with such noted writers as Jason Ingram, Kipp Williams, Tony Wood and others. “We had a huge hand in the writing and song selection process,” says Lauryn Taylor. “I feel like our hearts are definitely in this album. It’s our stories.”
Those stories evolved into songs that carry powerful messages about finding identity in Christ and not in the things of this world as well as encouraging people to lean on God during times of struggle. “In the Eyes” reminds listeners “You are treasured/You are beautiful/In the eyes, in the eyes/Of the one who made you.” “As a girl group it was really important to us that there be a song that addresses self-image,” says Kelsey. “For our generation, that’s one of the most difficult things that girls face every day. I know that for each one of us, we’ve all been there. We’ve all experienced those feelings. We’ve all looked at those magazines. We’ve all wanted to be that girl in that picture. You don’t need to be defined by the things that the world tells you that you need to be defined by. The message of this song is: ‘You are a treasure. You are beautiful and that’s the truth.’”
“While We’re Young,” the group’s first radio single, encourages young people to make the right choices early in life. “There are a lot of songs on the radio today that say, ‘Let’s live while we’re young, just do whatever and take it day by day. You only live once,’” says Kayli. “It’s fun, but it’s only fun for a short amount of time. We wanted to put our own spin on that idea and say, ‘While we’re young we want to live out our faith and bring the message to young girls that you only live once, so why not live for Christ?”
“Count Your Rainbows” is an uplifting reminder that rainy days don’t last and “beauty begins right after the pain.” “I wrote that one with Casey Brown and Jonathan Smith,” says Lauryn Taylor, who sings lead on the tune. “While writing it, we were thinking about the young girls and their mom’s that are going to be listening to our music so it really took me back in thinking about my mom and the things she taught me growing up. One of the main things she taught me was to think on the things that are good, pure and lovely. Whenever a situation goes bad or there are negative things happening, count your blessings. Another cool way to say that is to count your rainbows.”
Each member gets a chance to shine on its debut. Carmen takes the lead on “Turn Around” while Kayli takes on “Vertical” and Kelsey steps out on “In the Eyes” and throughout the album, each member’s unique talents sizzle. However, even in the midst of all the fun, the dance moves and overall musical joyride that is 1 Girl Nation, the group members hope listeners will also take to heart the messages in their music. “We feel like it’s our job with the platform we’ve been given to inspire girls and give them the courage to stand up,” says Kelsey. “We want to be the voice for those girls who don’t have one. We want to give them the courage to say, ‘I’m strong. I’m empowered to live out what I believe.’ We want to make it cool to be the good girl because it is cool and we want to let them know.”
1 Girl Nation wants to encourage and inspire its audience, but ultimately they want to lead them to the source of all power. “The whole point of everything that we do is to bring more people into the Kingdom of Christ,” says Kayli. “We were given these talents, abilities, tools, opportunities and platforms to get people to know the name of Jesus and that’s the only reason why we do what we do. It’s a fun life and we get to play out our dreams because of the talent God has given us, but it all goes back to Him.”
While We're Young
1 Girl Nation Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And what they would change to do it again
We know our story's just starting, so much is unwritten
We're gonna go right when the world goes left
Cause we don't wanna waste even one of these days
We're gonna save ourselves the heartache
We're not looking back on what we wish we'd done
And we're jesus while we're young, while we're young
There's gonna be some up times, there's gonna be some real steep climbs
So its here and now that we decide if we're gonna be ready for the days when life hits
Hits hard
We're gonna know for sure now who we are
Cause we don't wanna waste even one of these days
We're gonna save ourselves the heartache
We're not looking back on what we wish we'd done
We're gonna risk it all for one thing
And live for Jesus while we're young, while we're young
We know who we are, a chosen generation
We know who we are, this our declaration
Cause we don't wanna waste even one of these days
We're gonna save ourselves the heartache
We're not looking back on what we wish we'd done
We're gonna risk it all for one thing
And live for Jesus while we're young
We're gonna save ourself he heartache
We're not looking back on what we wish we'd done
We're gonna risk it all for one thing
And live for Jesus while we're young, while we're young
The song While We're Young by 1 Girl Nation is an anthem for living life to the fullest and making the most of every moment. The lyrics talk about the regrets people often have and the desire to do things differently. However, the girls singing the song are young and want to enjoy every day as it comes. They are determined to live life boldly and take risks, embracing the unknown and trusting in God. They don't want to look back on their lives and regret not doing something, but instead, want to live in the moment and make unforgettable memories.
The chorus emphasizes this idea with the repeated phrase "we're gonna save ourselves the heartache," indicating that they want to avoid the pain of regret by living with intention now. The lyrics also mention the challenges that may come with life, especially in the line, "there's gonna be some steep climbs." Despite this, the girls are resolute in their belief that they must live fully in the present, declaring, "we know who we are, a chosen generation...this our declaration."
Line by Line Meaning
We've all heard people talking about all the things that they regret
We have heard people constantly dwelling on their past mistakes.
And what they would change to do it again
They often discuss what they would do differently if they had a second chance.
We know our story's just starting, so much is unwritten
We understand that our own story is still unfolding, and there is still a lot that is yet to be written.
We're gonna go right when the world goes left
We are determined to take the road less traveled, even when the rest of the world is doing something different.
Cause we don't wanna waste even one of these days
We want to make the most of every moment we have and not let a single day go to waste.
We're gonna save ourselves the heartache
We hope to avoid future pain and heartache by making wise choices now.
We're not looking back on what we wish we'd done
We refuse to live with regret and instead focus on making the best of our current situations.
We're gonna risk it all for one thing
We are willing to take big risks and make sacrifices for one goal that we believe in.
And we're jesus while we're young, while we're young
We want to live our lives for Jesus while we are still young and full of energy.
There's gonna be some up times, there's gonna be some real steep climbs
We know that life has its ups and downs, and that we will encounter some difficult challenges.
So its here and now that we decide if we're gonna be ready for the days when life hits
It is important that we prepare ourselves for the challenging times that we know will come.
We're gonna know for sure now who we are
We want to have a clear sense of our own identity and values, so we are not swayed by others.
We know who we are, a chosen generation
We believe that we have a special purpose and calling, and are part of a chosen generation.
We know who we are, this our declaration
We are making a bold statement about our identity and our commitment to living for Jesus.
We're gonna save ourself he heartache
We aim to make wise choices now to prevent future pain and disappointment.
And live for Jesus while we're young, while we're young
We want to make the most of our sense of purpose and energy while we are still young, by living for Jesus.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: CHUCK BUTLER, JASON INGRAM, TONY WOOD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
LW
I love their message! Just saw them in concert today for the first time. I love their music!
AhaBleppers
Im so surprised more people dunno about yall!! YA'LL SING IT OUT! AND LIVE IT OUT!!! YOU GO GIRLS! ONE GIRL NATION!!!!!!!!!!!!
Chelsea Ngungu
Everyone at church is talking about this band! And all my Christian friends at school a well! One of my friends also saw them at a concert. This has such a positive influence and I love how it is about Jesus! I also just I their Christmas Track!
dhanz dante
This is the girl group worth following please make more songs like this pleaseeee 🙏🙏🙏🙏😇😇😇👆👆👆👆
Shelli Minor
They are Awesome! I've seen them in concert & met them. They are aimed towards teens telling them to live for Jesus now! Don't wait until its so late in your life that you miss out on His many Blessings you could be enjoying while your young!
Keep it up Girls! You are so incredible talented and your love for The Lord shines through all you do!💖🎤
Crystal Williams
I love it! You girls keep God first. You are awesome role models for these young girls. Don't let anyone tell you to do anything different. I love it.
harmisawesome101
I lived for Jesus while I was young and it definitely saved myself a lot of heartache, it wasn't always easy but I have zero regrets. Beautiful song ladies. Thank you for creating it.
Kaloora Jenkins
OOOOH! im soo excited to see young women sing for the lord and be really modern with it too, my daughters will LOVE this and i LOVE this because its a modern groupd just right for a growing young generation in this era. Yes, I am also a sunday school teacher, the children will love these songs in childrens church, and in classes.
D.J. Clift
I love this group's fun and energetic style. The bright clothes are pretty awesome, too. And the message is AWESOME.
Ellie Vi ☁️
aaa que saudades, eu escutava elas e AMAVA esse clipe quando era criança <3 maravilhosas