Waddell began singing at the age of three in her home church, Truth Temple of (Kannapolis, North Carolina). She, along with her brother and cousin, eventually became involved with the church's daily program on Charlotte TV station WAXN.
Waddell turned down a scholarship from Belmont University in Nashville Tennessee to pursue a full-time music career, she felt that God called her to not go to college but to concentrate on music instead In 2004 she signed a management deal with Vertical Entertainment and then signed a development - dealing with Word Records Sparrow Records signed her in 2006 and her first album Say It was released May 22, 2007 Britt Nicole was committed to the Winter Jam Tour with Sanctus Real, Hawk Nelson Jeremy Camp and Steven Curtis Chapman Newsong [1]
A native of Salisbury, NC, Britt has always had a heart for reaching people and has long used music as the vehicle to change lives. She began singing in church at age three and by the time she was in high school, was appearing on her church’s daily television program and logged a performance at New York’s famed Carnegie Hall with her school’s advanced chorus.
Those early pursuits paved the way for her to sign with Sparrow Records in 2006. She burst on the charts a year later with her label debut, “Say It,” a finely crafted pop collection that introduced us to her engaging voice and thought-provoking lyrics. It earned her a slot on the Winter Jam tour that year with Steven Curtis Chapman, Jeremy Camp, NewSong and Hawk Nelson where she developed a reputation as a compelling live performer.
It was a whirlwind existence that found her looking to meet the needs of those around her—whether it was a girl in a youth group who needed someone to pray with or a parent seeking advice on their troubled teen. Her servant’s heart and earnest desire to fill others up soon left Britt herself feeling empty. It all caught up with her at an Alabama youth conference called The Ramp. “I went with my youth group as a youth leader to support and pray for them, but near the end of the event, I was kind of worn out and I began saying ‘Okay God, I just really need You to come and do something in my life,’” Britt recalls. She got her answer as she was driving back to Nashville.
“I just felt different. I felt like the old me was gone and God had started to show me who I really was and what I was called to do,” Britt says. “As I was driving home from the conference, everywhere I would stop, whether at a gas station or a restaurant, God was challenging me to step out and tell people about Him and His love for them. There are so many hurting and broken people around us each day and God was showing me the importance of reaching out to them just as He would. In the past, I have often let the fear of people and their opinions stop me from being who I am. At the core though, I know who I am and who God has called me to be. In letting go of my past, I was able to move forward, and instead of focusing on all my mistakes and failures, I started focusing on those around me. That’s ultimately why I’m here, to worship God and to reach those who need to know Him.”
After that experience, she wrote songs for the new album that included “The Lost Get Found,” “Walk on the Water,” and “Safe.” Britt continues to explain that, “They all have a similar message of having the courage to step out in faith and walk in what God has called you to do even when it’s scary. I don’t want to be selfish anymore. I don’t want to be safe anymore. When God tells me to step out and talk to somebody or believe for what seems impossible, I want to do it.”
The new album combines compelling lyrics with catchy pop songs that linger in your head such as the funky “How We Roll” and the infectious groove of “Headphones.” “When I write songs, I often write to specific people,” she reveals. “The first verse of ‘Headphones’ was written to a girl that I know. She’s in middle school dealing with the pressure of fitting in. I wanted to remind her that she does not have to look or be like anyone else because God loves her and made her just the way she is. Sometimes it is hard to stand out and sometimes you feel alone when you do, but I know she is being a light to so many and that’s what matters.”
“Feel the Light” is another song that was written for a specific friend of hers who had faced several difficult things as a child. “She was hiding all of her pain and had never told anyone what she was going through,” shares Britt. “Sometimes it’s easier to hide our fears, our struggles, and things that have happened to us in our past rather than talk about them. A lot of kids I meet feel they have no one to talk to who will understand, but God promises us that when we bring everything into His light, He will heal us and we will be free.” One of her favorite lines in the song is “you’re a queen, but you’ve never known it.” She explains that, “The important thing to remember is that your past does not define who you are. We all go through hard things, but it is our choice to decide how we deal with them. The song simply says, ‘Let go and feel the light.’”
One of the most personal songs on the new record is “Have Your Way”. “I was thinking about my brother when I wrote the song, but when I sang it in the studio, it somehow hit even closer to home,” says Britt. “I was also reminded of Job in the Bible when I wrote the lyrics. He went through so many things and everything was taken from him, but at the end of it all, he still fell to his knees and worshiped God and never turned his back on Him. He just said, ‘God have Your way, whatever You want.’ I want to be like that.” Through Britt’s achingly vulnerable vocals, you can sense the more personal nature of the song as she sings, “you never said the road would be easy, but you said you would never leave.” “The night I sang it in the studio, I sang it laying down,” says Britt. “I’ve never sung a vocal like that. I always sing standing up in a vocal booth, which makes it feel more like a performance. When I’m praying or just spending time with God, I’m usually on the floor so it just naturally felt more like I was singing to God.”
In listening to Britt Nicole’s music, it’s obvious she possesses wisdom beyond her years and a spiritual maturity not often seen in one so young. Yet she’s very much the playful girl next door and those equally intriguing sides of her personality merge seamlessly on “The Lost Get Found.”
“My fans want a pop record,” she says wistfully. “I’m a pop artist and they love fun music. When they come to my concerts, they want to have fun and I love that. That’s in my personality to have fun, but the heart of who I am is to worship and to see people’s lives changed and to reach those who are hurting. It’s what I believe God has called me to do.”
Salisbury, North Carolina, United States2007
Safe
Britt Nicole Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
While I keep trying to lose the words you said
Can't you see I'm hanging by a thread
To my life, what I know
Yeah, I'm losing control and
Oh, no
My walls are gonna break
It's more than I can take
I'm so tired of turning and running away
When love just isn't safe
You're not safe
I'm strong enough
I've always told myself
I never wanna need somebody else
But I've already fallen from that hill
So I'm dropping my guard,
Here's your chance at my heart and
Oh, no
My walls are gonna break
So close
It's more than I can take
I'm so tired of turning and running away
When love just isn't safe
Everything you want, but it's everything you need
It's not always happy endings
But it's all the in-between
It's taken so long, so long to finally see
That your love is worth the risk
Oh, no
My walls are gonna break
Oh, no
My walls are gonna break
So close
It's more than I can take
I'm so tired of turning and running away
When love just isn't safe
Oh, no
My walls are gonna break
So close
It's more than I can take
I'm so tired of turning and running away
When love just isn't safe
You're not safe
And that's OK
In "Safe," Britt Nicole expresses her struggle to embrace vulnerability in relationships after experiencing past hurt and trauma. The lyrics depict her reluctance to let down her walls and trust someone with her heart, while acknowledging that she can no longer bear the burden of carrying those emotional barriers. She sings, "Can't you see I'm hanging by a thread/To my life, what I know/Yeah, I'm losing control," hinting at the anxiety and fear that come with opening up to someone. However, in the chorus, she admits that running away from love isn't the solution, singing, "I'm so tired of turning and running away/When love just isn't safe." She acknowledges that love is a risk worth taking, even if it's not always easy, but ultimately decides that keeping her guard up isn't worth the cost of missing out on love.
Britt Nicole's vibrant vocals and honest lyrics create a raw and relatable portrait of the struggles of navigating relationships in a world that often makes vulnerability seem like a weakness. She recognizes that loving someone means embracing the possibility of getting hurt but believes that the reward is worth the risk in the end. Ultimately, she concludes that while the love she's looking for may not always be safe, it's a risk worth taking.
Line by Line Meaning
You keep trying to get inside my head
You are attempting to influence my thoughts and emotions
While I keep trying to lose the words you said
I am attempting to forget the hurtful words that you spoke
Can't you see I'm hanging by a thread
I am struggling emotionally and mentally
To my life, what I know
I am clinging to what I am familiar with and what I believe to be true
Yeah, I'm losing control and
I am gradually losing my grip on my emotions and life
Oh, no
I am expressing my fear and concern
My walls are gonna break
I am reaching my breaking point emotionally and mentally
So close
I am almost at my limit
It's more than I can take
I am unable to handle the situation any longer
I'm so tired of turning and running away
I am exhausted from avoiding my problems and emotions
When love just isn't safe
I am hesitant to love because it may cause me pain and hurt
You're not safe
You are a risk to my emotional and mental well-being
I'm strong enough
I am confident in my strength and independence
I've always told myself
I have had this belief for a long time
I never wanna need somebody else
I do not want to be dependent on someone else for my happiness or well-being
But I've already fallen from that hill
I have already realized that I need others to some extent
So I'm dropping my guard,
I am becoming vulnerable and open
Here's your chance at my heart and
You have an opportunity to earn my affection
Everything you want, but it's everything you need
You may desire certain things, but I have what you truly need
It's not always happy endings
Things do not always turn out positively
But it's all the in-between
The journey is just as important as the eventual outcome
It's taken so long, so long to finally see
It has taken me a long time to understand this truth
That your love is worth the risk
It is worth taking a chance on love because it can be rewarding
And that's OK
It is alright to take risks and be vulnerable in love
Lyrics © MUSIC SERVICES, INC., Universal Music Publishing Group, Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JASON DAVID INGRAM, BRITT NICOLE, JOY ELIZABETH WILLIAMS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind