Th… Read Full Bio ↴ZOEgirl was a very successful Christian pop rock band from 2000-2006.
The group was started with the three ladies: Alisa Noelle Girard, Chrissy Conway and Kristin Swinford. The three have each gotten married since then and go by the following names: Alisa Childers, Kristin Schweain, Chrissy Conway-Katina.
With more than 1 million albums sold worldwide and an impressive track record that heralds them as the fastest-selling debut artist in the 26-year history of Sparrow Records, ZOEgirl has managed to create a success story that continues to get bigger and bigger with the release of each new album. Performances at venues like New York's Madison Square Garden, The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Walt Disney World have helped ZOEgirl become one of the top female pop groups in Christian musica platform upon which Chrissy Conway, Alisa Girard and Kristin Swinford keep building brick by brick. ZOEgirl exploded onto the scene in 2000 with the group's self-titled debut (ZOEgirl), scoring four Top 5 radio hits. They followed with a sophomore album, Life, which continued to propel the girls' blossoming career. Those first two projects placed ZOEgirl in front of hundreds of thousands of fans on stage with artists such as Newsboys, Plus One, Avalon and Carman. Following the late 2003 release of their last album, Different Kind Of FREE, ZOEgirl hit the ground running as a featured artist on the 25-city Shoutfest tour before heading out on their first headlining tour in early 2004.
The FREE Experience tour, which also featured Superchick, Joy Williams and Focus on the Family speaker Susie Shellenberger, was a huge success with audiences across the country. The FREE Experience tour saw sell-out attendances in many markets during a year when the touring industry was taking a hard hit. Now, with Room To Breathe, their first new album in over a year, ZOEgirl is moving forward with some of the most compelling music of their career. Produced by Mark Heimermann, Double Dutch (Robert Marvin), Josiah Bell, Shawn Shankel, Tedd T and Dan Muckala, Room To Breathe encompasses ZOEgirl's growth as singers, songwriters, artists and women. "I think with each album we've been able to integrate more and more of who we are," Alisa says. "We've really seen a need and have been trying to fill that void for young girls to have a different option when it comes to pop music, and we've done it without trying to fit into any kind of mold or demographic. I think we've just really focused in on who our listeners are and what they want to hear." As every recording artist knows, longevity does not come easily in a fast-paced music industry that is constantly chasing the next big trend. But ZOEgirl's biggest accomplishment is their unending ability to connect with their fans around the world. "Our audience is constantly expanding," says Chrissy. "We've got younger girls, teenagers (including boys!), and parents coming to all of our shows and they are having a great time.
We've had some great conversations with them and we really love getting their feedback."
That feedback whether it comes through letters, after-show meetings or one-on-one time spent with young girls on recent mission trips translates into some of the real life moments Chrissy, Alisa and Kristin write about on their albums. Room To Breathe captures those poignant moments that come straight from the heart. Filled with soaring harmonies and brimming with a personal style that is quintessentially their own, the CD's tracks include the album's first radio single, About You, an up-tempo pop melody about learning to take the focus off yourself and make it all about God. Dead Serious, the track ZOEgirl calls the most fun song on the album, is a tribute to "all of those kids who really are standing up for what they believe, even though it's not always the most popular thing to do", Kristin explains. The album's title is pulled from a song called The Way You Love Me, written by Chrissy and songwriter Lynn Nichols. "This song talks about how it's so unfathomable to realize how much God loves us despite what we do every day", Chrissy explains. "We can't ever fully grasp how he could love us so much that he died for us. The lyrics say, You gave me room to breathe, a place to get away. I'm standing in your presence with a debt I can't repay".
One of the album's most honest and affecting songs is Scream, a lyric and music written by Alisa and inspired in part by some painfully revealing stories told by girls the group met on the road and while on a mission trip. "There are girls out there who admit to all kinds of self-destructive behaviors like eating disorders, drug abuse, drinking and cutting themselves out of a desperate need to numb the pain and cry out for help," Alisa shares. Does anybody know how I feel? Sometimes I'm numb; sometimes I'm overcome...Do I have to scream for you to hear me? Do I have to bleed for you to see me? Because I grieve and you're not listening to me. The song was a shower of emotions for Alisa, who was jointly inspired by hearing the deep hurts shared by the girls she'd met, and in honestly grieving her own personal pain and dealing with depression. "It took me two hours to write the whole song, and it was as if in that two hours I went through the pain of it and the healing of it. It was as if God just poured it out of me. It was so powerful." Having traveled on summer mission trips for the past two years, Chrissy, Alisa and Kristin have gained a renewed passion and vision to reach the world. As part of that effort, they have launched ZOEgirl Missions, a way to partner with their listeners in reaching out to areas in need. The first official ZOEgirl Missions trip took place last summer in Quito, Ecuador. Partnering with Big World Ventures, ZOEgirl took a missions group to visit retirement homes, play with children in orphanages, perform drama and music, and participate in various work and building projects for churches in Quito. This July, ZOEgirl is planning a second trip to Ecuador, partnering again with Big World Ventures, and taking various teams with specific gifts. Chrissy, Alisa and Kristin will bring with them construction teams, music and worship teams, and teams that will visit nursing homes and orphanages. They will spend time with the residents, nurturing and serving them with whatever they need, whether it's a haircut, a hug, or someone to sit with them and hold their hand. It's ZOEgirl's hope that they will touch those who experience so little human touch. "If we hadn't done these trips we wouldn't be the group we are now," says Alisa. "The girls who have gone on these trips have inspired more songs than they know." "These trips have really opened my eyes to the world,"
Chrissy adds. "It has given me a new appreciation for life and has taught me so much in the process." Glancing back, in the rear-view mirror of their career, it's the relationships they build, the lives they touch and the impact they make for Christ that fuels this trio of women more than anything else. "At the end of the day, in 20 years, I want to get a letter that says, I gave my heart to Jesus at a ZOEgirl concert,'" Alisa says. "To me, that's success. It's great to sell albums and win awards, but we aren't truly successful if we aren't leading people to heaven. That's eternal." Chrissy adds, "If we were remembered for anything else it wouldn't seem like we had fulfilled what we know God has called us to do."
ZOEgirl after 2006:
After Chrissy Conway's 2005 marriage to one of the Katinas, she now goes by Chrissy Conway-Katina.
When ZOEgirl announced their disbandment in 2006, Kristin took some time off but in spring of 2007, started working on solo material. Her tentative solo album was set to release on March 1, 2008 but in March 2008 announced that on her official MySpace that she will no longer release a solo album in favor of forming a new musical group ColmanBlue. As of May 2008, the group consists of Kelli Trontell and herself. Chrissy was interviewed by Amy Hagberg in April 2008: The hour long interview can be heard here.
About You
ZOEgirl Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When it hit me from nowhere
Out of the gray
Everything's been coming together
Now that I've moved beyond myself
And wrapped my head around something else
It's not about me it's gotta be about you
(and every way) I will not forget that you said you'd always bring me through
To who I want to be making every part of me
About you (every part of me about you, ya)
I've been spending so much time disconnected
I was searching for perfection inside myself
But I finally turned away from my reflection (my reflection)
And saw your world outside my door
And everything that I'm looking for!
It's not about me it's gotta be about you
(and everyday I) and all I want to see is who your turning me into
(and every way) I will not forget that you said you'd always bring me through
To who I want to be making every part of me
About you
So I lay down my pride
Cause you laid down your life
And I'm giving up all that's holding me back
And lead me too you
And you lead me through, like you always do
It's not about me it's gotta be about you
(and everyday I) and all I want to see is who your turning me into
(and every way) I will not forget that you said you'd always bring me through
To who I want to be making every part of me
About you (every part of me about you, ya)
In ZOEgirl's song About You, the singer reflects on their recent realization that their focus in life has been too self-centered. They've been disconnected and searching for perfection within themselves before realizing that the key to personal growth is to focus on God and service to others, rather than themselves. This shift in perspective is referenced throughout the song, with the repeated phrase "It's not about me, it's gotta be about you," serving as the song's central message.
The singer lays down their pride and gives up anything holding them back in order to follow God's path for them. They acknowledge that God has always been there for them and will continue to guide them as they move forward. The lyrics are both reflective of the singer's own struggles and an expression of faith, serving as a reminder to listeners that life is about more than just themselves.
Overall, ZOEgirl's About You is a powerful testament to the importance of faith and service to others in personal growth and fulfillment.
Line by Line Meaning
I've been thinking lately about you
I've been reflecting on who you are and what you mean to me.
When it hit me from nowhere
Suddenly, I had a realization or insight.
Out of the gray
Out of monotony or sameness, something became clear.
Everything's been coming together
All aspects of my life are starting to make sense and fit together.
Now that I've moved beyond myself
Now that I'm no longer focused solely on myself or my own problems.
And wrapped my head around something else
And focused my thoughts on something or someone else.
It's not about me it's gotta be about you
I realize that life is not just about me, it's about you (God or someone else).
(and everyday I) and all I want to see is who your turning me into
Every day, I want to see how I'm being shaped and molded into a better person because of you.
(and every way) I will not forget that you said you'd always bring me through
No matter what happens, I won't forget that you will always help me through tough times.
To who I want to be making every part of me
I want to become the best version of myself, and I'm willing to let every part of me be shaped by you.
About you (every part of me about you, ya)
I want my entire being to be focused on you, God.
I've been spending so much time disconnected
I've been feeling disconnected from other people or from God.
I was searching for perfection inside myself
I was trying to be perfect on my own.
But I finally turned away from my reflection (my reflection)
But I finally realized that looking at myself in the mirror wasn't going to help me grow or change.
And saw your world outside my door
And started to see the world from your perspective.
And everything that I'm looking for!
And found everything I was searching for in you.
So I lay down my pride
I'm humbling myself and putting my own desires aside.
Cause you laid down your life
Because you (God) made the ultimate sacrifice.
And I'm giving up all that's holding me back
And letting go of anything that's preventing me from growing or moving forward.
And lead me too you
And I'm asking you (God) to guide me towards a closer relationship with you.
And you lead me through, like you always do
And I trust that you will always be with me, guiding me through life's challenges.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC, T.R.O. INC., Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ANTHONY NEWLEY, KEITH ERNESTO HARRIS, LESLIE BRICUSSE, MARY J. BLIGE, WILLIAM ADAMS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind