How To Stay Strong While Waiting on Your Creative Breakthrough with Chastity, Singer/Artist Advocate

What do you do when you know you’re called to create… but your breakthrough hasn’t come yet?

In this episode, Chastity—recording artist and background vocalist for legendary artists like Musiq Soulchild —shares her journey as a background vocalist and creative navigating the tension between calling and timing. If you’ve been working in your craft for years and still feel overlooked, this conversation will meet you right where you are.

You’ll hear how to stay consistent, trust God in the waiting season, and keep growing when your career feels stuck.

Learn more about our guest HERE

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Transcript

Allen C. Paul - God And Gigs (00:00)
Do you feel like you've been putting and the work for years with no results and your creative career? Showing up, studying your craft, trying to get the attention and the opportunities that you believe you need, but still wondering if your moment will ever come? Do feel like the thriving creative dream that you've been praying for is always just out of reach? If you're a vocalist, musician, or any kind of creator who's been trying to find your lane and get your foot and the door of your industry,

This episode is especially for you.

In this episode, you're going to hear from Chastity AKA the singer Chazz a recording artist and currently background vocalist for R &B artist, Music Soul Child. You're going to get an honest look on what it really takes to sustain a creative life, not just chasing the spotlight, but also honestly facing the moments when it looks like nothing is working. You're going to hear about navigating the tension between supporting other artists and developing your own work.

staying ready for opportunities and the industry and how faith can shape your identity when your role isn't always front and center. If you're new to the show, my name is Allen C. Paul and this is the God and Gigs Show where we help you to become the creator that you were created to be. And by the end of this episode, you'll understand that your position does not define your purpose. Your faithfulness is what prepares you for what's next.

Allen C. Paul - God And Gigs (01:23)
Ladies and gentlemen, I have been looking forward to this interview for a while when I saw this amazing singer, Artist Advocate, your creative cousin, pop up on my social media feeds. I knew she was a part of the God and Gigs community even before she knew she was. So I would love for you to welcome Chastity to the God and Gigs show. How are you?

Chastity (01:44)
I'm great. I am great. had my coffee. I had a Dunkin Latte for the first time and it was wonderful. I am a coffee girl. So I am very, very happy right now and I'm happy to be here. So it's going to be a great time.

Allen C. Paul - God And Gigs (01:53)
Okay, this is this is already breaking all the podcasting rules because we are going audio and video. But just for now, I will describe to our listeners how I have my Dunkin Donuts mug right and front of me. And we are already connecting on the coffee tip. This is incredible. So with this, ⁓ with our caffeinated joy already coming across.


Allen C. Paul - God And Gigs (02:17)
Let's go ahead and jump and, he first question I like to ask all of my guests is kind of like the one that no one likes, the 30 second elevator pitch, tell us all about you. it's, you know, usually it's not really fun. So I tried to put it like this. If someone is meeting you on for the first time, but they don't know about the bio, they don't know about the singing, they don't know about the career. They're just meeting Chastity, the woman. What are those couple of things that you want people to know about you upon that first meeting?

Chastity (02:38)
Hmm. I would say I am a Bay Area baby, okay, from Oakland, California. So that has a lot of different implication, a lot of great implication, the home of energy, but I'm a lover of Jesus. So it's like, it's a beautiful mix of like ghetto, but a lover of Jesus, a good time, musical, creative, whimsical, weird.

I'm like the Jesus loving type B auntie. ⁓ That's how I would describe me. And I'm really an auntie. So yeah.

Allen C. Paul - God And Gigs (03:15)
gosh,
that's one of my best ever phrases. I just want to put that on like the top 10 of descriptions of an artist. It's absolutely perfect. No, and it tells so much about your story. And so we're going to try to and the next few minutes, reverse engineer who you are, to people who are meeting you, who want to learn how did you get to be the person you are?

Chastity (03:21)
I love that. I love we're very whimsical and weird.

you

Allen C. Paul - God And Gigs (03:38)
So most of us creators, we have our little creator origin story, right? Our hero story was for you. Was it

Chastity (03:43)
Thank

Allen C. Paul - God And Gigs (03:45)
The first song in Sunday School, was it the first play that you did that you had a lead act? And when did you first get that instance that, my gosh, I'm a creator and I love doing this, even maybe at an early age.

Chastity (03:50)
and

You know, I actually do have that origin story, ⁓ third grade. I come from a family of creatives and singers. So you would think it was obvious, but it wasn't.

I remember I went to go see a talent show the year before I did it and I was so inspired. I was so inspired like I want to do that. And so I said I'm going to do it next year. And I was the type of kid that when I put my mind to something no matter how weird it was I would do it. So I'm like okay I want to do that. So I told my mom and she's like okay cool.

And me and my friends, we were all going to do a dance. So I wasn't even going to sing. I liked to sing, but I didn't know I could sing. But I was like, we're going to do a dance. And all my friends started arguing. We all started arguing. And they all dropped out. And I'm like, but the goal must continue. The plot. That's how like thick headed I was very young. I'm like, the plot must continue. So I'm like, I think I have this song. And ⁓ I was, my mom had me and like a

like a daycare situation, like after school care. And so I went to the after school worker and I'm like, you know, everybody dropped out, but I still want to do it. And there's a song and it was the only 30 seconds. It was the only 30 seconds song. So I sang it for her and I remember she's like cooking and like, I'm just singing it and she just stops and she's like, do you know you can really sing? And I just didn't know. Like I didn't know. I think because music was such a thing and my family, my grandmother was a singer, everyone was a singer. So I think maybe it just got kind of like looked over.

Allen C. Paul - God And Gigs (05:02)
Right?

Chastity (05:29)
And so when she told me that that was the first moment that I'm like, really? So I go home and I'm like, no, mama, I think I wanna sing. And I'm telling everybody and the household. And my mom is so funny. She goes, well, listen, if this is what you wanna do, don't embarrass me. You gotta practice. You gotta practice. And so I'm like, okay. My mom was very tough love at that time. So I'm like, okay. And so I would practice every day after school. And I remember just being nervous.

Cause it was just all this ambiguity and I didn't know what I was getting myself into. And it was supposed to be a group of us and it's just me. And now I'm like, why am I doing this? And I remember I sang and the song was only 30 seconds. And so when I finished the people didn't know it was over. So I remember singing and closing my eyes and there was like a silence. And then it was that applause. That was the moment that I'm like, ⁓ like I literally remember being like, I'm going to do this forever. This is it. And from that point forward,

Allen C. Paul - God And Gigs (06:26)
Wow.

Chastity (06:27)
singing was a part of my envy. Yeah, yeah.

Allen C. Paul - God And Gigs (06:30)
⁓ gosh, this is such a beautiful story. And it opens

up so many areas where I can see it even now that the third, third grader is some, we're still talking to us right now because the joy, the feeling that you are in that right moment doing what you're supposed to do is something I've heard this phrase and I probably quote away too much from Picasso that every  is an artist. The problem is trying to stay an artist once you grow up.

Chastity (06:37)
Yes.

Yeah. Yeah.

If.

No, I'm like, I've never heard that. that we could get into that all day long. Cause even going to art school, I went from art school from seven to 12. And I think one of the hardest things to see and graduating and I, and you know, there's nothing wrong with choosing different pathways than what you went to school for. But what breaks my heart is seeing my colleagues who were really passionate about what they were doing.

Allen C. Paul - God And Gigs (06:55)
I mean, you know that you're living this.

Yeah.

Right.

Chastity (07:19)
when we were and middle school and high school and then to see them kind of like give up or be discouraged because the world is, man, once you graduate, it will break you. There were times I'm like, I don't think I'm going to make it because they don't, when you go to an art school, that is a place that heart, it's like, ⁓ it's like a incubator for creativity. So it's like your own sub world where you think the whole world is fame and you graduate.

Allen C. Paul - God And Gigs (07:29)
Mmm.

Chastity (07:47)
And it breaks you down immediately, because there's this normacy that you're like, I'm not used to people not singing and people not dancing, people not responding. And so to see some of my colleagues, you know, kind of give up, I'm always the one that's like encouraging them, please go back because like you're saying, it is very, it is very easy to give up as an adult, to be an adult. But I feel like, I feel like we're never, I don't know, maybe this is me. I feel like I'm going to be a kid forever. Like I have to.

have to. It's biblical, you know?

Allen C. Paul - God And Gigs (08:17)
Yeah, but I mean, see, we're tracking so close. It's like scary. Because I literally was going to quote that thing about that we come to God as a , as a little . And that's childlike, not being naive, but childlike and that wonder, that creativity, that imagination, that what's possible. Because children do not have that line of what's not possible. They just imagine it, and they figure, hey, we're going to make this happen.

Chastity (08:26)
Yeah.

Yeah.

Rest here.

Mm, they do it.

Allen C. Paul - God And Gigs (08:43)
So this is a great segue though to something that I saw you quote or talk about on. So again, you are an instant follow on Instagram. So I do want to jump right to that because you just said it about the struggle of actually being a real world artist can break you, can make you feel like this is not what you're called to.

Chastity (08:51)
Thank you.

Allen C. Paul - God And Gigs (09:02)
So I want you to mix a little bit of teaching and a little bit with a history of your own story. So you get out of art school. I did read and your bio that you ended up traveling. And I mean, that's another big risk. So you traveled and did some searching of some sort. So was that part of your process of getting to that real world education of how to actually navigate?

Chastity (09:23)
think the whole thing is, was very real world. It was a lot of hit and miss for years, for years. I think it might just now at 32 be making sense, just now. And still it's like, it's like, God will be like, I'll show you this much, but not that. the picture has never been really complete since I've graduated, but it's a little bit more, and it could be, maybe I have a little bit more peace.

Allen C. Paul - God And Gigs (09:36)
Mmm.

Chastity (09:52)
with the ambiguity now, maybe. But it was very hit or miss and graduating because from there, you I had to do a year of a community college because this is the thing I didn't want to go. I told my mom, I'm not going. I'm going to be a singer. I'm going to be a superstar. Like I've been told her that. And she's like, she always knew like, no, you're going to be great, but I do want you to be educated, which is fair. But I'm like, yeah, hear that, heard that. Mind you, great grade, 4.0, like.

Allen C. Paul - God And Gigs (09:55)
Okay.

Chastity (10:21)
but I'm so hell bent on this is what I want. Like that little third grader always have been very hell bent on what I wanted. ⁓ And she's like, listen, here heard you, but we have to come to a compromise. So the compromise was Berklee School of Music. And Berklee School of Music is very expensive. And we did not have what we thought we would have. So my first breaking point,

Allen C. Paul - God And Gigs (10:40)
Yes.

Chastity (10:49)
Well, I would say second because my first was even going to community college because I didn't even want to go. Like I wanted to go straight to Berklee because that was what we, but I couldn't, like I had to defer a year. Once I got there, we realized very early in the quarter, yeah, we can't finish because In the financial department, they called me and they're like, listen, mind you, I'm like 19 years old. They're like, listen, you can stay, but you're going to have to take out such a large amount of loans.

Allen C. Paul - God And Gigs (11:13)
Yeah.

Chastity (11:13)
that

I just don't think this is wise or have longevity. Now I could have done it. I could have re-auditioned being and the school, maybe got a grant later. I could have done that. But there was something sobering and that moment that was like, no, there's just, I couldn't tell you there was something later. All I knew was I wanted to say at Berklee, Berklee was a musician heaven, but I felt a huge sobering, "this is not responsible." And I'm 19. 19 is the age of doing whatever you want to do. But something and me was like, no.

Allen C. Paul - God And Gigs (11:34)
Right.

Chastity (11:42)
so I had to go home, move all my stuff out. And it was, it was discouraging. That broke me. That was the beginning of the brokenness. So then to like years later be opening up for Musiq Soulchild in the same city, not too far from the school to do the thing that I wanted to do if I would have graduated showed me that that 19 year old heard that no.

because I didn't know it was the Holy Spirit. didn't know at the time, but that's what it was because God already had my path and I didn't have to go to Berklee, but there was some breaking and between.

Allen C. Paul - God And Gigs (12:12)
Okay, so yeah, no, we do have to continue to unpack that though because number one the level of maturity that you had to exhibit and any way whether it was acknowledging of the Holy Spirit whatever the fact that you were willing to say this is not wise and pursuit of the dream that you feel called to because it didn't seem like help me if I'm wrong. It didn't sound like you said to yourself this dream has died in terms of being a singer, but it definitely sounds like you said it like yourself.

Chastity (12:15)
Yes.

Yeah.

No.

Allen C. Paul - God And Gigs (12:42)
This is not what I signed up for. It was supposed to be easier. It was supposed to head straight toward this exact moment. Now, of course, again, you find yourself in that moment here as we're recording, living your dream. But yeah, let's talk a little bit about that 10 years of those bumps in the road where we can encourage other creators and singers and artists who are.

Chastity (12:51)
Yes!

Allen C. Paul - God And Gigs (13:03)
right and the middle. haven't reached that pinnacle. They might never reach the pinnacle. And again, that's why we need to be careful about this. Because your pinnacle, as we talked about, may not be being on somebody's stage. It might be just serving and a local church and blessing people. But whatever that pinnacle is, you're not there yet. So help somebody with those bumps and the road on the way to what will eventually be where they're supposed to be.

Chastity (13:05)
and

if I could talk to younger Chazz, the first thing I would have done is took comparison off the table. Whatever that comparison and whatever timeline I had and my head, that would have been the first thing I would have taken off the table because I think 10 years is a long time. And I will say, when I look back,

Allen C. Paul - God And Gigs (13:29)
Okay.

Yeah.

Chastity (13:49)
to be where I am now, I'm like, I hope I don't get emotional, but I really wish I would have enjoyed it more to know that I was going to arrive where, where is fulfilling. Right. And like you said, it could be and the local church. You don't have to be on a stage, but to know that the thing that I was worried about losing sleep over questioning God, my faith, and to just be here anyway.

Allen C. Paul - God And Gigs (13:56)
Mmm.

Chastity (14:16)
And so many days I spent and the bed, sad, wasting time. I'm like, really wish I would have, and I'm human, right? You have those days regardless and the process, but I wish I would have spent more days enjoying the simple days when I didn't have as much responsibility or when I was just chilling or when I could just kind of figure things out more or just when it was like me and God sometimes. I am where I am.

Allen C. Paul - God And Gigs (14:26)
100%.

Chastity (14:42)
because God had to shut music down and be like, I need you to know who you are outside of this. So then, yeah, it was a whole thing. So I think I would have really took my eyes off of what I thought I needed to be and the time and comparing, well, my friends are graduating Berklee So that means I'm less than and all the things that came with that. If I could go back, I would really just be like Chastity, just live it day by day. And God really does, he really actually does have it. Like, I know you question.

Allen C. Paul - God And Gigs (14:47)
Mmm.

Chastity (15:12)
back and forth even to this day, like, like just live, live. I would tell myself to live. I really would have, cause I spent so much time down and the dumps because you go from the height of, you know, being very highly rated at art school to then I'm leaving Berklee and moving my stuff out midday and people are looking at me like, like, and I'm literally moving my stuff all the to Greyhound feeling discouraged and broken.

but I just really wish, I just wish I would've enjoyed it more. So I would probably communicate like wherever you're meant to be, God will, but if you resist, you will make it harder. And there are things I made harder. I did. Yeah.

Allen C. Paul - God And Gigs (15:52)
Mm.

where you just

help somebody I know listening who literally is at that same point. And the other part that I just realized, even as you're speaking, that we're on a platform where ministry, artistry doesn't have to take a backseat to either one. So you're literally ministering, and I feel like there's a heart of ministry.

Chastity (15:59)
Yeah.

Allen C. Paul - God And Gigs (16:12)
literally and what you're sharing because like I said and your social medias, you're reaching out, you're teaching people, hey, this is how you take care of your voice. How can you make it as a real world artist? even as you're on this process and building your own career, you put it and your own ⁓ Instagram post, artist advocate. So tell me where that heart comes from because you're not just living it. You are also trying to help other artists as you are pursuing your own career. That's not something you have to do, right?

Chastity (16:21)
Yeah.

Thank you.

Yeah, you know, I'm not even gonna hold you. It comes from somewhere I can't even run from. You know, I'm a PK, my dad is a pastor. And that don't mean nothing, because there's a lot of people who are PKs that are wilding out, but like, ministry was really like birthed and, I think, just the line and the family. And I feel like, if it ain't artistry, I'm probably gonna be 10 years down the line preaching to somebody church or preaching to people.

Allen C. Paul - God And Gigs (16:49)
Yes, true

Chastity (17:03)
and spaces that are very peculiar. That is something that I know God has placed on me. And I think it's something that I struggle with. That's why love that you said it's a place where it all can come together because for a long time I felt like I had to like, well, I'm artist Chazz over here and I have to like be this and then, okay, I'm teacher over here. Okay. And I'm Christian over here. and a lot of us Christians feel like we need to like, okay, trying to compartmentalize or I have to hold back. But something just broke in me where I'm like, I'm all of this. I'm very artist like.

I am a lover of God. I'm a teacher. I'm a server. Like that is my commission to love people. I believe that God didn't just give me this gift to just be great, but he gave me this gift to pour out, right? To bless, right? Like the great commission is not about us. It's about blessing others, right? I knew that whatever God gave me, it wasn't just for me as much as I'm tempted.

Allen C. Paul - God And Gigs (17:42)
Yes.

Chastity (17:55)
to be selfish and just be like, I wanna be rich and I wanna be great. And sure, the Lord gives you gifts and the marketplace for you to bless you and your family and all the things. But I always knew that somehow they would cross. And the videos were accidental. They just, always am a yapper. I'm a professional yapper. I'm always talking to people and teaching. And then I just start going online and just being very authentic. And then I'm telling you, it's this thing where I have no clue and people have to tell me like.

This is so helpful. Just like the daycare lady, you can really sing. And I'm like, really? It's just this weird unaware of self ⁓ where I just start talking like, because I'm just excited about the knowledge I'm learning. So I'm like, yo, did you know that the nebulizer is, and people are like, yo, this is so helpful. And I'm like, wait. And so then it just, I just start doing it. And again, and again. And then I actually asked chat GBT like, listen, I'm doing this thing. What is a name for what I'm doing?

Allen C. Paul - God And Gigs (18:33)
Yeah.

Chastity (18:50)
And Chad said, you're an advocate for artists. I said, wow, I'm an artist advocate. Like, yeah. And then I started, like, it started branding. I truly believe it's like God using every single part of your life. And that's why I truly believe, when it says, Romans 8: 28 says he uses all things, like every ounce of your life. know, I was, I used to do like really like raunchy R &B at one time. I used to do so many different things. And sometimes we feel like we get saved and we gotta hide. And it's like, no.

Allen C. Paul - God And Gigs (19:08)
Thanks for watching!

Chastity (19:20)
God will literally use every ounce and every skill. And when you submit to him though, you gotta submit. That is a very important part. But when you surrender, he will use different seasons of your life when you were doing different things. Maybe you were teaching and this point and your life. Maybe you were, you know, all those gifts he'll put together and he will form something that you may not have thought. artists, being an artist advocate is not something I ever thought I would be doing, but I know I had a heart to serve. I know God changed my life drastically.

Allen C. Paul - God And Gigs (19:26)
Right? It has to be.

Chastity (19:49)
to where like literally music was such an idol for me at one point. It was all I thought I was and God changed my life. I was like, if you never sing again, I still love you. That broke me and the best way. So where it's like, I do this because like, I love it and I love to bless people, but I know who I am outside of this. And so I got using all of that and all the ups and all the downs, the brokenness. I know what it's like to go to Berklee and not make it. I know what it's like to be nervous and to feel

Allen C. Paul - God And Gigs (20:13)
Yeah.

Chastity (20:18)
like you're less than or you're not important or I know what it's like to be on a lineup and people have arrogance and ego and you just feel like the small fish and the room. I know what it's like to wait for 10 years. So it's like, why everybody else acting like they have it together. I'm screaming from the mountain tops. It's okay if you don't because there is somebody out there who can help and also their practical skills. Cause I'm not gonna preach this to all the time, but just whatever I feel like someone might need, I'm available.

Allen C. Paul - God And Gigs (20:38)
Yep.

Yeah, gosh, OK.

Chastity (20:47)
so much, I'm so sorry, but okay.

Allen C. Paul - God And Gigs (20:47)
No, it wasn't so much. was just it was exactly what it needed to be. Don't go. There's never too much. A matter of fact, I'm going to quote somebody from my last show, one of my episodes that said, no, when someone says you're doing too much, you just respond and say, no, I'm doing too much for you. Yes, I will make sure that episode is back to back with you so they can get that. Now I want to talk about some mountaintop stuff because you talked about the valley.

Chastity (21:02)
Taking it. Whoever that was, genius.

Yes, we did.

Allen C. Paul - God And Gigs (21:13)
You've said

it, you know, the reason you can teach and share is because God took you through some things and showed you how to help other people because you've been there. But however, he also rewarded you for the faithfulness because you ended up and some rooms with some people and did some amazing things. So talk about where you started to realize all of this struggle was coming into fruition. What was like, was it a big break? Was it a conversation? Was it a phone call? Was it the first time you, you know, found that, hey, somebody was watching and listening.

Chastity (21:24)
Yeah.

Allen C. Paul - God And Gigs (21:40)
and then they wanted you to show up for an audition. So what was that moment where it started to turn?

Chastity (21:45)
moment that it started to turn, I think it was when I went to this Christmas party probably three and a half years ago. ⁓ it's God for the Christmas party because to be very transparent, when I moved out to Atlanta, I got a domestic violence incident. And so it really warped me to where I was like afraid to leave the house. ⁓ And also just being very introverted. So I wouldn't leave. wouldn't like, it was a very tough time. And so me going to this Christmas party was me like, all right, God, get out the house. I'm not gonna be alone.

And at this Christmas party was this beautiful angel named Jazmin Crumley who was there and she was having auditions to have a fill in for Musiq Soul Child. And the thing is my imposter syndrome and trauma was so bad. She's like, do you know a soprano? Do you know anybody? I'm like, ⁓ I know a girl. Like I'm trying to pet. I'm like, no, I know a girl cause I don't sing soprano But I'm like, she's like, but what about you? I'm like, well, I'm not a soprano. I said, but I know. And she's like, okay. Like I can see her being like looking back. She's like,

Okay, well, well, and she did this thing online where it was like promoting, I need to fill in So she's like, well, did you send in your tape? I said, well, I did send in my tape a while back, but you know, she's like, I didn't get it, send it again. And I was like, oh, okay. She's like, send it tomorrow. I said, okay. So I, that imposter syndrome thing really just like, I'm like, I don't know, this is too much. You know, it's crazy how you'll pray for something. And then it's like there and you're like, oh, like, I don't know. I was just really nervous.

So she texted me, she said, I need you to send it right now. And I'm like, okay, all right. Sent it over by the end of the night. She's like, yeah, I'm gonna need you to come in I'm gonna train you. Like I've chosen you, I'm gonna train you. And I think and that moment, it happens so quick. Like, mind you, this is, I've been struggling since I moved to Atlanta. Like struggling, like when I say struggling, like, oh my gosh, I wish I could go, like the amount of struggle and like almost leaving.

And people being like, it's valid if you do. It's valid. My dad's like, you can come here, you can stay, you can recover. Cause his daughter, you know, going through domestic violence, And I remember telling my dad, said, dad, I gotta go back. Cause God told me to go there and I'm not going to let no person scare me out of what I know God And he looked at me and you could tell my dad does this thing where he don't agree, but he's like, okay. And he stood on it and he let me have it. And I struggled four more months.

Allen C. Paul - God And Gigs (23:44)
Hmm.

Chastity (24:09)
But it was something holding me up. was God holding me up, carrying me through. And and that moment, when I say it just felt like everything just shifted to where I was like, I didn't even have time to respond next thing you know, I'm like singing full time and I'm and Africa, quit my job. Like it was like, wow. It just happened so quick. And that's when I knew like, things are really changing.

And it was kind of hard. Like, I think it happened so fast. I think to me, I'm so used to surviving. I'm still out of survival mode. Like, I'm just now like, okay, I can thrive now, like, because I was surviving so long. Yeah. I'm so.

Allen C. Paul - God And Gigs (24:48)
wow. OK. this is so you're doing. I know you're making this so hard to not just

grab every single one of these things and ring it out as much as possible. We have to talk about that a little bit and terms of you already mentioned identity, that you did not want your identity to be entirely in music. You want to know who you were, who you were in God, who you were as a person. And then, of course, battling all these things. And that's why I want to tag on to this, which is identity and.

Chastity (24:58)
Okay.

Allen C. Paul - God And Gigs (25:14)
survival versus when you're starting to see yourself in other rooms and getting out of that imposter syndrome. Were there any things that you had to do to get used to that, to being the person that people respected, to being the person that Musiq Soulchild or a Jazmin Crumley or so many, mean, your, producer, ⁓ you know, Yahnn Hunter, like these people are people who know talent when they see it. So help someone who has struggled to say, wait a minute, what happens if they look at me?

Chastity (25:33)
Yawn.

Allen C. Paul - God And Gigs (25:43)
and don't accept me and still feel that imposter syndrome from years ago, when they're literally looking at you, you're like telling her, I'm not the one. It's like Joseph, it's like God and Moses. I'm called you and we're literally telling God to his face. So you were doing the same thing. So talk to someone who is now going to possibly be and those rooms, right? They've been accepted. How can you help them be more encouraged to not say no to that when people recognize their talent?

Chastity (25:46)
Yeah.

You

I would say, man, it really is you do have to sit with yourself outside of what you do. I think a lot of artists, like I could tell you practice more than, honestly, when it comes to identity, a lot of the times it's childhood trauma, it's, you know, what people said about you. And that's why I talk about like, yo, yeah, you can practice all you want, but if your mindset is off, you'll never reach what you want. You'll be on a leash. And so there's a lot of work you have to do off stage.

Allen C. Paul - God And Gigs (26:15)
Okay.

Yeah, that part.

Chastity (26:37)
to then be the person you want to be on stage. And I would say my community healed me. When I was stepping in that audition, or not that audition, when it was rehearsal for me with Musiq I remember quivering the whole way through tears, like in true anxiety, because that's how bad it was. I had to call my mom and I remember calling my dad and my dad had to actually pray me into to rehearsal. It has to be very practical and me sitting with the Lord and really being like, I have to be transparent.

Allen C. Paul - God And Gigs (27:01)
Mmm.

Chastity (27:07)
Like I'm not praying father in heaven. I'm like, God, I do not feel worthy to walk in this room. The same thing I'm pretty sure Moses had to do. Like Lord, give me courage, be of good courage. when God tells Joshua, like I'm in the front of you, I'm on the side of you, on the back of you. Like I love that script cause I feel like I'm about to cross this river and I ain't never done this. I know I pray for this, but the anxiety I feel based on the trauma,

always tell God, why did you give me this gift? It feels bigger than me. But it's also, why did he do, like, why did he give Moses that? You know, so it's like, okay, I know if you called me here, then you're gonna give me the courage too. So there's a lot of ⁓ prayer, depending on your community, you gotta be vulnerable. You have to be honest. You can't act like you got it together.

Allen C. Paul - God And Gigs (27:35)
Mmm.

Chastity (27:52)
because you have to deal. You got to go back. And a lot of us don't want to. Like, yes, you can write a song about it. Yes, express it, do all the things. But you actually have to sit down and talk to someone about the thing that was said or done, because sometimes you're not even aware that that one person and your family who would crack jokes on your gift all the time and you get older and you don't even realize that that negative Nancy is still on your shoulder. You know what I'm saying? And then it translates into other things.

Allen C. Paul - God And Gigs (28:16)
Yeah, 100%.

Chastity (28:20)
you know, such as anxiety and imposter syndrome. And now you're singing and you're quivering and like, it's crazy how your mind will literally shut off and the voice follows the belief. So if your belief is in the trash, you're not, you're going to be limited. And so I think it's a lot of holistic healing on the back end that has nothing to do with the stage, because if you heal as a human, you will only grow as an artist. That's why I tell people like, you're only going to be a better artist when you really know who you are.

Allen C. Paul - God And Gigs (28:30)
Mmm.

Chastity (28:49)
but that's why so many people, you ever seen somebody that's good? And it's like, you're good, but I could tell the artistry is not matching, because you have no idea where you are. You're all over the place. You're trying to be like this person, you're trying to be like Beyonce, but you're not a Beyonce. You're actually somebody that should just sit down with a guitar, but because you have all these identity issues, it's not connecting and you're on a leash. But if you actually take the time to heal and un-layer and take all that off and do the true work.

Allen C. Paul - God And Gigs (29:00)
Mmm.

Chastity (29:17)
you can actually show up and be confident. Even when you're not confident, you can be confident enough to say, I'm not confident and really get the real help that you need.

Allen C. Paul - God And Gigs (29:26)
I feel like there too many mic drops moments here. I can't drop enough mics and now the mics around. The fact is that your artist advocacy again is born out of this passion for not just you, but again to bless other people and to help them see what they're capable of. But I do have to say now we got to turn the emphasis off of all these people we're helping and turn it back on to you.

Chastity (29:43)
Yeah.

Yeah.

Okay.

Allen C. Paul - God And Gigs (29:53)
because

you're releasing music right now. You are now walking into this purpose of singing. So now we have to talk about what that actually looks like today, the creative process today, writing a song today, working with a producer today. Because there's so many things, again, that you're sharing that you're literally working out for the first time, maybe the second time, the third time, but now it's you. Now it's you. So now you're the front of, you've been behind the scenes, you've been working behind, know, working as a big background vocalist.

Chastity (29:56)
Yes I am.

Okay.

Yeah. Yep. Yep.

Yes.

Allen C. Paul - God And Gigs (30:20)
but now you have to be the face, the brand and everything. So talk about that a little bit. What are you learning now as you step out into being the front and presenting your music as a full-time artist?

Chastity (30:23)
Mm-hmm.

You know, it's so crazy because it's actually the opposite. I've actually been always an artist, BGVs is new. So being, yeah, so being, I won't say and the back, but being a supporting artist was a new thing for me to kind of step into because everybody knows, and I know, that's why I was even kind of like, well, God, I'm like, whoa, hold on, I don't want to, are you sure? Because I truly believe background vocalist is a, background singing is a whole nother art form that I was not raised into. I was really always,

Allen C. Paul - God And Gigs (30:38)
Really?

⁓

Yeah.

Chastity (31:01)
I'm the Beyonce of if we are trying to see who Destiny's Child, I'm Beyonce, you Kelly and you Michelle. Like it was always like, I'm very much.

Allen C. Paul - God And Gigs (31:08)
So this is no, but I love the fact. Yeah. now, so, so however

that, so the transition is still great to talk about because now you do have to play both roles, right? Cause you have to shift to learning how to be the person that supports the person that blends the person that follows the artist and let them have their vision. But at the same time, like you just said, you had your vision the whole time. So yeah, still talk about that, how that dichotomy works and whether you had to like shut something off to turn it back on now that now you're, you're back in front.

Chastity (31:13)
Mm-hmm. Yes.

Yes.

Yeah.

Mmm.

You know what? It's so great that you asked that because it's, don't know if you know of this artist named Stout. Stout is, she is amazing. Like literally, like that's somebody you want to look into. She's great. And I remember talking to her and ⁓ she sang for like Alicia Keys and ⁓ Corey Henry and just like, I mean, the list goes on. So many people.

But now she's doing her own music and all the things and she's always been that, but there was a time where she was strictly BGVs. And you know, sometimes as artists who do background work, our fear is we don't want to get locked and and we're trying to balance. And she said something that freed me and she said, you know, one thing that I realized was like the same thing I said, God used everything. So there's a point and time and season for things. A lot of the times we're trying to fight.

Allen C. Paul - God And Gigs (32:23)
Yeah.

Chastity (32:27)
Well, I gotta be an artist now and do this and do this to try to prove it. She's like, listen, when I sang for Alicia Keys, God had me and that for some years to hone certain skills. I wasn't worried about trying to be an artist. I wasn't trying to put out singles and stuff. I was literally just and that world 100 % because she said, I learned how to solo. I learned how to blend. I really like rode the horse. She said, so now those skills I apply. She said, but I rode my season well. And when the season shifted,

Allen C. Paul - God And Gigs (32:55)
Hmm.

Chastity (32:56)
It was time. The thing about God is when he wants you to move, he'll shut the door and he'll move it. You don't have to force it. So I think for me, there were things that I had to shut down. Like I know the first couple of years, didn't feel, I think when I first started singing for music, I released a single, but it was very like, it was big spaces and between. I wasn't trying to consistently put out music. I wasn't consistently recording. I wasn't doing any of that because I was just so engulfed and this new world.

Allen C. Paul - God And Gigs (33:02)
Yeah.

Okay.

Chastity (33:26)
of background singing and not just anybody. This is music soul . I mean, his ear is incredible. And when I started singing for him, my ear wasn't, it was sharp, but it wasn't as sharp as it is now. So there were times I was singing minors major, majors minor, like, and there were so much I had to learn as a background. And so I needed to lock and fully. And so me just riding the wave of that season, you know, still doing my artistry thing, but just truly.

Allen C. Paul - God And Gigs (33:38)
Yeah.

Chastity (33:53)
sitting and the role of being a background singer and really sitting talking to music and him giving gems and me asking about songwriting and him giving me the gems and me putting it and my arsenal and being like, it's going to be a time I use this once that season unlocks. Cause I remember somebody actually asking me like, Chessie, when you going to put out music and they're like trying to rush me. And I'm like, we ain't got to rush this. I said, I'm not ready. I said, cause there's still things that I'm learning and I just don't feel ready. And I'm at peace with that. I'm at peace. And so many people are like, you're, you're don't get stuck. I'm like,

God got this. know I'm and

Allen C. Paul - God And Gigs (34:23)
Yeah.

Chastity (34:27)
be a time where I'm going to be able to do both. There's going to be grace and lo and behold, when I make music now, because I what I wrote this new single three years ago before I even started singing with music, I went and recut the things that I heard way better. know how to record way better. ⁓ just the things I can tweak way better, like the choices, the harmonies. And that's like,

Allen C. Paul - God And Gigs (34:41)
wow.

Chastity (34:56)
Being able to, that's, my backgrounds are better because I was fully engulfed and what? Being a background singer. So you're just getting, you're getting more ⁓ like artillery for what the things that you have. And so my encouragement for anybody who, you know, is and background singer as an artist, like just hone into what it is God has and your face. If there's a grace for it and you feel like God has put you there, and time, he will honor those dreams. But there could be something you need. Even being an artist advocate.

Allen C. Paul - God And Gigs (35:02)
Yeah.

Chastity (35:25)
I learned vocal health on the road from the other singer, Vaughn. She's super big, shout out to Vaughn. She's super big into vocal health. And I would just be kind of like doing a little warmup and barely going. Like I was so just the worst. And she's like, you need to do better. Cause I was getting sick back to back to back. And so she started to kind of like, you know, give me warmups and things like that. And that's when I started getting into vocal health.

And then I'm like, wait a minute, like this knowledge is crazy. So then I started openly talking about it. And then from that, that's when people started paying attention. So I'm like, you see how every single thing worked out. But if I would have been trying to fight the season and well, no, gotta, I gotta be the star and prove to myself it would have been chaotic. But I just wrote I'm Music Soul Child's background singer. I'm his supporting artist. And we gotta stop dissing, not you, but we do have to stop dissing background singers because background singing is a

Allen C. Paul - God And Gigs (36:01)
Yep.

yeah.

Chastity (36:21)
very, very high art form. A lot of lead singers would struggle. I still struggle with the background singer because it takes a lot of skill. There are things blending. If you have somebody that's different than you, have to, it's everything from mouth positioning. There is a lot that goes. Most of your background singers tend to be just as good, if not better than your lead. that's, you can mark that and history from Luther Vandross to all kinds of people. So it's like, you know, I do want to say that.

because sometimes people have this like, you're just background singing. It's like, no, like when you are a background singer, you become such a better singer, artist, musician. And for music, so , the ear, his ear is insane. Like he's wrote your favorite, you talking about my favorite songs. And I'm able to ask this man, so where were you when you wrote Half Crazy? Like, are you kidding me? What inspired you? I get to have that access. You think that's not God?

So you think when I'm not writing my songs, I'm not taking his saying. So that's what I'm saying. You have to ride it out. And when he changes it, use everything you learn. So I know I am so yappy, but I that.

Allen C. Paul - God And Gigs (37:27)
Hmm. No, no. The reason

I can just soaking it all and this is really helping me because remember we're not just talking to the vocalist, we're talking to the background musicians. We're talking to the people who are supporting different artists. They might be the makeup artist. They might be doing the artwork, the graphic design for some major thing. And a lot of them never had their names mentioned. So for them to understand.

Chastity (37:37)
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Yes.

It's good.

Yeah.

Allen C. Paul - God And Gigs (37:52)
that this is where God has given them training ground and information and stuff that's going to be downloaded, they needed to hear that message because again, we don't realize the season we're and until we're out of the season. And it's just, it's so crazy that we have to let somebody else's voice, you you had the community, you had the people on the road with you to speak into you because you don't realize what you need until after you, until you need it. It's like, it's like, wait a minute. And then God's like here, because you didn't know you needed this.

Chastity (37:56)
Absolutely.

And you're

Exactly.

Allen C. Paul - God And Gigs (38:18)
So this is such, no, this has been an absolute blessing all the way through. We could go on forever and ever, but here's what I want to do as we start to close it. I don't want to close it. You're already on the hook for part to. I'm going to tell you right now, I'm not going to let you say no. Either that or a webinar with our God and Gigs 360 community. Shout out to our 360 community because I know you're definitely absolutely going to always promote Sing or Sanctuary with Jasmine. We actually share, I'll say it right now, we actually share the same platform. So I know we're and the right place.

Chastity (38:22)
Yes!

Okay?

Yes.

Yes.

Yes!

Allen C. Paul - God And Gigs (38:47)
Cause I built God and days

three 60 on the same platform that she built single sanctuary along with a Sheila, all the people like these are my people, all that to say, if you did have to go back and you said it earlier, so you've already answered this question, but I want you just to restate it for those who might have missed it. If you had to go back to the person that was walking off that bus, 19 years old coming to leave and give them, cause there's somebody who is right now facing that exact same situation, right? Let's, let's reverse it versus you to the person who is like,

Chastity (38:51)
so bad.

Mmhmm.

Allen C. Paul - God And Gigs (39:16)
I had this dream. knew God called me to it and here it is. It looks like it's not going to happen. So what would you say to the person who was right at that moment just to give them that last little bit of encouragement to realize that they can end up where you ended up?

Chastity (39:29)
Yeah, well, first off, I do want to say honor how you feel. Do honor that. What you feel is valid. ⁓ Definitely because although we know it's going to be a better day and all the things that people like to preach, but some things are truly devastating and it is a hit to the heart. And so I think the best thing you can do to come out to the other side

is to truly process and real time the true emotion and grief of maybe something that you felt died or maybe a certain kind of dream did die. You know, that is the truth. Sometimes within our artistry, some things die so that other things can live, you know? And we're so attached to what we think, this gotta work. But sometimes that has to die because there's something better here. You know, Berklee is what I wanted, but God saw this and I'm debt free. Hallelujah. Amen. So, you know what I'm saying? So nonetheless, I would...

Allen C. Paul - God And Gigs (40:09)
Yeah.

Yep. Come on now.

Chastity (40:28)
just honor you, honor your process. ⁓ Give yourself as much as you need, but also, like, some people believe and giving yourself like a time limit. I would say take the time you need, but I would also say ⁓ work on yourself outside of what you do, because a lot of how you respond is triggered, not just by the disappointment, but it's triggered maybe by childhood things and disappointments. Like I would say work and have great community around you, who's gonna continually to speak.

Allen C. Paul - God And Gigs (40:56)
That's it.

Chastity (40:58)
into you on the days that you cannot speak into yourself because it can get dark. That is life, hills and valleys. But I would say when you get that glimmer of hope and things shift, just do something, just a little small ounce of creativity. You might have, you don't even gotta put out an album or nothing, but just, I would say just a small thing every single day. And each day you chip away at something, you find yourself ⁓ back. Because the thing is, listen, the truth is,

God has it, he has your end. But how we deal with the process, either is gonna go as hard or as easy as we make it. And so all we can do is take it a day at a time. So when you take a hit, it is completely valid on how you feel, because that is a hit. Because a lot of people gaslight artists, like, oh, it's not, no. Some things that happen within our industry is incredibly devastating. We are not normal humans, we are aliens, and we are different than the average, and we're sensitive.

Allen C. Paul - God And Gigs (41:47)
Now it's real.

Chastity (41:57)
We're feelers, that's why we're good at what we do. So I think it is very important to be valid and how we feel, be present, have great people around you. Definitely sit with the Lord, definitely sit with God and be completely honest. God, got my honest truth every single day. There was no day he got my mouth. And guess what? He was gracious enough and understood where I was and each and every day he built me back. like I said, when you do feel just a little better.

I would just take little stabs at little parts of creativity, because sometimes you don't want to jump all the way back and. My mom says, when I was coming back from being super depressed, she was just like, you know what? Don't worry about all the list of things you need to come back to. She said, if you just make your bed every day, and that's the victory, just make your bed every day. Pretty soon, you'll make the bed, then you'll clean the table. Then you'll clean, and that's kind of how you'll build yourself back creatively, because I feel like God has made

Allen C. Paul - God And Gigs (42:33)
Yeah, smart.

Chastity (42:56)
the human experience such a supernatural thing where we have went through crazy things that are able to bounce back. I think that is such a superpower that God gives us. But and the midst of it, it feels like it's the end all be all, you know? So you gotta start slow day by day and walk with God and exactly where you are. You don't need to hide nothing. Have a community that supports you, lets you grieve, but also speaks into you. And then when you get up on your feet,

Allen C. Paul - God And Gigs (43:09)
Yep.

Chastity (43:25)
take that risk again, cast that net again. They're gonna say no, do it again. Because that time you do it again, would be the time. You just don't know, you might have to catch your nail 10 different times. We're talking about 10 years for me. You there's a lot of again and again and again. So don't be ashamed of your again.

Allen C. Paul - God And Gigs (43:36)
Yep.

Hmm. Once again, you've literally said all that could be possibly said. I could not make it any better. Here's how we're going to end this. We're going to make sure that you get your word out. As people are listening now, the single I'm sure is already out. You might even have more music out by that time, but just tell them how they can follow your artistry, get part of this amazing joy that you have, the music that you're putting out and to follow your advocacy and all your amazing tips. So just tell them how they can get and touch with all of that.

Chastity (43:57)
Yes!

Yes, if you are Instagram person, the singer Chazz, so the singer C-H-A-double Z. And same on TikTok, the singer Chazz. I sing a lot more on TikTok, but I also sell stuff. So you might want to go on Instagram, because it's just more focused there. Music wise, now Chazz is my nickname, Chastity is my full name. So Chastity is where you actually find the actual music. Spotify, Apple, everywhere you need is there. Chastity with to Ts, okay? So to Ts.

and to Ts. So chasity, C-H-A-S-T-I-T-Y and you'll find literally everything you need to find. So yeah.

Allen C. Paul - God And Gigs (44:50)
Well, look, this is going

to be a ⁓ beeline after this episode for every single one of those links. I'm telling you right now, because like I said, the people that are listening are our people, the same people that grew up and those art schools, the same people that are going to Berklee, the people that are like serving and a church and wondering when my term's gonna come up. How do I balance my life between artistry and ministry and feeling like you said, like you had to pull it apart when actually it's all you, it's all what God put inside you.

Chastity (44:55)
Ayyyy

Mm-hmm.

Yeah.

Are you? Yeah.

Allen C. Paul - God And Gigs (45:17)
and every single bit of it can be used for his glory and the good of others. So my sister, this won't be the last time, but for now we're going to say thank you so much for being a part of a God and Gigs Show. We so appreciate you.

Chastity (45:20)
Come on. Yes!