We were lucky to catch up with Deborah Esher recently and have shared our conversation below.

Deborah, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

Last October, I took a trip to San Antonio to work on music. My producer and I were creating for nearly 3 days straight. The experience was like nothing else I’d ever experienced before. Our chemistry and God’s presence were so strong. It was the first time, in a long time, I was genuinely….happy! It was as if I could finally…breathe (and didn’t even know I was suffocating). I felt like myself. When I came back to Houston, there was an immense sense of clarity about my purpose and I knew I had to….keep breathing.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

I am a revivalist—one who reveals Jesus through demonstrations of the Holy Spirit. All my work exists to fulfill this purpose. My art is interdisciplinary. My medium identifies itself in its own season. There have been seasons where Holy Spirit stirred me in writing (poetry and prose). Other seasons, he stirred me in visual art (painting, drawing, fashion, modeling, etc.). In this season, God is stirring me in music (singing, songwriting, producing, etc.). As a creative with multiple expressions, the question about my “discipline” always challenges me. I don’t, necessarily, “discipline” myself in a technical sense. Rather, I “discipline” myself in the Spirit of God and strive to steward His heart well. He does the rest.

My purpose is to showcase God’s power and beauty. My name, Deborah Esther, reveals this: Deborah, the only female judge and military commander in Israel (Judges 4 & 5) and one of their greatest warriors; Esther, the Queen that elevated (using her beauty) to liberate the Jews from captivity in the book of Esther.

I want to destroy religious strongholds in modern christianity that limit the creativity of God. When Jesus was here, his radical freedom threatened every established regime of His time—including the “church.” The religious leaders actually pressed the charges that led to His crucifixion. From my style to artistic versatility and marketplace impact, I want to show that Jesus is still as unpredictable and unrestricted as He’s always been. Finally, I want to retrieve people that the church has rejected and show them just how radically accepted and loved they are.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

Artists steward the aesthetic agenda of the spirit realm. We also steward the cultural climate of a season and people. We administer the unseen while living in the seen world. Because God has created me this way, my mission is to reveal God’s heart for His people and bring broken people to their Savior.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

There are two aspects of being an artist that are the most rewarding. First, seeing others impacted by the work—healing, encouragement, deliverance, curiosity. Second, discovering my identity and uniqueness— and falling in love with me. The more I embrace who I am, the more license I give myself to be free in my expression (and to stop comparing myself to others). I recently shared my music with a local engineer. Upon hearing the first 15 seconds or so, he exclaimed, “This is ‘gospel’ music?!…this is what gospel music needs.” The surprise and excitement in his voice nearly brought me to tears. In this moment, I knew I was doing something right.

Stay tuned for Summer 2023! Album will be like nothing else you’ve heard!

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_deborahesther/?hl=en
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCj6C0-wOzRf-O8Jg0yOh0Vg