We recently connected with Jesseca Toovey and have shared our conversation below.

Jesseca, appreciate you joining us today. What did your parents do right and how has that impacted you in your life and career?

What did my parents do right. This isn’t something I have spent a lot of time thinking about to be honest. As people we always remember what our parents did wrong when we were growing up. But, I am happy to say my parents did a wonderful job raising me and there were many things they got right. There are 2 things that stick out the most to me thought. The first being that my parents taught me to love God and love others. In a world with so much hatred and selfishness, my parents taught me love and that is a lifelong trait I am eternally grateful for. The second thing my parents did was teach me to do my best, to always give my all and to never give up. Quitters never win and I am grateful to my parents for instilling in me the drive to never quit, never give up, and follow my dreams! My parents have been my biggest champions in life. They are a blessing!!

Jesseca, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I am a worship leader, singer/songwriter, and independent artist! From the time I was a little girl it seemed that songs just came from within. In every home video you will see of me as a kid I am singing something! I grew up listening to Amy Grant, Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Stevie Wonder and many more! I loved music and you could often hear me singing Amy Grant and Mariah Carey. With my dark skin and curly hair, many called me Mariah Carey’s mini me as a child. From 7 years old I began singing in churches and talent shows. My passion for worship and christian music developed when my family relocated to Glenwood Springs, Colorado in 1993. We began attending a small church and I remember thinking as a little girl, wow, I want to do that! I saw the worship leaders and singers on the platform and knew that’s what I wanted to do and I believe that was the time that God began to birth his plan for my life. Little did I know that 15 years later, I would be doing just that but the church wasn’t so small anymore. I watched our congregation grow from 80 people to over 650 members over the last 30 years. What I love the most is that our Pastor is still pastoring the church after all these years! I have had the privilege of leading others into worship for over two decades now.

I have always had songs in my heart that I would put down on paper or in a journal but this was pre-cell phone days and recording devices weren’t readily available so many of those songs haven’t seen the light of day. I’m sure I have journals full of songs somewhere in a box. In 2019 things shifted and God began to drop songs on the inside that began to bubble out. To that point I hadn’t written a full song or even pursued songwriting. During that season I wrote tons of songs and began to share them with fellow worship leaders and songwriters. It was then that I knew these weren’t just for me but or others. To be a ministry, an avenue in which people could enter into the presence of God, whether at church, at home, in their car or wherever they are. So, in 2021 after some family had moved to Nashville and God had opened some doors, I recorded my debut single Refiner in Nashville. Hearing my song for the first time in the studio took my breath away and I sat in the studio and cried at the masterpiece that had been created. I was honored that God would give me this to steward and very excited for what was to come.

Since recording my first single in 2021, I have released 4 additional singles including my first debut Spanish single this year in 2023! I don’t pride or aim to be anyone or have any certain sound. I believe God created me to be uniquely me. My heart is to have the sound of heaven. I am the only Jesseca Toovey with these God given gifts and I believe that is what sets me apart. No other sound, no other voice is the same and that is the greatness of my creator. I am eternally grateful for the honor, privilege, and blessing that it is to share this gift with others and to be a vessel to lead people to the throne room of heaven!

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

Honestly, the most rewarding thing about being a singer/songwriter, independent artist, and worship leader is the opportunity to lead others into God’s presence through music. As we all know, music is an avenue and an outlet with which we process life’s journey. No better way to be rewarded than by helping people sing their way through the hardest of seasons and the most cherished times in life. If I can write a song that seems to bubble out of someone without warning, then I have accomplished what my heart has desired. I want to write songs that people remember, want to sing, and bring them peace, strength, and hope with the message. The reward is great and I will probably never know how great the reward until I leave this earth!

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

Yes! It’s always a learning experience when pursuing something. I wrote songs and sang by myself at my piano at home for years before getting connected with other worship leaders and songwriters like me. I wish I had known about the many groups of songwriters and worship leaders around the globe earlier for sure!! There are so many resources and group to develop and resource songwriters to hone the craft, learn how to write for your church, and so much more! That has been a huge game changer in my writing since discovering these groups.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.jessecatooveymusic.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/jessecatooveymusic
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/jessecatooveymusic
• Twitter: www.twitter.com/jessecatoovey
• Youtube: www.youtube.com/@jessecatoovey
• Linktree: https://linktr.ee/jessecatoovey