Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Katelyn Hill . We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Katelyn, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you share an important lesson you learned in a prior job that’s helped you in your career afterwards?

I came to Nashville at the eager, young age of 22. I had the privilege of working for a church here in town right after college in their worship arts department. I had a full SUV and an open spirit that had no idea the adventure and challenges I was about to embark upon. I was just excited to learn, be in a welcoming community and soak in being surrounded by artistic people that I admired.

I gleaned so much from my role of helping lead the music team at our church, but not in ways I would have envisioned back when I accepted the position from my little college bedroom over a skype call.

If you have ever been a part of a local church, you know the beautiful, hard and rewarding complexities of people all coming together to try and love well as they walk out their beliefs together. My church in particular was going through an acute amount of change that led to many staff changes. I was in a unique position where I got to serve under leaders who were both ministers vocationally as well as had had successful artist careers. Their knowledge of music, their hours of experience, their connections, all so rich and sage. I, on the other hand, was the epitome of green with some hours but much less life experience.

But life has a funny way of taking turns, and before I knew it, these staff changes led to me being the director of the entire team until they could hire back a pastor with more experience for this role. I was the intern turned into the leader of the whole thing because a few staff members had to step down. It was not the ideal setup.

This is no average group of musicians I was “leading.” In this town, you have the musicians backing up legends who also are gracious enough to help lead the music for your congregation on a Sunday when they happen to be home from tour. I was in over my head, but I had to do the job. They needed me to fill the gaps.

So I did my best to keep showing up and honor my love for God, for these people and music through my new, daunting job description. I had a “pastor” hat, a “band leader” hat for the song sets on a Sunday, I was a “friend,” “host,” whatever the church and team needed on any given day.

What was my biggest take away? What lessons did I learn? I made a lot of mistakes, but what I ended up doing really well asking questions. I asked for help, I took the pressure off myself as a leader to know it all. I had brilliant musicians and internationally respected artists on my team. I had the chance to learn from them, glean from them, get their wisdom as a stamp on the team culture. I gathered trusted members of the team who led with me, who led me.

I asked them to help me pastor and guide the team experience. It was beautiful and rich. You wouldn’t know a 25 year old had taken the role because I had the opportunity to channel and harness the thousands of hours compiled from those walking alongside me. My hope and prayer is that beautiful songs of praise led to real connection with God on a Sunday to truly serve those coming through the doors. We were asked to help create a safe space and I think we did just that.

If you are a young artist or a young leader, ask for help. There are no silly questions, allows yourself to be taught and grow. The relationships and experiences I have just from opening myself up to learn in that job are invaluable and priceless to me. In any job I do, I never want to be afraid to learn from those “better”than me, You are what you behold.

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.

Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Katelyn Hill. I went to school for music and moved to Nashville right after college to accept a job at a local church for their worship arts department. I was on staff there for 7 years getting to do the task list of a Pastor, team manager, Sunday morning worship leader, mentor, songwriter and event host. I got to do podcasts, travel, and host retreats. It was a great fit for an energetic, young and single woman that I was.

It was enriching, fulfilling, hard and always exciting. Getting to lead worship for a church in Nashville meant that I got to organically shepherd and sit with many incredible artists in town. I had the unique experience of getting to lead and serve alongside some of the best musicians in the business who were gracious enough to be a part of our community. My heart and goal was to allow the excellence and beauty of music to create a safe space for people to have a greater connection to worshipping God and receiving healing for themselves.

I met my husband on staff at our church and when we were expecting our first son, I transitioned off staff to being mostly at home with him. Being seen on a platform turned into quiet songwriting sessions at home, less time on a stage and more time pouring into my creativity as a homemaker and mama. Did I have any identity crisis? Well yes. As a creative in Nashville, my life felt very integrated into exciting things happening surrounding music in the city. You can imagine the adjustment I had to go through seeing all of those outlets blossom less and less. I was in a new season and had to wrestle with who I was outside of my producing and goal setting.

But over these last two years of motherhood, now with an infant laying next to me and a busy toddler running around, I have found that fulfilling creativity can be added to any season of life. I am now writing a small book on being both a mother and a creative. I am releasing new music this year, and started a podcast with a friend. My hope is to offer high capacity, hard working women hope that as they become mothers, they do not have to lose touch with their passions. Things will look different, but I have found my sons add to the meaning and depth to which I create and do everything from. They give it all greater purpose and have made me a better version of myself. I want to shine light on the positives of being a mama and a creative. The marrying of the two is powerful.

My book coming out summer of 2024 is called “The Creative Mother” and will be to serve as a guide to women who long to stay connected to their passions and their families as well as God. I want to help my sisters strategize how to show up fully to their season, no matter what it is.

I will also begin releasing music off of my new EP this year that will be a collection of songs I wrote as I have been on a healing journey after my big sister passed away in 2022. These songs will hopefully offer solidarity and put words to the wrestle that grief presents. It has been a special and raw experience, and I am excited for others to see that moms can still show up and pour out in this way.

Lastly, my friend and I started a podcast geared specifically for worship leaders as we hope to encourage them in their leadership as they take on the tasks that this role demands in their local churches. We will share a release date soon on our social media.

I just love encouraging people that they are enough and are so special. Anything I do, I want to be an overflow of that passion.

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

I love to encourage people that they have a seat at the table. I am hopeful that the art that I create would allow others the space to feel, connect with God and find themself in the story.

It is a joy to me to see others step into fully who they are and know they are enough and have what it takes to take up their space in their creativity. I want people to know they are loved by Jesus and designed to be included in a story bigger than themself.

Whether it is the songs I write, the book I am creating or the podcast I am recording, I hope others feel invited, safe and strengthened in their season.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

My older sister was a brave and bold creator. She was an actress, film maker and writer. She endured a long battle with breast cancer and ended up passing away at the young age of 31. Even throughout her cancer treatment she would write, jump on film sets in between surgeries and lean into her passions whenever she could. She was always encouraging me to do the same; to keep singing, writing and expressing myself.

When she passed, it took strength to keep showing up in this way. But I knew she would want me to keep singing and writing. I want to carry on her legacy to keep showing up in what gives me joy and what makes me come alive. I want to do that in her honor. It is worth channeling the pain of loss into what I am created to do and stay connected to those outlets and passions.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: katevhill_
• Other: I post all my updates on my instagram and will launch my website sometime this year.

Image Credits
Lindsey Carson