Lole Hickey

I know its the process so here it goes, condensed.
I was signed to a secular indie label in NZ under the Warner Music NZ. I had not intention on having a recording music career, I wanted to be a policewoman because I wanted to help young kids and their problems and keep them out of trouble -

I came from a very musical family and music was my best friend and a medicine to what i was going through at the time as a teenager. I guess God had other plans and I got saved - it just sort of happened all of a sudden in 1994 - 3 months later I became a Christian - than I knew than that God had called me to greater things.

I've been singing in bands since I was 13 - graduated to singing in cover bands, polynesian bands and funk bands.
When I got signed, I was the first female (Samoan) to be seen on an MTV in NZ, quite pioneering I guess, and before you knew it 1997 I was nominated and won a NZ Music award. All I can say is that I never planned for this to happen - but

God has seen me through so many adversities in my life and healed me from many scars from being abuse when I was a child ending up in a mental asylum at 23 and God miracously delivered me and reminded me of my gift.
Than just a small testimony of my life. Now, Im happily married and I've been blessed to inspire other young people with the gift of music, telling them its ok to dream and have a greater purpose other than yourself.
God has taken me places I never thought I would go and gave me the courage to start my own label and release my first album which was bi-lingual and english - using our native language and our culture to draw back our young people back to Him by using old samoan love and traditional hymn re-producing them into songs done in a contemporary way and planting specific songs that I wrote and produced to plant the seed of God.
Some people didnt like it because I used secular music on the album - but I know that God is creative God, and we gotta stop thinking that we know better with His gifts He gave us. The impact and emails I got back from peoples lives being changed tells me God is smarter than us.

I took a two year break from music and moved to Samoa my native land Samoa to attend South Pacific Rheema Bible Training Centre.

I graduate this year - God has closed the platforms He has taken me and opening new doors. And Just did my first Gig at Christian Womens Conference in Hawaii in Jan 2006 headlining it with Cece Winans - Gal Conference, so thats a first for me.
I've always shyed away from Christian Platforms, cause I alway believed in ministering to the unsaved not the saved, but than again, I got to what God is telling me to do, so I accept that its for both the body of Christ and the world to come to know Jesus Christ.

I guess what sets me apart from other singer/songwriters is that Im Samoan and have a blend of the southpacific flavour in the mix produce, Im not American. I come from a culture that teaches, respect and family and God being a big part of who we are as Samoans. I was born in the middle of a plantation on a small island in the South Pacific, on a four by four slab of concrete with coconut leaves as the roof of our house. I guess that really sets me apart. So I have alot to say in my music about who I am , where Gods taken me, what God want me to do and who to inspire in this generation.

I believe that as Christians we need to take back the territory that the enemy has stolen from us. The purpose behind my music is to inspire and help the body of Christ overcome and know their authority in Jesus Christ, not just be a spectator for the Kingdom but be a participator and get pro-active by using their gifts from God.
I also believe that God has asked me to write music for all people including the unsaved. Those that love secular music - but need a revelation of who God really is. To influence those in places of influence in the music industry - other artists - He has definitely refined me the last past 10 years in the music biz - and I know its my time. I just dont want to be another Hello look at me Christian Artist, and not be down with the people and be concerned about how much my fee is gonna be.

I come from a country that is considered 3rd world, are far cry from all the luxuries of America. We do what we can with what we have, and thats what i've had to do since going to a studio in Samoa to get these demos done. We dont have 1st class studios or producers for that fact, but we are very creative with what we have access to, thats what i love about it, we write our songs underneath the coconut tree. We are storytellers, and we can tell the world the love of God, through our eyes and our music.
PEACE