Sarah Nathalié is a singer-songwriter and music producer based in Florida. Raised in a faith-filled and music-loving home, she began sharing her faith through song. She later uploaded her written songs to Soundcloud, and later, through a record label.

PEER: Can you share how you came to know Jesus. Did you always grow up in the church?

SARAH NATHALIÉ: I did grow up in the church. I come from a very loving family. My parents — they got married and they’ve always served Jesus since I was born, but they didn’t grow up in the church, but they raised me and my sister in the church, so I did grow up going to church. I think the common misconception is that everyone who grows up in church is perfect and has a perfect testimony and everything, but for me, I knew Jesus my entire life, but I didn’t know Jesus — like know Him fully for me. 

I think I came to know Jesus for real and on my own accord, have a relationship with Him, when I was 18. Every young person goes through that phase where they’re doing their own thing and they think they know it all, so I definitely had that phase in my life as well, but when I was 18, we did a 40-day gospel challenge at my church, and that was the first time I — it’s embarrassing to admit — I actually opened the Bible and read it fully, trying to understand it. It changed my life completely. The word of God really changed me and my perspective on a lot of things, so I think that’s when I truly, truly came to know Jesus as my friend, not just as my God or my Savior, but as my friend. 

P: You started uploading some of your music to SoundCloud. What inspired you to start doing that? 

SN: I think it was a spur of faith and obedience that I had when I was around 20 years old. It was during covid as well, so I think we were all picking up new hobbies, and I was holding on to these songs that I was writing since I was 16. I always thought they were for me and God because I use my music as time with Him. I like to use it as worship and a creative expression for my heart to Him. 

Around that time, I don’t know what made me press upload — probably just the Holy Spirit. I wanted to share what I was feeling in my walk with the Lord in case anybody else needed it. I hoped that it would reach whoever it needed to reach or not reach anyone at all. I just wanted to put it out there as like a little journal, a journal entry, a digital song journal that I had. 

P: That’s definitely encouraging and inspiring. Speaking of your songwriting, and you mentioned in your relationship with God, that’s how you connect with Him, but can you share a little bit more of that? How does your faith and relationship with God influence your songwriting? 

SN: I think every song I write is a prayer of mine. Usually, it comes from a deep place within my heart, or something that I’ve been meditating on for a long time, or something that I’m currently going through in a season. I think my songs and lyrics are an exact replica, a reflection, of my faith. I think they’re just prayers — my faith reflected in song form.

P: Any Bible verses or stories that have inspired any of your songs?

SN: Absolutely. When I put my songs on YouTube, I make lyric videos. When I put my lyric videos on YouTube, I always like to include the Bible verse they’re inspired by. My favorite, favorite Bible passage that I feel like is always inspiring my songs is Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV), “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” I like to write songs that point the finger back at me and convict me first. With that one, sometimes I like to lean on my own understanding a lot. I like to write songs that remind me not to do that, so that’s one that inspires me. 

P: Take us through what your songwriting process typically looks like. Do you start with lyrics, a melody, or a message you want to convey?

SN: It’s different every time. Sometimes I’ll be randomly doing something like cooking or cleaning, and I’ll think of lyrics that I really like or a melody that I really like, and I’ll really quickly grab my phone and record it in my voice memo app. Sometimes it starts with a message that I want to convey. It depends on what the Lord is prompting in my heart in that moment. Usually, though, it starts with a melody or a beat that I produce and I’ll want to write something to this beat. 

P: How do you balance vulnerability and creativity within your music?

SN: I think someone’s true feelings sometimes can get lost in their art if we’re not careful to include them, but I also think vice versa. I think, sometimes, feelings are very hard for people to process, so maybe when I’m writing a song, I want the song to reflect my heart and what I’m going through in my vulnerable state, but I also want it to mean something for someone else. When I’m being vulnerable in a song, I like that I can explain further into the lyrics, like on Instagram or YouTube, and talk about my personal story. But I also want the song to mean something for someone and impact someone in their own season that they’re going through. Usually, I make the songs a little bit more vague so I’m not like, this is exactly what I’m going through, but it’s an idea that people can apply to their own stories or their own seasons that they’re going through. I still love to keep some sense of vulnerability in there so that people are able to relate that Jesus isn’t far from our hearts, and He wants to know all of us and all of our emotions and everything that we go through.

P: Where do you hope to see yourself and your music career within the next five years?

SN: I definitely hope to continue creating from my heart and using this space as what it started — a place for worship in my heart to God, expressing myself to the Lord and pointing people back to Him. I hope the songs continue to have that heart posture that Jesus is the center and it’s all about Him and that He is the good news. I hope to continue creating, whether that’s in my room still or in a studio. Wherever the Lord wants me.

P: Do you have any advice for this generation, particularly aspiring musicians, artists, and songwriters?

SN: I would say the first and number one thing is to stay tender and not be chasing after trends. Continue to be authentic and true to who Jesus has called you to be. Stay tender. You don’t have to look like everyone else; you don’t have to be like everyone else, there is a specific assignment, a specific calling for each and every one of us. There’s room for each and every one of us to do what the Lord has called us to do, and we don’t have to chase something or try to be something that we’re not because God has already given us an identity in Him. We have to walk in that calling and just say yes and be obedient. 

In the Hot Seat — 

P: Any music that you’re currently listening to? 

SN: I love this new album by SEU Worship. It’s called “A Forgiving God.” My favorite song on there is “Fruit Takes Time.” 

P: What is the Bible verse that’s been on your heart recently?

SN: Definitely the one I mentioned earlier. It’s always going to be my favorite; I’m always going to plug that Bible verse. Proverbs 3:5 (ESV), “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.” That one’s my favorite for sure. 

Follow Sarah on Instagram and YouTube @sarahnprod.