Erica Lane from Inspired Ambition on Making it in Music

Erica Lane is the focus of Inspired Ambition, a new television series that follows her life as she tries to break into the Christian music industry. A largely self-taught singer, Erica pursued music with a single-mindedness that took her from a small town with no music program at the schools to Nashville, the music capital of the United States.

Working with her husband Kyle Saylors, a filmmaker, Erica chronicles her journey as she goes from  recording herself in her home to signing a deal with a new recording label. I met Erica and Kyle at the Gideon Media Arts Conference and Film Festival, and we sat down to talk about songwriting, her TV show, and mixing music and film.

When did you start singing and songwriting?

Erica:  As a little child, I was singing in plays and musicals at school and church. When I was twelve, I would go in my room and listen to two songs over and over: Beauty and the Beast and “It’s a Whole New World” from Beauty and the Beast. I loved the demo voices in those songs, and I thought, “I sure want to sound like that one day.”

My stereo had a little vocal recorder on it, and I’d put in the soundtrack without the voices. I'd sing so I could record my voice and listen to it, and compare it to what the voice on the original recording sounded like. So I was teaching myself to sing. I was in a very small town and there were no vocal teachers or a choir at my school, so I had to find another way to learn. I was so passionate about singing. I loved it. It was my life. I did have piano lessons earlier, but just learned the basics there. It wasn’t helping me with my voice.

In high school I became more serious about music. I was in band, but I would also go and participate in outside choirs in other towns, church touring choirs, and anything I could do to get more experience.

I made the All-State Choir for the state of Texas. My band director told me about it and my mom submitted me for it. Usually you have to go through your choir, but because we didn’t have one at our school, my mom assumed the title of choir director and sponsor.

I practiced with the CDs they sent of the opera singers and looked at the music and read it to the best of my ability. I did well enough that I made it through district, region, and area levels to make it all the way through to All-State. Then I thought, “Hmm…I have something good here. Maybe I should do it professionally.”

I applied for college at Texas Tech State University and they gave me a scholarship. I made it into the music school with a limited knowledge of music theory. I went up there and got the proper training I needed, sung in the choir there, then got my music education degree.

After that, I taught junior high and high school choir for three years.

Did you teach in your hometown or somewhere else?

Erica:  No, I taught in the Houston area. After I taught for a year and a half, I met my husband. Then one day I thought, "I need to pursue what God has put in my heart." I do love to teach, but it’s not my greatest passion. It’s to use my music and expose the message of my music to as many people as possible.

So that’s what I did. I made a decision and did it. It’s not easy to give up the monthly stability of a paycheck and just go forward, but I figured out the basics. I knew that I had to tour, and I thought if I could do concerts at churches, even if they were little churches, I might make enough money to sustain me and to do ministry.

I still do a lot of concerts on a love-offering basis. I got equipment to do recording at home, so I recorded a CD of my songs. I have a pretty good ear, so I did the best that I could even though I’m not a producer or a sound engineer. It sounded good enough to make an album out of it, so that helps when I go on tour and I sell my CDs as well. Now I have a distribution deal for my recordings.

Somewhere along the line you also started making a television show called Inspired Ambition about your journey.

Erica:  That was my husband’s idea. His name is Kyle Saylors and he’s a filmmaker. A few months after I quit my teaching job I entered a contest to get into a festival. It’s called "Artist Ovation" and they take the top five to perform at the festival. At that festival, you could participate in a contest to take you somewhere else.

I made the top five as a finalist, and we went to the festival in South Dakota. As we were preparing, Kyle said, "Hey, this would be a great documentary or TV special, so why don’t we take a camera and follow your experience as you see what it’s like to break into this Christian music industry scene?"

I said, "Ha! No way. You’re not following me around with a camera," because I really thought he was joking. He said, “Well, I know you don’t like talking to a camera and being followed around, but think about how many people could see your journey and be inspired by that. It could give them hope to follow God’s calling for their lives.”

I said, "Well, when you put it that way, I guess it’s a good idea." Nothing like spiritual pressure. So I said yes, and that South Dakota festival was the start. We filmed the pilot then called up JCTV’s (TBN’s youth-oriented channel) program director and asked if they’d be interested in the show. Kyle has done some work in television before and I think he knew someone that worked there.

They were interested in the show and said when we filmed the pilot, they'd put it into the programming and see if people liked it. So we filmed the pilot at the festival. I interviewed some artists there who have already reached the goal I’m reaching for, and they gave me advice from their perspective.

The pilot was good. We sent it in. They liked the show and said, "Can we start airing it in February?" That was just a few months away, so we asked how many episodes they wanted, and they said "Thirteen."

We filmed 13 episodes, and every episode I talked to a different name artist, which adds to the appeal of the show. Another network (Family Net) picked it up, and now Cloud Ten is going to distribute it. They’re going to put it on more networks, and they’re also putting it in a boxed set of DVDs in stores this August.

As you were interviewing different artists for the episodes, what are some things you learned that surprised you about what you’re facing?

Erica:    I tend to be a very naïve and trusting person. A lot of these artists warned me about people in the Christian music industry who can be deceptive and take advantage of you. That surprised me. I thought that if you’re a Christian, you are who you say you are. But that turns out not to be the case. You have to have a discerning spirit.

You have to research people and companies and make sure they’re viable and trustworthy before you sign a contract with a label, or anything like that.

Who was your favorite interview so far?

Erica:    Probably my favorite one from that festival was Michael Tait from dcTalk. Now he’s the lead singer of Newsboys. One of the most meaningful interviews was with John Schlitt from Petra. He was their lead singer in the 80s and 90s. He’s such Godly man who loves the Lord and loves people and isn’t ashamed to talk about it. He’s a very real person, and I really enjoyed talking with him. He’s also a hero to me. I grew up listening to Petra, so it was very special to talk with him.

When you look ahead and think about possibly a second season, how will it be different?

Erica:    The second will be more of an exploration of a polished performer. The first season, I didn’t know what I was doing, really. I was just meeting people and seeing what’s happening and recording at my own home. I was going to little places and singing for free most of the time.

The second season, I’m a little more established as an artist. I have a better system of touring, and have a network of people that are helping me. Season 2 will possibly include me signing to a label, with everything that goes along with it. I’ll possibly be recording a new album professionally in a studio with a producer, as opposed to recording it at home myself. It’s taking everything a notch up to a new level of professionalism and pursuing a career as a serious recording artist and musician, all the while maintaining integrity as a Christian.

Who or what keeps you grounded in this journey?

Erica:    My husband Kyle. I couldn’t do this without him. God put him in my life not only as a husband, but also as part of a team. We support each other and work together all the time. We travel together. I believe that God put us together for a purpose. Not just to build a family, but to serve and honor Him together. We have similar backgrounds and interests in entertainment and work together on projects all the time. I do music and he does film, but that goes together.

It is a hard road to pursue a music career, but sometimes when I feel like I’m tired of it, or down in the dumps and can’t take it any more, he’s my backbone. He encourages me and reminds me that God called me to do this. He believes in me. I couldn’t do it without him.

When you do work together, how do you organize things so your schedules don’t conflict?

Erica:    With film, the music can be put in later. He can go film a project and I don’t have to be there for that, but it’s worked out so far that we could travel together. But as things progress to bigger levels, I’m going to have to go tour sometimes without him and he won’t be able to go with me. It’s been that way before; he had to fly to South Korea for a project he was working on and I wasn’t able to go with him. That was hard because he was on the other side of the world. But that happens when you’re in the entertainment business and ministry. You have to travel quite a bit, and sometimes different projects are pulling you in different directions.

When you think about the biggest dreams you had as a twelve-year-old, what are some things that are still ahead for you?

Erica:    My dreams are still the same. I’ve always wanted to be a recording artist that does the big concerts, but I wanted to be a ministry-minded artist. So yes, I long for the big crowds, but I also long for the message of my music to be seen and heard by many many people. At the same time, I’m relying on God to take me where I’m supposed to go. If that’s supposed to happen, fine. If not, that’s fine too. Ultimately, it’s about honoring and glorifying God with what I do.

I have always wanted to combine missions with music and take my music to places that don’t necessarily get to hear Christian music or aren’t blessed with a musical experience. I want to give free concerts and a good lasting memory and experience, and invest God into their lives as well. Ultimately, I want to reach the people who can’t be reached.

To me, there’s nothing more exciting than going to a group of people that are hungry for hope and seeing that light on their faces. Nothing compares with that. I’d choose that any day over a concert that brings in half a million dollars.

What are your musical inspirations? You use some diverse topics and styles. Do you have a regular songwriting regimen?

Erica:    When I’m preparing for another album, I’m writing more. If I’m inspired and have a moment where I need to write a song, I’ll sit down and work on it. If I’m not preparing for an album, then I’m touring, so I’m not writing then, but working on perfecting my craft for touring. It comes in seasons.

Right now, I’m the writing season. I just finished a few songs, and I’m not sure if I’m going to write some more for my next album. I’m in discussions about signing with a label, so that will determine what happens next. It’s all really exciting.

The hardest part of being an independent artist is the money. Never knowing financially where you’re going to be is the hardest part of being an independent artist.

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