ICONIC Mar/Apr 2017 | Page 14

NEW trust fall

Jaci Velasquez lays it all on the line by Melissa Riddle Chalos
For more than half her life , multi-platinum-selling , Grammy nominated artist Jaci Velasquez has pursued an entertainer ’ s dream , recording albums in English and Spanish and performing on stages around the world . From her debut at age 16 , she has leaned full-throttle into her God-given gifts , racking up 16 No . 1 hits , penning three books , acting in seven films , gracing 50 magazine covers and launching a non-profit clothing line .
But the dream has seen its share of soul-searching questions , loves and losses , enough to bring any young woman to her knees . And just as the lyric of her 2006 hit “ On My Knees ” predicted , she has learned , in laughter or in pain , to survive . Her survival is built on trust . “ I may not know what to do or what the future holds ,” she says , “ but I trust that God does .”
Set for international release on March 31 , Trust marks several firsts for Velasquez , a Dove Award winner and Billboard Latin Music Award winner with five Spanish albums to her credit . Not only is it her first album in over five years , her first worship album and her first project with Integrity Music , this 18th recording is the first simultaneously released in both English ( Trust ) and Spanish ( Confío ).
Produced by David Leonard ( All Sons & Daughters ) and Chris Bevins ( Salvador , Phillips , Craig & Dean ), Trust finds Velasquez taking a decidedly vertical turn , exploring new territory where her faith has been bolstered through seasons of uncertainty that led to a place of complete trust .
14 PAGE | ICONIC MAGAZINE