Jaime Masetta has been singing since her early childhood. For the majority of her life she dreamed of performing on Broadway and attending college to study musical theatre. She remained in that mindset until the end of her high school junior year, when she had finally accepted God’s merciless call to pursue Christian music ministry. Jaime will release her studio EP on March 14, 2020. We asked Jaime to do this new artist spotlight with us as a way to introduce this young new artist to CCMmagazine.com fans.

Artist Name:
Jaime Masetta

Age:
18

Genres:
Contemporary Christian

Hometown:
Hudson, Ohio

Label:
TMA Media Group

Hobbies/Interests Apart from Music:
Dancing, painting, reading, hanging out with family and friends, and playing with my dogs

Last Netflix Binge:
The Vampire Diaries

Musical Influences:
Elevation Worship, Sleeping at Last, Audrey Assad, Lauren Daigle

Very First Musical Purchase:
A baby grand piano

CCM: If you had only five words to describe your new album, it would be…?
Powerful, Inspiring, Profound, Encouraging, and Hopeful

CCM: Do you have a favorite song from the new album? Why?
My favorite is definitely “A Letter Before I Go.” This song is by far the most personal out of all the songs because it is specifically about my family. It’s a thank you and a goodbye as I leave to begin my independent life in college. It was the most emotional song to write and I have just grown to love it so much.

CCM: What led you to pursue a career or ministry in music?
I actually wanted to pursue musical theatre until my junior year of high school. Around the end of my sophomore year, I started singing and playing piano in my youth group band at my church. At the time, I thought it was just another performance. I learned that it was so much more and it became a huge passion and helped me come to realize what God’s real plan was for me.

CCM: Do you remember that moment when you realized you wanted to make an actual career out of music?
I do! There was one Sunday where I sang praise and worship for Eucharistic Adoration with my youth group. Afterwards, so many people came up to me and said that the Holy Spirit was within me and that the music moved them in a beautiful, spiritual way. It was crazy for me to hear something like that and I almost didn’t feel like it was real. The next day, I was talking with my mom and she said I should think about pursuing music ministry. That sparked a lot of thought for me because my mom was really enthusiastic about the musical theatre route. I went to adoration that night and prayed and I felt this immense calling to pursue music ministry. That was when I knew I was going towards what God had planned for me.

CCM: What are your hopes for the new project?
I really hope that this project reaches as many people as possible. I spent a lot of time and prayer over these songs to figure out what God wanted me to say in them. This project is for everyone. Whether they feel lost and out of place or happy with where they are in life. I really hope that it can speak of God’s love and mercy in a beautiful way. I want people to see themselves the way God sees them through this project. My goal is to prove to everyone that God loves them no matter who they are or where they have been. There is always hope.

CCM: If you could potentially tour with any other artist or band (that you haven’t already), who would you choose and why?
I would love to tour with Elevation Worship. They’re songs are incredible and they produce such a beautiful and profound message. When they perform they are not performing for themselves. They are performing as servants and leaders for Christ and it is so incredible to see and hear. If I was able to tour with them I feel like I would learn so much about myself and my faith and how to lead others towards God so beautifully through music.

CCM: What was the last song you listened to on your playlist or stereo?
“Heroes” by David Bowie

CCM: What was the last book you read?
The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks

CCM: If you could tell the world about another artist/band to check out, who would it be?
It would absolutely be Sleeping at Last because he writes such beautiful songs. They are these incredible works of art and he puts his whole heart into what he writes. His music speaks to so many people and it’s just amazing to listen to.

CCM: What has been interesting to you musically lately? Perhaps something new to you in terms of listening habits or influences?
Recently, I have been listening to one song repeatedly to make sure that I hear every detail. Sometimes, I will listen to one specific instrument or just the lyrics. It’s really interesting and helps me to gain a better understanding of how to write good music!

CCM: Name a song that you wish you’d written (and why).
Definitely “Do It Again” by Elevation Worship. This song does absolutely everything right lyrically and musically and it’s so powerful to listen to and experience.

CCM: How did you arrive at the name of your new album?
I was going through the songs and trying to find a potential order for them when I realized each song is like a stage of someone’s faith life.

CCM: What can listeners expect in terms of the sound, style and lyrics?
This album has a very similar style to most Contemporary Christian artists. It has a major praise and worship vibe. The goal was to make it feel personal and intimate as well as spiritual.

CCM: What was the songwriting process like on this record?
I had a really hard time with words so I would go to a piano and make up as many melodies and instrumentals as possible. Then I would pray and journal and write down whatever came to my mind. I put the two aspects together and made a lot of “rough draft” songs. I edited quite a bit with my producer until we got them where we wanted them to be!

CCM: Are there any underlying themes or threads that tie this project together?
Each song is kind of its own theme. “Heal Me” is about pleading to Christ for healing and support. “Move You” is God’s answer to the prayers he has been receiving. “Most High God” is all about the beautiful imagery of God and adoring Him. Lastly, “A Letter Before I Go” is about family and love. In a way, this is a whole process of one being lost and finding themselves with Christ and becoming who they needed to be for their loved ones.

CCM: How important is your faith or spirituality within your music?
It is the top priority for me. If I don’t have my faith, I feel asif I don’t have anything to write about. Sure, I could write about relationships and life itself, but it is so much more fulfilling for me to write about God. If I’m in a rut with my faith, it is so much harder for me to write songs because it doesn’t really feel like I’m writing from my heart. It’s almost like loving the idea of something but not loving the actual thing. I can’t write good, fulfilling songs without having the foundation of them, which is my faith.

CCM: What message do you hope listeners will take away from your music, regardless of what they believe?
My entire mission statement is to help people realize that they are loved no matter who they are, where they are from, or what they believe. Even if someone who doesn’t have any beliefs listen to my album, I want them to receive love from it. It’s all about hope and love in this album. Whether or not someone believes in God, they should know that they are loved and cherished by the people around them. So many people feel as if they are not accepted into the church. I really want this album to show them that that isn’t the truth.

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