Nicole Mullen has a very successful international career, multiple Grammy Award nomination and one of the best known voices in Gospel music. Yet, she best describes herself as an everyday person. "Everyday people," also happens to be the title of one of her albums. Nicole says, "If you look in Scripture you find that God uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things. He didn’t call extraordinary people to do extraordinary things, but He takes the commoner, He takes the regular, and then He breathes upon it, and He does something spectacular. It is just my way of saying, "I am everyday," and if you see any success in it, it really is the hand of the Lord. If somehow, you find yourself being the same way, then you are a perfect candidate for Jesus Christ to use also."
Nicole Mullen’s song "Redeemer," is an all time favorite. Is there any track in her upcoming album, "Everyday People," which she thinks can surpass "Redeemer"?
Nicole says, "I guess it’s up to the people to decide. They are all my babies. "Redeemer’s" my baby, "Call on Jesus," is my baby, "I Am" is one of my babies, "Brianna" is one of my babies. These are songs that have been birthed from different experiences or different things that I have gone through. They all mean something to me and at different times in life, they speak to me. I guess for other individuals, they have to decide what favorite child of mine is their favorite."
"Everyday People" is an eclectic mix of music styles: Hip-Hop, Rap, R&B, contemporary Christian and Nicole says the combination is a reflection of her Personality and the circumstances surrounding the production of the album. "It was not a conscious effort, the songs just started coming. The conglomeration came because I’ve met so many neat people around the world, from Kenya to Uganda to Michigan to Ohio to Florida to – everywhere I have gone, I have met great interesting people. They are the everyday heroes, the people I wanted to write about."
Nicole Mullen is an artist who has a heart for the down and out, the ordinary people. She is working right now, with a group in Ghana, "The Tracosies." Nicole talks about her involvement with the group, "There are these witch doctors in Ghana, who come into a community and say to them, "Your ancestors have transgressed and the only way to redeem yourselves is to donate one of your virgin girls." So the family will give up their 5, 6, 7-year-old girl to this Fetish priest and for the rest of her life, she becomes his property. He can rape her and do whatever he wants with her, he has no obligations, whatsoever towards her. He doesn’t have to feed her, he doesn’t clothe her, nothing. It is up to the family to provide for her and if they don’t, then she just lacks."
"An organization called the "I Am Network," has gone in and negotiated with the priests so that after the initiation ceremony, these young women are released to the I Am Network, who teach them trades, how to sew, how to cook, how to make different things so that they can economically provide for themselves."
"Most of all, most of these women when they are presented the Gospel of Jesus Christ, after their physical needs have been met, give Him their lives. There has been a great turn out and likewise a great turn around in the lives of the women. It is an excellent organization and I would definitely urge people to get involved."
Nicole Mullen’s passion for Africa is strong, she often talks about the continent and even sang about it in one of here songs. She says it’s al about, "the beauty of the people, the land, the culture, and just the whole kingdom. What I saw when I went there last year was that whether they are rich or poor, the poor are rich in Christ. I saw kids that knew Christ in a way I have never known Him. They have seen the face of Christ in a way I have never seen Him. They have faith that I can only dream about. I thought I was going to go to Africa and bring them back with me in my suitcase. When I came back, I wanted to send my kids over there. I was just so honored to have roots there, to be able to say, these too are my people, this is where, a long time ago, we were taken, but today I can come back and bring you back free. I was honored and I love Africa."
What is next for Nicole Mullen? "Just taking what I do on the road and around the world," she says. "Being the person God has called me to be. I’m a wife and a mother, and I love doing that. At the same time I love people, I love touching lives of people, I love young people, and I love young girls. I love helping them become who God has called them to be. It’s a passion of mine. Whatever it is that God calls me to do, I want to be willing, and I want to do that. "
