Graduate Spotlight: McAtee finds her artistic voice in Music City
Kim Chaudoin |
Growing up in the wide-open spaces of West Glacier, Montana, Zerita McAtee never imagined that her love for storytelling through music would one day lead her to the heart of Nashville’s music scene.
As McAtee prepares to graduate from Lipscomb University with a Bachelor of Arts in commercial music with an emphasis in songwriting this month, she believes her pathway led her to the best place to pursue a career in music.
When searching for a college home, McAtee said she had found the right place at Lipscomb after only one visit.
“I knew that I needed to come to Nashville to pursue the type of career I wanted,” she said. “During my tour of Lipscomb, I fell in love with it. The campus felt like home, and most importantly, I met with a professor who really convinced me. The faculty members in the School of Music have been the biggest blessing.”
From her earliest days at Lipscomb, McAtee began her music career playing solo sets at writers' rounds and anywhere else she could find a stage on campus and around the city. This gave her an opportunity, she said, to fine-tune not only her performance skills but also to develop and refine her artistic identity.
Her sophomore year marked a significant milestone with the release of her first two singles, The Hearth and Ten Silver Coins. She continued to build on that foundation with Wild Rose, her first EP, released during her junior year. “These were the first two songs I felt were in the style I wanted to do,” recalled McAtee. “They were about my faith, but in the lane of the 70s folk rock music I love. My first two projects are very reflective of my sound at the time as I was performing so much as a solo performer - just me and my guitar.”
Over the last two years as McAtee played more often with her band, her style has moved more into the rock genre.
“This fall I was lucky enough to begin recording my first full rock album at the Sound Emporium Studio for my senior project,” she said. “I am excited to finish my album and continue playing with my band after graduation.”
While McAtee said she enjoys performing back home on familiar stages in Montana, she feels supported at a different level in Nashville.
“In Nashville, you’re almost always playing for other musicians, and I really feel like we lift each other to new levels,” she explained. “There’s a constant striving to be better and a sense of encouragement that you can only get in a musical community like the one in Nashville. The music industry and the workforce were a complete mystery to me (before I came to Lipscomb), and I am now equipped with the knowledge and direction to pursue my music career.”
Following graduation, McAtee plans to remain in Nashville while continuing to work on her first album and playing in various venues around town.
Reflecting on her time at Lipscomb, McAtee said her experience was both artistically enriching and spiritually formative.
“I couldn’t be more grateful for my time at Lipscomb,” she said. “I have been surrounded by the most loving community, and pushed artistically in ways I could never have expected.”
“I was raised in the faith, but have come to know Jesus in a way I didn’t know was possible,” continued McAtee. “By having a well-rounded education on the whole of the Bible from different perspectives, I have gained my own understanding on a level I did not know was possible.”