Jaime Jamgochian: Centered Worshipper
03-10-2008
by Kevan Breitinger
After spending time with Jaime Jamgochian’s Above The Noise, I was not at all surprised to find her as warm and vulnerable as her very focused Centricity sophomore album.
Jaime Jamgochian: Hey Kevan, how are you? Is it raining where you’re at?
CMCentral (Kevan Breitinger): It’s a little gray, but at least it’s not freezing so I’ll take that any day.
I know, it is coming down here, but it really has warmed up.
Are you in Nashville?
Yes, where are you?
I’m in New Jersey, a little bit cooler.
Oh cool! I’m actually from Boston, so I get up to the New York/New Jersey area a lot. We were somewhere in NJ this past November for a Brio Mother/Daughter event. I loved hearing the accents, I miss that (laughing).
I know that you have a big heart for young women. Do you want to tell us a bit about what’s going on with the Girls of Grace Tour?
Yes, I’ve been involved for the past two years, and now we’re kicking off what’s called the Girls of Grace Nation. The first one is Feb. 23rd, heading out from Southlake, Texas, and this year we’re also doing a simulcast. So it’ll go out to 200-300 other churches, being heard by an estimated 20,000 girls total, so we’re very excited about it. It’s an all day event for teen girls. We talk about the real issues girls have to face very day, like self-image, eating disorders, gossip, purity and relationships. I get to lead the worship and it’s a wonderful thing, being with these young people.
That sounds great. I had read a little bit about your “Modest is Hottest” conferences and I thought it sounded like a great work.
Yeah, we were selling those Modest is Hottest T-shirts on the Girls of Grace tour, and it really became much more than a T-shirt. It became something we felt very passionate about, and we have about a dozen Modest is Hottest conferences lined up for this year. It’s very similar to the Girls of Grace events except that it’s all geared toward the realm of purity and modesty.
Do you find that girls are receptive to that message, Jaime?
I really do. You know, I love this job, I love clothes and fashion, but I think there’s still a way to do it while representing that 
we love the Lord and we want to honor Him in the way we carry ourselves. Not just in the way we dress but in the way we talk and the things that we do, and the choices we make. It’s been neat to see the responses to that message.
Sure. It’s encouraging to hear that girls are responsive to such a counter-cultural message.
I didn’t grow up in the church; I didn’t get saved until I was 21. So I present my message like, ‘I’ve made a lot of mistakes, and please learn from these.’ I find that the girls are really receptive to that, rather than just if I said I’ve done everything perfectly my whole life, and this is why you need to be modest.
Yeah, people really do respond to honesty.
Yeah.
I know you got saved while you were attending the Berklee School of Music, which is pretty impressive in itself. Had you always planned on a career in music?
Yeah. When I was about 7 or 8 years old, I developed some severe learning disabilities, and school became really awful for me. I’d get so nervous I’d get really bad migraines. Elementary school had some very rough days for me. But I learned from a little best friend how to play the piano by ear, and finally there was something that came easy to me. So from a very early age I knew music would be something I would always do. Thankfully, every job I’ve ever had has been in music.
I didn’t think it would be Christian music. Through college I sang on cruise lines and did things like that. But when I came to the Lord worship music just became such a big part of my life. But I never thought I’d be singing in churches, ever (laughing), but God’s plans are better than ours.
That’s so funny, because one of the things that struck me the most in listening to Above The Noise is how powerfully these songs will resound in congregations.
Oh, I hope so. I’m so happy to hear you say that. I’ve been singing some of them in public now, like “God Unchanging” and “Sing of Our God,” and they seem to be going over really well in worship settings. That’s my prayer. More than a concert, to lead people in worship and have them join in with us is my joy.
Is that the ministry that you enjoy the most, Jaime?
It really is. I don’t want to come across like I don’t like to do concerts because that’s a neat spot for me to share my testimony. But I find such power in coming together corporately, in taking our eyes off of ourselves, and off of the performer, in really coming together and worshipping God. Whether you’re in the middle of a crisis or having questions and doubts, or if you’re on that mountain-top with Jesus, I think there’s a lot of hope and healing that takes place in the presence of God. What greater way to do that than worshipping Him? So I’m a huge advocate for getting into the presence of God. I love to try to facilitate a hopefully great time of worshipping Him.
It really comes across strongly on Above The Noise. I was especially moved by “For You,” by the way it cuts right to the heart of our motives and the reality of our worship. It really ministered to me.
Oh, I’m so glad to hear that! You’re always so vulnerable when you put out a record, and you wonder if people will like the songs, or what they will think. We did some things production wise that may make it more attractive to youth, but you don’t want to lose the older generation either. So thank you for that encouragement today.
No, I’m like you, I’m a worshipper. It all takes place for me in that little center of worship before God, and giving Him opportunity to do what needs to be done in my heart. There were a number of tracks that impacted me that way.
Well, “For You” is my favorite song, so that’s really neat to hear.
I thought the whole album came across as very intimate. Is it a very personal expression for you?
It really was. I got really sick in Peru this summer while I was doing a missions trip with tons of teenage girls. When I got back I had to get right in the studio and write the new album. I’d remember waking up and feeling completely unable to even get out of bed, but I knew if I didn’t get to that studio we wouldn’t get the record out in time. I remember laying there thinking, “God, this has got to be You.”
It was a neat time of sensing that this is God’s project, because when I am weak, He is strong. Some days I had to sit on a stool to record the vocals, which you never do. But I knew God was with me, and it made it a very personal record and for me a time of real spiritual growth. I really recognized that it’s not me, it’s only God through us that gives us any strength. It was neat for me to learn that I don’t need to lean on talent or skills or any of that, I just need to lean on Him. He can get me through anything, even a terrible parasite from Peru (laughing).
A lot of it reminded me of Twila Paris. Several songs brought her to mind, but the second track especially, “God Unchanging.” I thought oh, that’s so Twila, in the epic perspective of God and in its simple power.
Thank you.
Is she one of your worship heroes?
Yes, I love her writing, I love her voice. I’ve seen her live and I loved that too. Even if it has a concert feel it always ends up being a time of worship, which I love. I don’t know her personally but I’ve heard many people comment on the light of the Lord shining through her. She’s definitely someone I look up to, even though we’ve never met.
Well, I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed the album and speaking with you as well, Jaime.
Is this what you do every day, get on the phone and talk with musicians about their albums?
Yes, I’m so blessed, I really am.
Yes, and you get to review them, so you get everyone’s CDs before everyone else. That’s so cool!
That is cool, but the thing that I like the most about it is that practically all of the people I speak with are so sincere. It really lifts my spirits. We live in such a jaded world, and the church can be such a mess, so it always lifts me up talking with people who love God so much. Especially with people who are really young and are driven by their passion for God.
Oh, God has called you to a very neat job and it sounds like you’ve been created just to do that. You’ve really encouraged me this morning , thank you.
Wow, I’m glad to hear that, sister. I hope you have a great day, and thanks again for your time, Jaime.
You, too. Enjoy this rainy, misty day. Bye.
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