Christian Showcase 2016: Erin Jamieson

After taking a break from performing to focus on school and songwriting, senior Erin Jamieson is excited to step back on stage at the annual Christian Showcase and make the most of her last few months at Belmont.

Jamieson is a songwriting major from Minnesota who started writing songs when she was just 9 years old. Once she started writing, she never thought about doing anything else.

“We had a friend who’s a songwriter in Nashville, and in seventh grade my mom asked him where I should go to school if I wanted to be a songwriter. He said, ‘Belmont’s the only place to go,’ and that night I decided that I was going to Belmont and I never looked back,” Jamieson said.

In high school, Jamieson went on tour in Minnesota and Missouri, doing about 10 shows in three months.

“It was a really fun experience. I was really able to share my music with people in that kind of setting. It was so encouraging to see how my music could connect people who were total strangers,” she said.

After coming to Belmont and watching a showcase, she knew she wanted to be a part of one someday but was too intimidated. After three years, she decided she wanted to give it a shot.

“I’ve never done anything like this before. I put together some demos and got together a band. It’s been kind of a long time coming for me,” she said.

She is very excited to get back onstage and show her songs to people again.

Even though her love for Belmont and Nashville is strong, Jamieson plans to attend a discipleship or ministry school in California after she graduates.

She has her eyes out for Bethel University in Redding, California, where the popular worship group, Bethel Music, was formed. She plans on being a worship leader as well as a singer/songwriter, and she hopes to get some training on worship leading.

Jamieson hopes to inspire young songwriters, and she has a bit of advice for them. “Write all the time, write about everything. Stretch your vocabulary and show people your music. Get used to receiving criticism, and don’t be afraid to ask people to tell you what they think. It really helps you grow as a writer,” she said.

The 2016 Christian Showcase is on Saturday in the Curb Event Center. Admission is free.

This article was written by Caroline Baugher. Photo by Chloe Hall.