Conversations with Stephanie Haavik

Today we’d like to introduce you to Stephanie Haavik.

Hi Stephanie, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I believe I was born with a deep love for music and rhythm. My grandmother loved telling me the story of how once, when I was barely 6 months old, she was holding me on her hip while shopping, and the cashier could hardly believe her ears as she recognized the tune I was humming, Jesus Loves Me. I love that that song was the first I ever sang, and the first song I sang on the little church stage with my sister when I was two.

My dad passed away from a very aggressive form of cancer at the age of twenty-six when I was six weeks old. As a child, I used to listen to cassette tapes that had recordings of him singing and playing his guitar. He had a smooth, baritone voice that I could listen to for hours, but I didn’t in order to not wear out the tape. I wish I knew where those tapes are now. When I was 12, I was given my first guitar and my dad’s old book of guitar chords and there, my love of writing music began.

I grew up on the mission field, which helped shape my love for people, an appreciation of other cultures, and really, just a desire to travel to as many places as possible. Thankfully my husband, Tore, whom I met while living in Jamaica, loves to travel as much as I do. I mention this part of my life because it is such a huge part of who I am. I was born in East Texas and spent the first ten years of my life there. I then spent six years in Jamaica, fourteen in Norway, and various amounts of time traveling in Asia and Africa. These travels made a lasting impression on my life. (Shameless plug, my husband wrote a book called To the Ends of the Earth about his adventures in China.)

Wherever I went, the guitar and the writing came with me. My very first experience in a recording studio was in Zambia when I was fourteen. I was there with a team of young people to build a school from the ground up. Honestly, I have no idea how it happened, but within three days I was co-writing songs with a local artist and was given permission to join her at a recording studio every day that week. I felt slightly guilty that I got to spend my days recording original music while all of my friends were mixing and pouring concrete, but not guilty enough to say no.

And then, normal life happened. I got married to my best friend and love of my life, we had three kids, worked various normal jobs, and lived a relatively normal life. It was a beautiful time. There was pain, but there was so much beauty. And I was growing, I was changing, I was becoming the woman I was always meant to be. I’m still becoming her. And here I am now with my Norwegian husband and Norwegian kids (found out recently that I myself am a whole 3% Norwegian through a DNA test) not only still writing music but releasing it! It wasn’t time before but it is time now.

In addition to releasing music, I have had the joy of being a part of the Maverick City Choir since January 2020. Through the Maverick City Choir I have not only been able to experience some incredible things, like singing with Crowder at the 2021 K-Love Awards at the Grand Ole Opry (am still pinching myself over that one), but I have made lifelong friends who are family to me. I am blessed and humbled to be surrounded by so many talented people who are on this journey right along with me.

Needless to say, the 1.5-hour drive to Nashville has become second nature to me. I record at Gnome Studios and have loved every bit of my time there. I am working hard with my incredible producer, Bryant Urich, who is also a member of the band, Eauclaire. We’ll be releasing my first EP, Posture, which will consist of six songs, four of which will be released as singles. The first single to be released from the project is Prodigal, set to release on April 22, 2022. We are so excited!

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has definitely not always been easy getting to where I am today. Life likes to throw some fast curve balls out of nowhere. We can try to not get hit, but more often than not they get us in the gut, knocking the breath out of us. My biggest and most consistent struggle has been loss. It began with my dad and by the time I was twelve the death of people who were very close to me, some through sickness and some through weird tragedies, seemed to be a normal occurrence. I began putting up some major emotional walls as a teenager, subconsciously trying to keep myself from hurting. Being vulnerable in front of others was almost impossible for me, and even now, well into my adulthood, I have to be intentional about opening up. The truth is, we all have stories to tell, we’ve all walked through fire. Our stories, our struggles and our victories have the ability to be a message of hope to someone else.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Thank you so much! I rarely call myself an artist. First and foremost I am a worshipper. One of my favorite things to do is lead worship at my home church, Bcoming Church, in Decatur, AL. I also love to travel and lead worship and see myself doing even more of that. As I am getting ready to release more music I realize my dreams may be different than other artists. I am not focused on having sold-out concerts, people knowing who I am, or ‘making it big’. I want people to know who He is. My priority is that every song released and not released moves the heart of Jesus.

These songs were written with love, vulnerability, pain, and joy. I was blessed enough to have incredible talented people to help with this project and I am still wrapping my head around it. When you hear each instrument, lyric, and melody I hope you feel what I feel. It is my prayer that these songs bring hope, joy, comfort, and light to every single person that listens.

Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
When I am not writing and recording or traveling, I am singing at my home church or for events. If you are interested in booking me you can do that through A&A Production Studios (the link is found on my linktree site). Serving at events helps to fund the release of music, and I want to release so much more when the time is right. A great way to support me is follow me on spotify so that you are the first to know when new music is released.

Lastly, I just want to say thank you to all who already support me in so many ways. Because of you I get to do what I do and I am so grateful.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.stephaniehaavik.com
• Other: linktr.ee/haavikstephanie

Image Credits
Christy Carter and Joanna Schley