By Movieguide® Staff
Worship artist Abbie Gamboa never planned on her musical success.
“I didn’t know what the heck I was doing,” she told Relevant Magazine of her early days leading worship. “I didn’t know how to lead a room.”
However, Gamboa was encouraged by mentors who guided her as a leader and musician.
“It honestly feels like the kindness of God,” she shared. “The people He put in my life to teach me and be patient with me.”
Gamboa began working at Dallas’ Upperroom, and soon, recordings of her and the rest of the worship team’s performances began going viral.
“Meanwhile, we’re all working nine-to-five normal jobs,” she laughed. “This is not our full-time deal at all.”
Related: Forrest Frank Responds to Jelly Roll’s Question About Money, Music and Jesus
Eventually, she and her husband Gabe “took the leap” and had Gamboa focus on music full time. It paid off — she now has over two million monthly listeners on Spotify, with tracks like “At The Altar” and “Center” earning millions of streams.
“It does get tricky,” Gamboa said of her success. “Music royalties, events that we’re getting paid for, that is what’s paying our bills now.”
She admitted that she’s still trying to figure out how to handle her musical success with what she wants out of life — “to be in a house with a piano and my kids” — but is working to find “quiet moments” of reflection that remind her why she’s doing this.
“I don’t want to bury what’s set in front of me,” Gamboa said. “I want to steward it well.”
Gamboa isn’t the only worship artist who has expressed reluctance about becoming famous for leading worship.
In an Instagram video posted last year, Christian artist Forrest Frank shared with fans that he would not attend any music awards ceremonies.
“I’m convicted, personally, that a line that I can draw is that I will not receive a trophy for something that is from Jesus, and for Jesus, and I was wrestling with this last year,” he said. “I hope to be an example to the youth that the trophy is our salvation. The trophy is that my name is listed in the book of life and I get to have eternal life. What good is a piece of metal going to do.”
Former country star Granger Smith has also shared why he chose to leave the music industry, pointing to his own pride as a problem.
“The real reason was it was a sin for me because I was exalting myself, and I don’t think there’s any other way around it,” Smith said. “It’s very difficult for that person [onstage] not to start thinking highly of themselves in that way, and there is corruption that follows.”
He added, “It’s that disease of pride. It just starts carving away the very essence of what makes you human. Humans are not made to be worshiped in any way.”
While worship music is an important component of faith for many, artists like Gamboa are making sure to focus on God over worldly success.
Read Next: Why This Former Country Star Wants to ‘Humiliate Myself’
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