Alisa Childers
Alisa Childers (born Alisa Noelle Girard, April 17, 1975) is an American singer and songwriter. She is known for being in the all female Christian music group ZOEgirl. She has had a string of top ten radio singles, four studio releases, and received the Dove Award from being with ZOEgirl. In 2020, she was included in the Christian apologetics film American Gospel: Christ Crucified.
Alisa Childers | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Alisa Noelle Girard |
| Born | April 17, 1975 |
| Origin | Pacoima, California |
| Genres | Rock, indie, pop, CCM |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter, worship leader |
| Instruments | Vocals, piano, guitar |
| Years active | 1999–2013 |
| Labels | Sparrow, Vintage Street Music, Calvary Chapel Music |
| Associated acts | ZOEgirl, Girard |
| Website | www |
History
Early years
Born Alisa Noelle Girard to Karen and Christian music pioneer, Chuck Girard of Love Song, she grew up in San Fernando Valley, California. She studied gymnastics and piano at a young age. Childers was very athletic, and was the captain of her high school cheerleading squad and softball team. At the age of 21, she moved to New York and ran a youth center in southeast Manhattan.[1]
ZOEgirl
Childers left New York and moved back to California, where she was contacted by a family friend about starting a group upon return. After a few months, Childers agreed to pursue the idea. She was introduced to Kristin Swinford-Schweain and the two began composing songs. A few months later, Chrissy Conway-Katina joined the group. In 1999, ZOEgirl was signed to Sparrow Records and became one of the fastest-selling debut artist in the record label’s history. While with ZOEgirl, Childers wrote the singles "I Believe", "One Day", "Unchangeable", and "Scream". She toured with many artists including Carman, Newsboys, TobyMac, Avalon, Jump5, and Natalie Grant.[2] In 2002, ZOEgirl won the New Artist of the Year award at the GMA Dove Awards. In 2011, she joined former bandmates Schweain and Katina for a ZOEgirl reunion interview on the Brian Mason Show in Nashville. The group later announced their reunion in 2013 to record a lullaby album, though nothing has materialized as of yet.
Solo career
ZOEgirl stayed together for seven years.[1] Their split was completely amicable and resulted in an ongoing friendship with group members Chrissy Conway-Katina and Kristin Swinford-Schweain.[3] At the end of 2006, Childers started a solo career.[4] Her self-titled album was released on December 1, 2007 under Vintage Street Music. She has finished writing and recording her sophomore effort, Plastic Guns, as of 2009 but has never released the project. Four songs from the album, "All Because You Love Me So", "Go Down Fighting", "From California", and "Plastic Guns" are available on her website as free downloads. In mid-2013, she released two new songs, "The Love of Jesus Christ" and "Until the Storm Blows By", as free downloads online. In late 2015, she provided lead vocals on the song "Ever With Us", which was featured on Grace Chapel Worship's Christmas EP Songs of the Incarnation: Ever With Us.
Girard
Childers started a band with two of her sisters Kristin and Nikki and Kristin's daughters Lauren and Kaitlyn in late 2009 called Girard and they released their self-titled debut album together on April 20, 2011. They released this album independently under Calvary Chapel Music. They did this as a tribute to their father/grandfather Chuck Girard who committed his life to Jesus at Calvary Chapel in 1969. Girard is currently inactive.
Personal life
Alisa is married to Mike Childers, who played drums for ZOEgirl.[2] On October 9, 2008 the couple had their first child together, Dyllan Joi Childers.[5] Mike has two children from a previous marriage. Childers gave birth to a second child, a boy she named Ayden, in August 2011.[6] She is currently an artist in residence at Whitewater Crossing Christian Church in Cleves, Ohio. In 2020, Alisa was featured in the film American Gospel: Christ Crucified and detailed her journey from the Contemporary Christian Music movement to Christian Apologetics and a distinction between progressive Christianity and conservative Christianity.
References
- "Your Music Zone". Archived from the original on 2006-09-24. Retrieved 2006-12-23.
- "Alisa Childers - Official ZOEgirl Website". Archived from the original on March 21, 2005.
- Reconnecting with...Alisa Childers , ChristianMusicPlanet.com
- "The Truth Is". Archived from the original on 2011-05-22. Retrieved 2006-12-23.
- Dyllan Joi Childers, born Oct. 9th Archived 2009-02-07 at the Wayback Machine, Alisa Childers Official MySpace, retrieved October 13, 2008
- "Alisa Childers on MySpace".
