Stacie Orrico

Stacie Joy Orrico was born on March 3, 1986 in Seattle, Washington. She was the daughter of Dean and Patti Orrico, two Christian missionaries, and she was the middle child of five in an Italian-American family. Stacie has lived in Ukraine, Colorado, Hawaii, Tennessee, and Washington. At an early age, Stacie was influenced by various different musical genres. She grew up singing hymns at her church and with her family, and was active in many different choirs. She learned piano at an early age, and “wrote” her first song at age six.

When Stacie was seven, her parents took their family overseas to Ukraine for their missionary work. A seven year-old Stacie helped a local hospital with orphans that had tuberculosis. The house that Stacie lived at had no hot water. “We took freezing cold showers,” Stacie says. “It was so cold that when you put your head under the water, it would give you a headache.” The experience “taught [her] that no matter what a person’s background is, no matter what language they speak, there are common bonds between people, certain things we can all relate to.”

Stacie’s talented parents received numerous missionary opportunities, and the family moved often. After living in Ukraine for a year, Stacie’s family moved to Denver, Colorado. Stacie continued school and sang in her church’s choir. “I was the little white girl singing in the all-African American gospel choir,” she recalls. “People would come up to my parents and be like, ‘This girl can sing. She's got soul.’”

Stacie was discovered when she was only twelve years old. In 1998, she attended a music seminar and wound up entering a singing competition as a joke. She won and an executive from a Christian music label offered her a record deal right away. “The record deal just sort of fell into my lap,” she says. “I mean, my big goal at that age was to, like, have my own locker, and not have to share.”

Stacie released her debut album at age fourteen. The album was titled Genuine, and fans loved it. It sold over 13,000 copies in the first week, the highest debut week sales ever for a female Christian artist. The album contained Stacie’s first hit single "Don't Look At Me" which topped Christian charts for ten consecutive weeks. The album had two #1 hits as well as three more Top Ten singles. Genuine has sold over half a million copies, which makes the album certified gold.

Shortly after Stacie’s album was released, Destiny’s Child asked her to support them on their tour. “The girls just happened to be into gospel music; they heard what I was doing and wanted to help me out,” Stacie says.

Stacie released her first album with Virgin Records in 2003. The album was titled Stacie Orrico, and it gave Stacie two Top Ten singles with the songs “(There’s Gotta Be) More To Life” and “Stuck”. The album debuted on the Billboard Top 200 at #67. The album sold over 2.5 million copies worldwide.

Stacie hit the road to promote her new album, traveling to a new country every three days and doing interviews from seven in the morning to 11 at night. She had never attended a day of high school, never went to her prom, and missed all of her family’s vacations. “It just got to a point where I was getting more and more exhausted,” she remembers. “I started to think, I didn’t fight for this. I didn’t go knocking on people’s doors for a record deal. Now my whole identity is completely wrapped up in the music industry. I had no life outside of it — no foundation beneath it to support me. It was time to decide whether a music career was really what I wanted to do.”

Above: Stacie recently toured Germany and Japan

Stacie realized that it was time for a break. She decided to join her family in Seattle, and got a job in a restaurant with her best friend, making $7.50 an hour at a seafood restaurant. “I just wanted to do something normal,” she says. “We had to wear these hideous outfits — ties and below-the-knee skirts, white tights, and navy shoes. I loved it.” The break helped Stacie build a support system from family and friends, and Stacie considered going back and making music again. “I finally started to realize that music is what I love — it is what I’m passionate about,” she says. “For me, it’s more than just making records — it’s a form of communication: telling stories and sharing experiences. When I was too exhausted and detached from myself to make that personal connection with people, I lost my enthusiasm for it.” As Stacie began to write songs again, her desire to make records returned. “Now I’m more excited about my career than I've ever been. It’s no longer something that just fell into my lap, but a conscious choice that I've made to continue.”

Stacie’s new album, which was released August 15th, is a soulful mix of songs. The album is titled Beautiful Awakening, and tells the story of Stacie’s journey, which has landed her where she is today. “The new songs reflect a time that is really joyful and where love has been a part of my life,” Stacie says. “It’s definitely a peaceful record. I wanted to make an album that you would want to put on while you’re sitting in your bedroom after a long day. I wanted it to have songs that I could sing accompanied by just an acoustic guitar.”

Stacie says the topics, which range from break-up songs, to romantic ballads, to a celebration of family, “reflect a time that is really joyful and where love has been a part of my life. Whereas in the past my music arose from a place that was a lot rougher emotionally.” Stacie co-wrote the majority of the album.

Stacie is also very eager to go on tour and to perform. But don’t expect ten dancers onstage and 50 costume changes for Stacie. “That’s not what I’m about,” she says. “You’re not going to see me jumping around onstage to pre-recorded tracks. Really I feel like I’m launching a new career. I want to perform soul music. That is what rings true to me. And truth, honesty, and vulnerability always rise to the top.”