Get to Know Katy Nichole
Written by G Njuguna on October 27, 2023
As we do every Friday, we get to know Katy Nichole.
“If I had one thing that I could say to people, it’s that God is a God of healing.”
Singer/songwriter Katy Nichole doesn’t make this statement lightly. She’s experienced supernatural healing in her own life. And her unwavering belief in God’s ability to heal and the power of prayer have swiftly turned her into a viral sensation thanks to her debut single, “In Jesus Name (God of Possible),” now sound-tracking millions of personal stories on TikTok and Instagram. The song, however, finds its genesis in Katy’s own narrative — a miraculous story of suffering, hope, and ultimately, healing.
Long before TikTok was even a social platform, Katy Nichole was singing in her church choir. By 14, she was writing songs and leading worship. “My earliest memories of feeling the Lord’s presence were when I was singing and when I had a song in my heart,” Katy recalls. “Singing has always been that place for me where I’m at my best — it’s the best feeling ever.”
Despite her natural gifting and obvious passion for the art form, Katy headed to college thinking she would pursue a profession in the medical field, content to allow music to remain a hobby. “Funny enough, after being certified as a medical assistant, doors started to close in that area; and they started to open in music. I began to think, OK, God, I think You see something different than what I wanted for my own life,” Katy says. “I think our desires are sometimes different than what God has planned for us. A lot of times, we’ll think it’s going to be a certain way, and then God’s like, ‘Nope, this story is going to look a little different.’”
Katy’s journey to a recording contract — one of those open doors — also looks different than most. Her relationship with both music and God is inextricably intertwined with her path to health and wholeness. “For three years, I was in excruciating pain every single day,” the budding artist reveals. “And no one could tell me why.”
As we write about her she has 3 albums to her name
Eventually diagnosed with scoliosis, Katy underwent surgery when she was 15 to straighten her spine. Yet, the debilitating pain persisted. “I was in so much pain that I couldn’t even get out of bed in the morning,” she confesses. To pass the time, Katy tried her hand at writing pop music on her ukulele — the first instrument she ever learned to play.
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Upset over the persistent pain experienced post-surgery, the bedridden teen was sent into a mental and emotional spiral. “Depression just took over like a smoke cloud,” she shares. “At one point, I looked at a bottle of pills I was given, and I was like, ‘It would be that easy.’ But I remember picking it up, and I heard the voice of God say, ‘Hold on. I’m not done yet.’ Every time I would hit that low point, I would hear that same voice.”
At the advice of a new doctor, Katy went back in for an operation to essentially remove the metal rods and screws that had been placed in her back to correct her scoliosis. “I go into the second surgery, and I come out of it, and that smoke cloud was gone. I encountered the Lord in that moment,” Katy remembers. “When I got my X-rays after surgery, my spine was actually straighter than when the rods had been in it. So when I say that God can do miracles, I mean it, because I’ve seen it.”
Her condition has also emboldened her to be an advocate for others facing health challenges. She’s served as both an ambassador for the Shriners Hospitals for Children and as a volunteer for Musicians On Call. Her healing, following her second surgery, however, did more than simply give her empathy for others; it gave her a new direction for her music — and her life.
“I stopped writing pop music and started writing to the One who has inspired me,” Katy shares. “I realized my songs were way better when Jesus was included.”
