Candice Eden is an author/singer/songwriter who has lived life with the motto “Music and Writing must have LIFE!” since childhood. Processing through trauma stemming from rape, bullying, insecurity, her divorce, and lack of a present father-figure, she decided to pursue a dream of writing books as well as creating songs to incite change in everyday lives. Over the span of 20 years, her writing and vocal performances have opened up the doors to speak into the lives of men, women, and youth in the United States and U.K., who felt insignificant and worthless. “If you are living and breathing this very second, you mean something, and, are so full of purpose!” It is with this motto that Candice is committed to continuing to produce works that will inspire transformation and spark freedom through writing, speech and song. Get familiar with our latest author spotlight below.
Arnya: How would you describe your swagher?
Candice: Corny confidence! I fully embrace my nerdy lameness and love that about myself!
Arnya: When did you first find your voice in music and expression in writing?
Candice: Well, according to my mother, I exhibited an ear for music at the age of two, and writing in first grade when I wrote a children’s book when we lived in Germany. I didn’t start actually writing music until my early 20’s, and my first published book didn’t come about “on paper” until I was 32- years old.
Arnya: What made you want to tell your story?
Candice: I’ve always known I’ve had something to say that needed to be said. The call to speak truth and assist in facilitating healing to people who were lost, has been weighty on my life since I was a child.
Arnya: Did something happen in your life that caused you to say, I have to tell my story?
Candice: One instance that carried over into my relationships was the victimization of being raped in college. I thought Time would heal the physical, sexual, and emotional assault that happened that night, but I hadn’t done the work to assist Time in piecing me back together. So many other things happened in my life that have also happened to so many others, yet, I was noticing that folks with my story weren’t really dealing with the fallout of their traumatic experiences. I also saw an influx of fatherlessness and broken relationships which seemed to go hand in hand in my mother’s life and then my own life, and I didn’t want the cycle to continue on to my daughter. With that said, it was important to face the giants from the past and deal with them head on, so that I could overcome and in turn teach others the same.Â
Arnya: When speaking to groups, what is the most important thing you like to get across to your audience?
Candice: Relevance. Every soul alive today is relevant and society’s standards are not the determining factor of significance.
Arnya: I am sure your book “Holding My Peace†was an emotional journey back in time. In writing it, what made you say, “I want to be as authentic as possible�
Candice: I have always been very candid in my everyday life, because I don’t believe it serves anyone any purpose to sugarcoat or put little pretty bows on certain things to make them easier to swallow. I have learned that while it’s important to be mindful and discerning of what parts of your story you tell when speaking the truth, that doesn’t mean to modify pieces to make anyone feel better about it. Truth pierces and can hurt badly, yet at that point of impact, the opportunity to mend is born. I’ve found that people appreciate and recognize authenticity and have said that it is truly what made a difference in their situations.
Arnya: What do you tell people that feel hopeless?
Candice: “This too shall pass.†Hardships all have an expiration date, and many times it is up to us to decide when that date will be. You are not, nor have you ever been alone, and your existence is so pertinent to this season. Look for the lights THROUGHOUT the tunnel not just at the end of it!
Arnya: Did you have to explain to your family your reasons for wanting to write this book?
Candice: Yes and no. My family actually hasn’t been that excited about the book due to some sensitive topics, and I had to make sure they knew it wasn’t in any way to expose their shortcomings or hurt them, but to inspire those who feel as if they are alone in their experiences.
Arnya: Was your mom understanding of the details that you shared about your childhood?
Candice: Not at first, and for a while it was a sore subject. So I had to stop giving her updates as I progressed, because I could tell she had some reservations about what I may or may not be writing. She felt that my memories may have been different from her memories of what actually occurred, and she also felt I would be blaming or accusing her of failing me.Â
Arnya: How did reading the book make her feel?
Candice: She said she was heartbroken. She had to process for several days before she even gave me her thoughts on the content, because she had no idea I had felt a certain way throughout my life. She also didn’t know a lot of what I had gone through because I hadn’t ever told her.
Arnya: When did you say, this has to stop and I need my peace?
Candice: I think God showed me that I couldn’t keep functioning in the same way, because I was seeing a repeat of situations in different people over and over and never understanding why. One of my “aha!†moments was when my ex-husband started exhibiting obvious mental instability that I had noticed before we married but overlooked in order to go through with the marriage. It was at that moment that I knew some things within me had to change all across the board.
Arnya: Why gospel, why not R&B music?
Candice: Actually, I was pursuing R&B for a few years, but the call of God has been so strong on my life that I knew there was no way I’d ever be fulfilled making music outside of ministry of the Gospel of Jesus. I had many opportunities to do some pretty cool things in R&B, but in doing so, there were stipulations that were presented to me that would have gone against my morals and beliefs. So I could never really move around in R&B like many others have. Beyond that, I could never walk through several doors that opened for me there, almost as if God was stopping anything outside of Him from progressing. Though I didn’t appreciate it then, I am so grateful for those “stop signs” now.
Arnya: Did I leave anything out that, you may want our audience to know about who you are?
Candice: My heart is for the Lord first and foremost, and my love for Him encompasses everything I do, and in that, people look at me and may want to box me into a certain sound, or image, or platform. In a nutshell, I’d like to be allowed to be a multi-faceted artist, writer, speaker and to be able to create whatever the Lord gives me and for that to be okay. Don’t place me in a cookie cutter mold, because I’ll never come out right lol!
Arnya: Where does your peace come from?
Candice: Prayer and meditation in the Lord as well as the word of God. There is nothing like the presence of a loving and powerful God who wants nothing more but to have a living, breathing, dynamic relationship with me.
Arnya: How did you find your purpose?
Candice: Have I found it?! I’m still walking out my purpose every day and will for the remainder of my life but what I DO know is my purpose is to be a yielded vessel. Period. Whatever that means-singing, talking, praying, writing, feeding, parenting etc, if I’m yielded and submitted to God then I’m going to be following His direction in how to do all of those things which is ultimately our purpose in life. Be Yielded.
Arnya: Was there an event or person that led you to it?
Candice: I would say a series of events-I went through a period of time where I interned for 2 years in Oklahoma City under a well known Bishop, and during that time I learned so much about who I was and my calling as well as how I’m seen in the eyes of God. When I left there and served in my home ministry, I was able to operate in some of that revelation and it confirmed some of what was spoken to me about my reason for being here during that season of interning in Oklahoma.
Follow and connect with Candice below.
FB: Candice Eden
FB: Author Candice Eden
IG:Candice_Eden
Twitter: Candice_Eden
Youtube:Candice Eden Music
Gmail:Â AuthorCandiceEden@gmail.com or CandiceEdenMusic@gmail.com
