Britt Nicole

Britt Nicole, born Brittany Nicole Waddell, is an American Christian singer and songwriter whose music combines contemporary Christian themes with pop, dance-pop and R&B influences. Born on August 2, 1984, in Kannapolis, North Carolina, she began singing in church at the age of three and developed her musical abilities through church performance, school choir and songwriting.

After moving toward a professional music career in her late teens and early twenties, Nicole signed with Sparrow Records in 2006. Her debut album, Say It, was released in 2007 and established her as a young voice in contemporary Christian music. She gained broader recognition with The Lost Get Found in 2009 and reached a major career milestone with Gold in 2012, an album that topped the Billboard Christian Albums chart and earned a Grammy nomination.

Early Life and Musical Background

Brittany Nicole Waddell was born in Kannapolis, North Carolina, and grew up in the nearby Salisbury area. Music became part of her life at an unusually young age. She began singing at three in her grandfather’s church, Truth Temple, where she was exposed to gospel music and Christian ministry from childhood.

As she grew older, Nicole began performing more publicly. She sang alongside her brother and cousin on a religious television programme connected with her grandfather’s ministry, giving her early experience performing for an audience beyond the local church.

She was also involved in dance, studying ballet, jazz, hip-hop and lyrical dance. At South Rowan High School, she became part of the school’s advanced choir and performed with the group at Carnegie Hall in New York. Her involvement in both music and dance later became visible in the energetic performance style associated with her recordings and live shows.

Education and Decision to Pursue Music

Nicole’s musical abilities continued developing during her teenage years. She learned piano and guitar and began writing songs as a teenager. She also participated in Duke University’s Brightleaf Music Workshop, gaining additional experience as a developing performer.

After high school, she received a scholarship opportunity from Belmont University in Nashville to study commercial music. Rather than accepting the scholarship, Nicole decided to pursue a recording career directly. She moved toward Nashville’s music industry and focused on finding a record deal.

That decision eventually led to her signing with Sparrow Records in 2006. The move marked the beginning of her professional recording career and gave her the opportunity to develop the sound that would distinguish her from more traditional contemporary Christian performers.

Beginning of Her Recording Career

Nicole’s first major album was Say It, released by Sparrow Records in May 2007. The album introduced her youthful pop-oriented approach to Christian music and produced songs including “You,” “Believe” and “Set the World on Fire.”

Say It performed strongly on the Christian music charts and helped establish Nicole as an emerging contemporary Christian artist. Rather than presenting gospel music through a strictly traditional sound, she incorporated modern pop production and accessible songwriting aimed particularly at younger listeners.

Her early work also established themes that would remain common throughout her career. Her songs frequently dealt with identity, faith, encouragement, personal struggles and the idea of finding purpose through a relationship with God.

Career Breakthrough

Nicole’s career expanded significantly with the release of The Lost Get Found in August 2009. The album reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Christian Albums chart and No. 62 on the Billboard 200, making it her highest-charting release at that point.

The album’s title track, “The Lost Get Found,” became one of her signature songs. “Walk on the Water” also became a successful Christian radio single. Together, the songs demonstrated Nicole’s ability to combine energetic pop production with lyrics rooted in Christian faith.

During this period, she also expanded her touring profile, appearing on tours and events alongside other prominent Christian artists. Her music reached audiences outside the traditional church music market, while her appearances in film soundtracks helped introduce her work to wider audiences.

Gold and Mainstream Recognition

Nicole reached another major milestone with Gold, released in March 2012. The album debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Christian Albums chart and reached No. 41 on the Billboard 200. It became the most commercially successful album of her career at that time.

The album’s title track, “Gold,” became one of Nicole’s best-known songs. It was released to mainstream pop radio as well as Christian audiences and eventually became her first song to make a significant impact on the mainstream pop market.

Another important song from the album was “All This Time.” The track became a major Christian radio success and reflected Nicole’s ability to combine personal testimony with contemporary pop songwriting.

Gold also brought Nicole her first Grammy nomination. At the 55th Annual Grammy Awards in 2013, the album was nominated for Best Contemporary Christian Music Album.

Musical Style and Influences

Nicole’s music is primarily associated with contemporary Christian pop, but her sound has incorporated several elements of mainstream pop, dance music and R&B. Her recordings often feature bright electronic production, strong rhythmic arrangements and melodies designed for radio.

Her approach helped distinguish her from artists working within more traditional gospel styles. Rather than relying heavily on church-based musical arrangements, she adopted the sound and presentation of contemporary pop while retaining explicitly Christian themes.

Her songwriting frequently focuses on encouragement and identity. Songs such as “Gold,” “All This Time,” “The Lost Get Found” and “Walk on the Water” address faith, perseverance and self-worth from a Christian perspective.

Nicole has also collaborated with artists outside the traditional Christian pop scene. One of the most notable examples is her appearance on NF’s “Can You Hold Me,” which introduced her to a broader hip-hop audience. The collaboration later received Gold certification.

Later Career and Recent Music

Following the success of Gold, Nicole continued releasing music and touring. She issued The Remixes in 2015, featuring reworked versions of songs from her earlier catalogue, before releasing her self-titled album, Britt Nicole, in October 2016.

The 2016 album included songs such as “Through Your Eyes,” “Be the Change” and “Work of Art.” “Be the Change” reflected Nicole’s continuing interest in songs of encouragement and social responsibility while maintaining the pop-centered sound associated with her earlier work.

She subsequently released music independently and continued performing. Her later releases include the single “I’ll Fight for You” in 2021 and the album II II V, released in November 2025. Her official music catalogue has also included more recent releases and performances, demonstrating that she has remained active after the peak commercial period of her early albums.

Nicole’s music has continued to reach a substantial digital audience. Her catalogue has accumulated hundreds of millions of streams, and she has remained associated with both contemporary Christian and pop audiences.

Personal Life and Legacy

Nicole married Joshua Crosby in 2012. The couple have children, and motherhood has become an important part of her life outside music. Family and personal experiences have also informed some of the themes found in her songwriting.

Throughout her career, Nicole has maintained a connection between her Christian faith and her approach to pop music. Her success helped demonstrate that contemporary Christian artists could move comfortably between Christian radio and the broader pop market without abandoning the religious themes at the center of their work.

Her most significant commercial period came with The Lost Get Found and Gold, but her influence extends beyond chart positions. She became one of the recognizable female voices of contemporary Christian pop during the late 2000s and 2010s, particularly among younger listeners.

With songs such as “Gold,” “All This Time,” “The Lost Get Found,” “Walk on the Water” and “Ready or Not,” Britt Nicole built a catalogue centered on faith, identity and encouragement while using the sound and energy of modern pop music. Her Grammy-nominated Gold remains a defining project in her career, while her continued independent releases have allowed her to maintain a presence in Christian music into the 2020s.