Singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and entrepreneur Jules Schroeder is a Christian artist to watch. You might have heard of her. The Colorado-based artist hosts The Unconventional Life Podcast, where she profiles other “successful entrepreneurs, artists, creatives, and thought leaders who are earning their living in non-traditional ways.” She also has a Forbes column with the same name.
Jules designed The Unconventional Life community to inspire and empower people to create a life by their own design. I had a chance to connect with Jules to talk about Unconventional Life, her music, as well as her career as a Christian artist.
How did your wakeboarding accident help define your career?
In 2015, I was in a wakeboarding accident. I had a near-death experience and a direct encounter with God. He gave me the choice to stay or go. This experience really connected to what my work was doing here on this planet.
I remember coming out of the MRI in the hospital. I also remember a white figure and six-black shadow council ask me, "Jules, you have more work to do in the world, do you want to do it?" I remember the doctors thinking I was paralyzed or that my neck was broken. And, I remember saying to the council, "Yes, as long as I don't come back paralyzed."
At that moment, I was brought back into my body. I felt this energy forge my neck back together and shoot down my spine. I knew from that moment everything was different. My life started being guided through me rather than being driven by me, thus allowing God's voice to serve whatever mission I’m here for.
What an experience. Talk about your recent single, “Fall,” or any other recent, or even upcoming songs.
I was given the opportunity to record my album, Restless Soul, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. I was able to do so because of a grant I received from Amplify BC, a government program aimed at revitalizing the province’s music industry. I had over 22 musicians work on the album, from the Marcus Mosely Gospel Choir to members of Nickelback, Elephant Revival, and alternative artist Dallas Smith. The album comes out in autumn 2021.
“Fall” is the second single from the album. The song is a devotional; it’s about being honest and real with yourself and God in seasons when you feel most vulnerable.
The song starts off with the lyrics, "Who are you to know? /Everything I've been through/How could you see all the pieces of me?” These lyrics ask the listener to reflect on the judgment that others or you put on yourself.
I wrote the song in a period where I felt like I was going through a big transition externally. My internal world felt shaky. I was asking God, “What do I do here? Who do I be here, next?”
The chorus goes "Let me fall deeper into your embrace/Let me fall deeper into my faith.” These words are a devotional prayer, asking for guidance in direction when everything seems uncertain.
I chose to release this song as my second single now, as it’s so fitting for the season many of us are going through with COVID-19. We’ve lost so much control of our lives, forcing many of us, including myself, to pause, slow down, and reassess who we are—without the doing.
What do we want to give ourselves and our time to? What really matters? Actually, we’ve been given a space for true reinvention, and, in many ways, reclamation for the parts or pieces of ourselves that we may have forgotten or gotten away from that bring us joy and happiness.
You’ve been able to build a big following through your Unconventional podcast. Can you share about how that got started and what you’ve learned through the process?
Shortly after my near-death experience, I received a call from a friend who I met a year prior at a TEDxspeaker workshop. She asked me if I wanted to be a global ambassador of education and to take part in helping the United Nations achieve their 17 sustainable development goals, such as zero hunger and no poverty.
In my head, I thought now wasn’t the best time. I had this crazy near-death experience and was still in a neck brace. Yet, I heard this voice compelling to me accept her offer. I leaned into that voice and three weeks later, I flew from New York to the UN.
In the process, I was invited to Forbes 30 Under 30, a series of lists that honor innovative entrepreneurs under 30 years of age. A few months later, they asked if I wanted to start writing for them. I told them I wanted to start a podcast to tell stories to give permission, per-my-mission, to empower and inspire people to follow non-traditional paths. They made it the first podcast hosted on Forbes 30 Under 30 in 2016. And, from that moment, the podcast was born.
I remember being outside the hot springs in Iceland on a remote Wi-Fi device getting ready to hit send on my first ever podcast and blog piece. I couldn't believe what was happening. Since that moment, I often think back to those words I heard in the hospital: "You have more work to do, do you want to do it?"
I would've never guessed Unconventional Life would reach millions of people in 75 different countries through the podcast and Forbes column. I’ve hosted events in exotic locations for creatives, entrepreneurs, and thought leaders taking over safaris in South Africa, or a castle town in Italy, or a private island in Madagascar.
What I've learned is that anything is possible. And, if we’re willing to stay true to ourselves and to God, as well as listen to His voice who guides us, He can deliver blessings beyond our wildest dreams.
If you would’ve asked me when all this started, I would've never thought I was qualified for the job. I’m quite introverted, but I know the Lord is guiding me to serve with this vision.
How are you applying those lessons on podcasting to your music?
My artist and my music have historically been the shiest part of my self-expression. My songs and my lyrics are often deeply personal, birthed from my own experiences of love, death, and freedom. What I’ve realized from podcasting is that one of my gifts is authentic storytelling.
I’ve always known that I’m multi-passionate. I want to give others the ability to claim or reclaim all parts of themselves, as I’ve been doing in my own artistic journey.
My dad worked on Wall Street in New York City. So, for years, I inherited the not-so-positive belief about being a music artist: if there isn’t a clear path to make money, it’s not good enough. For years, I held this belief. But, eventually, I was able to change it to “I can create and be anything.”
I’ve learned a lot from my podcast guests. For example, it is often the very piece of ourselves that we reject or compartmentalize that when included is what creates the path or opening to our greatness. That is a consistent practice I keep finding myself engaging in. Stepping out in bigger ways and being willing to lead by example.
The past year was long for all of us. What are you taking from this past year into the last half of 2021?
This past year, like many, definitely rocked me in many ways. I felt like I went through a death of sorts and am truly in a rebirth. I had to look at the identity and persona of who I had become—especially after my podcast and business achieved more success, to ask myself who am I at the core and what is the point of all of this.
I arrived at a period over this last year where I felt profoundly complete. If I was to die, I know I would’ve lived enough. I had done enough podcasts, helped enough people, recorded enough music, traveled to enough countries. It took me taking a hard look to ask myself what would make living or continuing worthwhile? It was a scary place to sit in for so long.
It wasn't until a close friend of mine committed suicide that I felt like God shocked me back to life showing me just how much more life there was. Since then, my focus has been on increasing my present moment vibrancy.
What is pushing you to continue to write and record faith-based music and lyrics?
If you had asked me when I was growing up if I would ever see myself recording faith-based music and lyrics, I would've probably laughed and said no. Both my parents were Catholics and I had to go to church every Sunday.
It wasn't until I went to college that I found a relationship with God in my own way. Experiencing more of a Christian style of worship. For as long as I’ve been singing, I’ve always had a gift to channel full songs on the spot at the moment, co-creating on whatever person, audience, or energy that was present in the room.
As I developed my songwriting, I realized that’s also how my songs came through. I would be guided to sit at the piano, or with my ukulele, hit the voice record button and then the whole song would flow through in minutes. Then, I would go back and transcribe the recording and fill in the missing lyrics. God gives me the songs and lyrics and I get to be the translator.
This upcoming album, Restless Soul, was written in a six-month period while I had pneumonia. For a while, I couldn't even sing my own songs because of my lungs. Yet, it didn't stop the lyrics and songs from coming out and getting through. I feel like I’ve become a student and listener. And, as long as God keeps guiding me in this way, I will keep following.
What’s next for you?
I’m so excited to get back to performing live again. I’ve really missed it over this last year. It’s such a joy to watch my calendar filling up with requests, and to get the chance to share these songs with so many people in person.
I will be touring as much as I can over the summer. Don’t forget to listen to my newest single, "Restless Soul." And, don’t forget that the new album comes out in the fall.
How can we be praying for you?
I’ve been navigating through a lot of autoimmune and mental health issues this year. While I’ve made great progress, my body is still healing. Please pray for my body and my mind to keep healing as I emerge into this new version of myself that I’m becoming.
Kevin McNeese started NRT in 2002 and has worked in the industry since 1999 in one form or another. He has been a fan of Christian music since 1991.
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