By Andy Argyrakis

As one-third of pop trio ZOEgirl, Alisa Childers garnered a Dove Award for “Best New Artist,” sold over a million records and scored several Top 10 singles. While the bright stage lights, ongoing industry attention and ministry opportunities were certainly an enjoyable and effective experience, the singer/songwriter seems to have settled down in all areas of her life. Outside of starting a family and taking a break from full-time touring, the solo star has also stripped down her sound, taking on a more artful, introspective approach to a self-titled CD.

“The girls and I were together [as a group] for seven years, and we’d basically all get in a room and write together, but before that, I used to always write by myself,” she says. “I learned to co-write and bounce ideas off people, which I was comfortable doing because we all complimented each other. But at the same time, I would always write songs by myself at home or on the road, which didn’t necessarily fit into the ZOEgirl filter. And after a while, it was evident I needed to give these songs a voice.”

Although the ladies’ professional split was disappointing to fans, it was completely amicable and resulted in an ongoing friendship with group members Chrissy Conway-Katina and Kristin Schweain (who’ve since formed a new group together called COLEMANblue). But even while forging these new creative paths, ZOEgirl continues to release posthumous projects, with the double disc The Ultimate Collection hitting stores April 7 on EMI.

“For longtime fans, I think it will be fun for them to collect and have a bunch of our [most familiar] songs put together in different packaging,” Childers reflects on the forthcoming compilation. “I think it will also hit home with those who weren’t all that familiar with us the first time around, even those who dismissed us as a disposable pop group or just three girls singing songs for little girls.”

The Ultimate Collection does indeed show a greater depth to the group, tracing the women’s evolution as both songwriters and dance-derived pop stars. Fans hoping for more of the same on Alisa Childers won’t exactly find many links to ZOEgirl’s past, but rather, an intriguing introduction to her present day influences.

“Bob Dylan’s been a huge influence as of late, as has Kate Bush and Peter Gabriel,” she reveals. “I look at a song like [Dylan’s] ‘The Times They Are A-Changin’,’ which I cover on the CD, and I’m floored how that song was written over 40 years ago, but is still so relevant to me even as a Christian, an artist and a person.”

As for Childers’ current place in the musical climate, she sees herself aiming primarily toward believers, but specifically those who are looking outside the traditional spectrum of spiritual songwriters. Not all of her songs get resolved with a neat little bow at the end, nor do they rely on rote clichés.

“I look at a lot of ‘ccm’ industry music these days, and it’s very worship driven, which I love and listen to a lot, but I still feel like there are [other angles] to offer within Christian music,” she confirms. “I consider myself a worshipper, but I’m not a worship artist. I write about life, love and all sorts of things; but it would be [uncharacteristic] for me to leave Jesus out of that equation since I’m also very direct to faith. I don’t know if I’d fit in the mainstream world, though I hope that somebody not raised in church could listen, relate, explore and possibly even find relationship with Jesus. But, lyrically, as a whole, I’d say [my album is] written for the church.”

For more info, visit alisachilders.com.