With this month's release of Captivated (Maranatha! Music/EMI CMG Distribution), Dove Award-winning Nicole C. Mullen's first studio album since 2008's A Dream to Believe In, she finds her music taking a different direction than she expected.

How did you end up going in that new direction?

I was writing my normal type of an album, which is normally in the style of funkabilly. and before I knew it, instead of the funkabilly style, I had a whole bunch of worship songs, and I looked at them and I thought, "OK, Lord, what are you saying to me?" For many years people have said, "Why don't you do a worship album?" I've never been one to want to jump on a trend or bandwagon and I never felt like it was the right time until now. 

Do you have a favorite tune or two?

I wrote all of them except for one. I guess it depends on what time of life I'm going through. I think each of them speak to me differently on different days and in different situations. "Kingdom Come" (a duet with Michael O'Brien, formerly with NewSong) is one of my favorites, and it speaks about that in the midst of the chaos that's going on today, in the midst of our current events that every time you turn on the news something else is going on in our world, we need the help of the Lord. The cry that Christ even taught us and that our hearts just seem to naturally want to pray these days is to let His kingdom come, let the kingdom of God be revealed in power and in might and in the sight of all.

Who were some of the guests on the album?

This is probably the first time that I had so many guests on an album. … We have Chris August on "I Need You," we have Michael O'Brien on "Kingdom Come," we have Papa San on "My Shepherd," and we have The Katinas on "Lead Me."

What's next for Nicole C. Mullen?

There are always things to do. We have Baby Girls Club … then we have another mentorship group of teens that we work with as well, girls and guys, called Team NCN. … I have three children and a husband, and my parents live next door and my in-laws across the street. We're all planning on going to Zimbabwe in May to do concerts there. … We have been traveling a lot and we will continue to do that inside of the States and outside as well, and so our lives are full and Christ is living up to what He promised, that He gives life and that more abundantly and so I can witness to that. Every day with Christ is an adventure, and so that's the adventure that I live. Whatever the day holds, I'm not always sure because He holds the day and I have to wait until He reveals it. Looking back and just seeing what He has done, I can say it's good and it's God.

Listen to the complete conversation at nicolecmullen.christianretailing.com.

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