Jillian Edwards

A singer and songwriter gifted with a strong, clear voice, Jillian Edwards emerged in 2009 with a style that flirts between faith-based indie-folk and spirited indie pop/rock. She found success in 2011 with the release of the EP, Headfirst, which made a strong showing on multiple Billboard charts. She continued to evolve and sharpen her songcraft on subsequent efforts like Daydream (2014) and Meadow (2020), the latter of which was produced by CCM luminary (and Edwards’ father-in-law) Steven Curtis Chapman.
Jillian Edwards was born in Dallas, Texas in 1989 and developed a passion for music in her teens; she began her performing career when she was a student at Baylor University in Waco, Texas, singing at local coffeehouses and landing a spot opening for the Civil Wars shortly before the duo’s career took off. In 2009, Edwards took her career to the next level by recording a six-song EP, Galaxies and Such, which was soon followed by the eight-song Songbird, both of which she released herself. The response was encouraging enough that in 2011 Edwards moved to Nashville, Tennessee, and cut a second EP, the seven-song Headfirst, which she once again released herself. Edwards stepped up her touring schedule, headlining at house concerts and small venues and playing larger stages opening for the likes of Drew & Ellie Holcomb, David Ramirez, Ben Rector, and Josh Garrels. Headfirst eventually rose to the top of the digital singer/songwriter charts, knocking her old friends the Civil Wars out of the number one spot in the process.
In 2012, Edwards married another talented musician, Will Franklin Chapman of the group Colony House, and they launched a side project called the Inlaws that also featured Will’s brother Caleb Chapman. In 2013, Edwards was invited by Ellie Holcomb to co-write a track for Holcomb’s album With You Now, and later contributed vocals to the project; Edwards also performed backing vocals on Deep Roots, an album of bluegrass tunes by Steven Curtis Chapman (Will and Caleb’s dad). In 2014, Edwards returned to the spotlight with her first full-length album, Daydream, produced by Joe Causey. Late the same year, Edwards issued a seasonal EP, All My Christmases, featuring four songs for the holidays. In November 2016, Edwards presented her second full-length album; titled Covers, it featured her interpretations of songs made famous by Bill Withers, James Taylor, Cheap Trick, the Beach Boys, and more. In 2020 Edwards returned with the EP Meadow. Produced by Steven Curtis Chapman, the pastoral, inward-looking seven-song set looked to themes of solitude and comfort for inspiration. ~ Mark Deming & James Christopher Monger