Christian singer-songwriter Katy Weirich showcases strength amidst struggle in her newest release, “Blue Jay.” Singing about her experience with severe postpartum depression and anxiety after her second child, Weirich recalls a feeling of utter hopelessness. “I was nearly hospitalized and was having panic attacks causing me to collapse and I longed to go to sleep and not wake up,” she explains. The song recounts her hardship as she pleads to God for a “glimpse of you.” As expected, God delivered, and never in the way she expected. After a lengthy period of time during her recovery she began to see blue jays at just the right time in her day-to-day activities that would give her a glimpse of strength and encouragement to persevere. When on a trip in Scotland after her recovery, Weirich remembers seeing an entire flock of blue jays, which finally inspired her to write this song. She says the blue jays signified to her “a hug from God and a tangible reminder that He saw me where I was and that I just had to keep going and to trust that He was right there beside me and would not leave.” As Weirich gains strength, the song builds momentum. “You are carrying me, sustaining me. You are healing me, I will be free” she sings with rising confidence throughout the rest of the song.
In this way, “Blue Jays” is an authentic representation of the struggles of life and keeping the faith amidst darkness. Weirich doesn’t sugar coat the pain, but she also doesn’t discount the miracle. She shares that when she got back from her trip, she flipped to the next page on her calendar which had a photo from the exact place in Scotland she had just visited. “It was a sign to me that God had gotten me through. He never left me, not even for a minute,” she adds. Weaving both the story of the blue jays and scripture into the song, Weirich explains that a lot of inspiration came from Job and wanting to “showcase the quality of God” which is “El Roi,” meaning “the God who sees me.” “Blue Jay” is one single to come out as part of her upcoming EP Out of the Blue set to release June 17. “This song will forever remind me how I was carried and sustained by the Lord. I honestly don’t know if I’d be alive today if I didn’t know Jesus Christ.”
About Katy Weirich:
Out of the Blue, the debut EP from singer, songwriter and worship leader, Katy Weirich (pronounced y-rick), lovingly delves into Weirich’s own experiences of being perfectly loved by her Savior. An autobiographical songwriter, Weirich pours herself into each song, drawing on her love of scripture to create songs that glorify God and celebrate the infinite love He has for His children.
Finding her gift for music and performing at a young age, Weirich attended the Bower School of Music at Florida Gulf Coast University majoring in Music Education. Plagued early on with mysterious health issues that prevented her from singing, Weirich was eventually diagnosed with clinical anxiety and depression. Once her symptoms were under control, Weirich found her voice again and thrived, learning to love music and performing more than ever.
Post college, and after marrying her high school sweetheart, Weirich took a short detour teaching music before switching gears to record an album with her acoustic duo, Barefoot Saturday. Before they were able to go into the studio, her partner left the group, leaving Weirich without a clear path forward.
Learning she was pregnant with her first child, Weirich put music temporarily on hold to focus on motherhood. After the birth, Weirich’s previous battle with anxiety manifested once again in a bout with postpartum depression. “It was a whole new level of anything I’d dealt with up to that point,” Weirich shares.
Once she recovered, Weirich had the opportunity to attend MOMcon, a yearly conference held for members of MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers), where Meredith Andrews was leading worship. “That weekend, watching Meredith lead, was the first time I felt an overwhelming call that I was supposed to do worship music,” Weirich says. Energized by her new calling, she went back home and began leading worship in her church and directing the worship team at her high school alma mater.
Before her musical plans were fully formulated, Weirich had another baby. “After my second daughter was born,” she shares, “I was at the lowest point of my life with anxiety and depression.” This debilitating second period of postpartum depression was far more severe than the first, challenging Weirich in numerous ways. Still, she never lost sight of the calling on her life to write and record worship music.
Ultimately, it was those dark periods battling the “baby blues” that inspired the songs for the EP. Out of the Blue is a celebration of God’s faithfulness that, while not always visible, is always constant. When she was ready to record, a chance email led to her relationship with GRAMMY® Award-winning producer Tedd T. “I felt so strongly from the Lord to work with Tedd, and that we might create an especially unique sound in the worship scene because of our different musical backgrounds.”
The two set out to record the songs so close to Weirich’s heart. Centered on the nearness of God and his unending promises, Out of the Blue is a testament to the Lord’s tenderness. “Over the years, I’ve had to come to peace with what the Lord is doing in my life. It’s made me so utterly dependent upon Him.” Weirich’s dependence is evident in songs like “Fear Not” and “More,” where her ethereal vocals soar, reminding us that God is right here with is. He never leaves us. “Because of everything I’ve been through, I’ve learned that He is enough,” Weirich says, “just Him. I don’t need anything else.”
“Blue Jay,” a song that showcases the quality of God, El Roi, which means “the God who sees me” (Genesis 16), holds a special meaning for Weirich. “After my recovery from postpartum depression, I would always see these Blue Jays. Each time I saw one, it felt like a hug from the Lord. Then I went on a big family trip to Scotland with my mom’s family. We were driving through the country and I was looking out the window and saw a flock of Blue Jays. I didn’t even know they could flock like that. When I got back home, I flipped over my Oswald Chambers daily calendar and was surprised to see the photos on the back. They were pictures of the very places in Scotland where we’d just visited. It was a sign to me that God had gotten me through. He never left me, not even for a minute.”
As much as her own story is woven into the fabric of Out of the Blue, Weirich’s focus remains centered on pointing back to God. “The main purpose of this music is to glorify the Lord. He’s the reason for all of it. Something I’m always working on is proclaiming truth in spite of my feelings. The only anchor for our hope and our beliefs is His word. That’s why all of the lyrics on Out of the Blue are tied directly to scripture.”
Filled with both comfort and adoration, Out of the Blue is a testimony to God’s faithfulness, a beautiful and inspired collection of scripture-filled praise. The project is set for release in 2022.