Interview: Nolimiter
Chicago based artist Nolimiter has just released his first single titled "Take My Hand". Louder Than The Music chatted with the man behind the music, Carter Sheehan, to find out more about his background and music.
For those who haven't heard of you before, can you tell us a bit about yourself and how you got involved in making music?
Hi, my name is Nolimiter! I am a born-again Christian who seriously started my journey with God around mid-2019 and was baptized in September of 2020. I am always someone who is willing to learn more, especially when it comes to Christian theology and music. I started making beats after I began high school on a cheap DAW system that came free with a mediocre microphone I bought. Once I started attending college, I downloaded Audacity and tried to make more Christian-focused music. I created a couple of mixtapes that will probably never leave my computer due to how bad the mixing and mastering is on them! However, this helped me grow a lot in my faith with God, and this led me to get some more professional equipment which I could use to truly show the word of God through song and make music that actually sounded good.
Tell us about your new single 'Take My Hand' and what the inspiration behind it was?
"Take My Hand" is about the realization that the weight of the world and the weight of your sins are too large to bear on your own, and it comes with the realization that you need God to help relieve you of these worldly pains. I think it also captures that "conversion" moment that many born again Christians feel, crying out to God for help as a last resort and then seeing His ultimate glory come from it. I was mainly inspired by many events that happened to me during the course of 2020, specifically during the last month of the year where I had to witness many personal relationships I was involved in fall out. This song works as a desperate plea for salvation, I believe, in rough times like these.
Do you have any plans to release further music this year?
Yes! I plan to release another single before summer and my debut EP before the end of the year (hopefully at the start of autumn)!
What message would you like people to take from your music?
When I make music, I try to apply lyrical themes and sounds that I do not hear often in other forms of Christian music. One of the biggest divides I see between Christians and secular people (which is a divide that seems to grow only larger as time goes on) is that many secular people see religious Christians as socially-detached and stuck in tradition (which is obviously NOT true). However, both sides are more alike than we care to admit. Since I am a recently born-again Christian, I've seen Christians and Atheists deal with the same exact problems on so many different occasions. The only difference is that Christians have a solution that others do not--God--and I want to share that solution with others. Thus, I want people to know that my music is not just for worshipping in the pews or around the Christian-camp bonfire, but it is for anyone who can relate to the struggles of life I portray in my lyrics. Hopefully, I can help people see God along the way!
How would you describe your style of music and what are your influences?
I have never been able to stay in one sonic genre anytime I create music, so the best genre to fit my music into would be the very broad category of "Christian music". However, I think my artistic inspirations tell a lot more about what kind of music I make. My biggest influence is obviously God, since everything I make is allowed by Him and made for Him. When it comes to lyrics, I am inspired most by Kendrick Lamar for his ability to make widely relatable stories on super specific topics and Elevation Worship for how they can create beautiful scenes with their words. Production-wise, I am inspired most by Kanye West, who I believe has always been able to make groundbreaking beats that can fit any mood. I am also heavily influenced by Lecrae for his ability to speak hard Christian truths while still relating to a wide-reaching audience.
If you could work with any songwriter, who would it be and why?
I'd love to work with NF! I think it would be cool to see his artistic process, and it would probably be a cool experience to make some experimental, genre-bending stuff with him that pushes us both outside of the box!
How would you define success in your career as an artist?
I do want my music to reach a lot of people so those from all walks of life can hear the Christian message and realize that we are all more similar in our struggles than we think. However, even if one person is deeply impacted in a spiritual way by something that God lets me create, I think that is true success in its own way!
What is your favorite album of all time?
Despite many contenders, I would have to say "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy" by Kanye West. It contains some of the most immaculate production and vivid word-painting of any album I have ever heard!.
You're stuck on an island, it's hot, you only have enough battery life left to listen to one song on your phone. What track is it?
Knowing that I may die if I'm stuck on an island, I think I would have to have a one-man worship session with Kari Jobe's "The Blessing" and go out with a bang!
What does the next year hold for you?
I know for certain that it holds a lot of busy tasks and personal obstacles, but coming out of 2020, I hope for more recovery, more intimate connections with people I know, more interaction with those that need help which I may be able to provide, more spiritual growth with God, and most certainly more music!
