Carisa Turner

While music may captivate some for a moment, it has captivated Carisa Turner for a lifetime. A singer, songwriter and worship artist based in Atlanta, Georgia – Carisa fell in love with music for the first time when she was four years old. Completely mesmerized by her grandmother’s old upright piano (which had been handed down to Carisa’s mother), rumor has it Carisa climbed onto the piano bench one afternoon and starting banging the keys incessantly, smiling and laughing the whole time. Little did she know then, but God was already at work in her life. In high school, Carisa began to see glimpses of her calling as she began to write and perform her own music for friends, family and her church. As she grew as an artist, a desire to impact the world through music began to grow in her heart. “One of my most memorable musical experiences took place on the small island of St. Lucia during a mission trip,” she remembers. “The team had put together an outdoor concert in the town square and asked me to perform an original song I had written earlier in the week, in addition to leading worship. Afterward, some of the locals expressed how much my song had touched their hearts, and it was in that moment I knew God was up to something in my life. I wasn’t sure what yet, but I knew I was supposed to somehow turn my love and passion for music into a ministry.” Fast forward to 2011, and Carisa is now celebrating the release of her debut EP entitled “Stop the Noise.” Filled with powerful lyrics, captivatingly beautiful melodies and a deep sense of calling and purpose, Carisa draws listeners into her music not only with her sweet soprano, but with her refreshingly honest lyrics and unique approach to writing. From vibrant worship songs declaring the glory and splendor of God (“We Declare”) to exploring her personal reactions and questions to God’s calling (“What Would I Do”) to her desperate plea for silence in a noisy, chaotic world (“Stop the Noise”) – Carisa’s debut project is a perfect blend of indie pop tunes, intimate worship moments, singer/songwriter charm and catchy, can’t-get-this-song-out-of-my-head appeal. Working alongside producer Sean Hill of Uphill Studios in Lawrenceville, GA, Carisa says the best part of developing the project was watching the songs take shape. “Everyone laughs because I keep talking about how we turned my little songs into big songs, but that’s exactly what happened. I’ve been so used to performing acoustically up until this point, and was amazed to see what happened as we sat in the studio, took the vision I had for my songs, and created this beautiful work of art – a project that I hope inspires people and draws them closer to God.” Carisa currently serves on the worship team at Dunwoody Baptist Church and is also helping Georgia State University’s Wesley Foundation launch a worship ministry on campus.