MIDLAND—As Blanca Callahan performs concerts around the country, she hopes to encourage young girls with the message they should settle for nothing less than what God has designed for them.
“I share messages about being real, being true and being everything God is calling you to be,” said Callahan, who will perform at Rock the Desert in Midland Aug. 8. “I think a lot of girls need to hear that it’s OK to be different, and it’s OK to be unique. I want them to realize that God has fearfully and wonderfully made them, and he has a plan and purpose for their life.
“I hope to inspire girls to dream, to step out of their comfort zone, take a journey and trust the Lord. That’s what I did. It hasn’t always been easy, but it’s been so worth it.”
From an early age, Callahan loved singing and dancing.
“I knew these gifts were given for a bigger purpose,” she said. “When I got older, I wanted to give back and to use these gifts to glorify the Lord. I started singing at church, got plugged into a Bible study for musicians and started singing for local churches.”
Blanca performing “Who I Am” live at Winter Jam 2015 in Louisville, Ky.For several years, Callahan maintained a busy touring schedule, performing with the Christian hip-hop band Group 1 Crew.
Today, she is armed with a new mission and purpose—to share the gospel with teenage girls in a fun and relevant way.
She recently launched #RealTrueYou, a social media campaign that emphasizes true beauty in God’s eyes.
“With this campaign, I wanted to encourage girls to be real, authentic and realize how beautiful and loved they are by God,” Callahan explained.
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“The feedback has been overwhelming. True beauty across social media is inspiring and uplifting. I think a lot of times that insecurity, fear and doubt like to creep their ugly heads into us and make us think we’re not good enough for what God has called us to do. With all the negativity these days, it’s very rare when you see someone take the time to be thankful for the gifts that God has given them and share those blessings with others.”
Callahan has gained attention and approval from audiences with the release of her first solo project, Blanca. The album ranked in the Top 10 on Billboard’s Christian Albums chart, while her debut single, “Who I Am,” reached No. 1 on the Christian music chart.
This fall, Callahan will sing and speak at Girls of Grace conferences, Sept. 10 at Indiana Avenue Baptist Church in Lubbock and Sept. 27 at Northwood Church in Keller.
Through her message and music, Callahan has gained platforms to share about the hope and security she has because of her relationship with Christ.
“I grew up in a broken home and only attended church occasionally,” Callahan said. “My parents got divorced when I was 6 years old, and my father was involved with drugs and alcohol. As I started getting older, my dad came back into our lives and apologized for his behavior and lifestyle. He had completely turned his life around and was the first person in my family to give his life to the Lord.
“Although my parents didn’t get back together, my dad and mom became great friends. During this time, my dad started bringing my brother and me to church. After hearing his testimony of how the Lord had worked in his life, I ended up giving my life to the Lord when I was 17 years old. It’s an amazing picture of God’s redeeming love.”
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