What does it really take to grow as a Christian songwriter, especially when you do not live in Nashville or have established industry connections?

In this episode of the Christian Artist Mentorship Podcast, Wisdom Moon sits down with songwriter and Full Circle Music Academy Director Maggie Youngs to discuss songwriting, collaboration, community, and trusting God with an unconventional career path.

Maggie shares how songwriting began as a personal way to process anxiety and pray through difficult questions. She also explains how an unexpected internship at Full Circle eventually developed into a leadership role she never could have planned for herself.

Wisdom and Maggie unpack what actually happens during a Nashville co-write, how songwriters should approach ownership splits, and why serving the artist’s vision should remain the North Star of the writing process.

They also discuss whether every artist should write their own songs, the proper role of artificial intelligence in songwriting, and why strong relationships often matter just as much as strong creative ability.

Maggie also explains how Full Circle Music Academy helps independent artists, songwriters, and producers access industry education, meaningful collaboration, professional feedback, and a community of creatives who can grow together.

Maggie Youngs is the Academy Director at Full Circle Music. Using her unique background in ministry, business, and songwriting, she works to build events, resources and opportunities that help creatives take real steps toward their careers and callings.

Connect with Maggie Youngs and Full Circle Academy:

Email: support@fullcirclemusic.com
Full Circle Instagram: @officialfcmusic
Maggie’s Instagram: @maggieeeeeeliz

Connect with Wisdom Moon:

Instagram: ⁠⁠@wisdommoon⁠⁠

Christian Artist Mentorship: ⁠⁠christianartistmentorship.com⁠⁠

Pure Mosaic Services: puremosaicservices.com

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a songwriter, producer, worship leader, or Christian artist who would benefit from the conversation.

What does it actually take for a song to get played on Christian radio? And is radio still worth pursuing as an independent artist in 2026?

In this episode of the Christian Artist Mentorship Podcast, Wisdom Moon sits down with Steve Shore, Music Platform Program Director for K-LOVE and Air1, to pull back the curtain on how Christian radio works and what music programmers are really looking for.

Steve shares his journey from being the kid who brought his CD collection to youth group to spending more than two decades in Christian radio. He explains how radio programmers evaluate new music, the role of streaming data and listener research, why the first 30 seconds of a song matter, and how songwriting, production, lyrics, and social media can all influence whether a song connects.

Most importantly, Steve offers honest advice for independent artists. Including when it makes sense to invest in radio promotion, why spending thousands of dollars on radio may not be the best move for every indie artist, how to build relationships with industry professionals without burning bridges, and why artists shouldn't compromise their sound just to chase radio.

If you're an independent Christian artist wondering whether radio is right for you, or simply trying to understand how the Christian music industry works, this conversation is full of practical insight and encouragement.

Topics discussed:

• How Christian radio decides which songs get played

• What music programmers listen for in a new song

• The importance of the first 30 seconds

• Lyrics vs. melody vs. production

• Streaming data and listener research

• When indie artists should and shouldn't invest in radio

• Building genuine relationships with radio and industry professionals

• Common mistakes that can burn industry relationships

• Social media and discoverability in 2026

• AI music and the future of human-made music

• The changing sound of Christian radio

• Staying grounded and maintaining longevity as an artist

• Why some of the most creative Christian music is coming from the indie space

Connect with Steve Shore

Instagram: @steveoshore

Connect with Wisdom Moon:

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠@wisdommoon⁠⁠⁠

Christian Artist Mentorship: ⁠⁠⁠christianartistmentorship.com⁠⁠⁠

Pure Mosaic Services: ⁠puremosaicservices.com⁠

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a songwriter, producer, worship leader, or Christian artist who would benefit from the conversation.

In this episode, Wisdom Moon sits down with Nashville-based mix engineer Carl Markham to talk about the art, emotion, and technical craft behind mixing music.

Carl shares how he got started, what it means to honor an artist’s vision, and why mixing is about more than making a song sound “better.” It is about helping the song feel right. He also talks about working with producers and artists, learning from experienced professionals, the importance of collaboration, and why independent Christian artists should consider building a trusted creative team.

They also discuss AI in music, faith and creativity, when artists should hire a mix engineer, and what Christian artists often misunderstand about the mixing process.

In This Episode:

• How Carl became a mix engineer
• What mixing actually is and why it matters
• The role of emotion in a great mix
• Why collaboration can elevate a song
• When artists should stop doing everything themselves
• How faith shapes Carl’s approach to his work
• What artists should know before sending a song to mix
• Carl’s thoughts on AI in music
• Why revisions are part of the creative process

Whether you are an artist, producer, songwriter, or someone who wants to better understand the music-making process, this conversation will help you see mixing as both a technical craft and a deeply creative service.

Connect with Carl Markham:

Instagram: ⁠@_carlmarkham

Connect with Wisdom Moon:

Website: ⁠wisdommoon.com⁠

Instagram: ⁠@wisdommoon⁠

Christian Artist Mentorship: ⁠christianartistmentorship.com⁠

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a songwriter, producer, worship leader, or Christian artist who would benefit from the conversation.