And now here they are, Nick and Sue on Chatterbox. When the stars talk, they talk to Nick and Sue. Welcome back to the Chatterbox Redux podcast with Sue and Nick and today our special guest is Latasha Wurtz. This is Nick and Sue, a chatterbox giving you all you need to know about music. And now in Chatterbox, we're just lucky enough to welcome Latasha Wurtz. Latasha, welcome to Chatterbox. How are you? Hello, Latasha. I'm doing good. Great, it's great to meet you. How
are you? Yes. We're good, aren't we? Very good, thank you. Very good, aren't we? Very, very. Now, Chris Bira. Space Angel Music sent us a song and he sends us songs for consideration for the Hit Me Show, which you're aware of now, and your Rise Up song with the Badlands was just amazing. I mean, as I said on the show at the time, we didn't even think until after we'd heard it about what the lyrics actually meant, which is a good thing because we were just taken away
with it. It just, yeah. It's an amazing song and the message comes, it's subtle, but it lifted us. It lifted us, which is fantastic. That's a great way of a song of that type of message. I think it's the way to do it and lifting people is fantastic. But I know that you've got quite
a story as to how... the song came about. So maybe you'd like to tell us in your own words how you got into you know the Christians singing perhaps and how Rise Up came because that is the song that people get to know you through first. Yes and thank you guys so much for playing my song as well. Rise Up came from a really real place for me. It was not written in a perfect season. It came from walking through things quietly that not everyone could see, and where I had
to lean fully on my faith. There were moments I felt alone, but I knew God was still with me, even in the silence. And that is where the song was born, from choosing to stand back up, not in my own strength, but in His. That is also how I found hope. Even when things did not make sense, I held on to the truth that God was still there. Sometimes hope is not loud. It is quiet. It is choosing to keep going and to trust even
when you do not have all the answers. And that is why Rise Up connects so deeply with Easter. Fantastic. And it is amazing. I think it connects. any time of year. It's an ideal time of year to be chatting to you but I think it can give hope any time because when we first heard it we just got through Christmas and New Year wasn't it? We were just into the New Year and I think it lifts people regardless what time of year.
It's a fantastic time of year to be talking about it and this interview goes out at a great time but yeah I think it's somebody it will lift somebody in July and August and September. I really do. I think it's one very special song you've got there. How long did it take to write? Or was it over a period of time and it was worked on bit by bit? Or how did it come about? How long? Actually, my producer, Juan, and I had had it in our minds of like, okay, let's change it up
with the Christian industry. And he was like, because before when we worked together years ago, we did EDM music. And so we said, hey, How about let's do an EDM Christian song that's never been done? And that is what we chose to do. And that's when we came up with the words for rise up. And there was some things that I was going through in my life at that time. And one was like Latacha, just be positive about it. And
Write a song and be positive. So I did rise up is what I came up with and Then the next thing I know I'm writing and writing and writing I was going through a hard time at that time and I went into Psalms Bible verses and that's where rise up came from of me using rise up and The thing is when I did it the tune even came. I even got to sing that with one. It was really late at night when we were starting to do this song. I was so happy and enthusiastic about it.
I was like, what about this one? Rise up in the power of the Holy Spirit. I love that. And then he's like, let's just do it to EDM though. I know you've done all your other tracks in like country and you've done all these other different things. Let's change it up. And that's what we did. Fantastic. Got a great voice. It sounds great. Thank you. Okay, so tell us about the
Badlands, the Badlands band. Who are they? They've got their own website and you're singing with them on various songs and it's LaTasha Wirtz and the Badlands or something else. So you're obviously working together all the time. So tell us about them and who are they and all that stuff. Yeah. Well, everything dealing with them is everything dealing with Juan. Juan Rayfield with the production,
all of the production that goes on. And then he also sometimes gets the choirs to come in from that area, if we need a choir in my songs. If I could ask you, because the hard time you're having through life and that, the way you were speaking, you were a Christian before, you met the Lord before, were you brought up as a child with beliefs and going to church or was it something that as you were growing up or as an adult that you found the Lord? Yes, I was baptized when
I was nine years old. So I've had the Lord with me for a long time. You know, I've had different things that happened in my life that were hard. And He showed me that I could get through them. And with Him, I could get through anything. And you feel that it's the Lord that's helped you with your music career as well to get the message across to other people. You feel he's guiding you and guiding you to people like us and radio
stations and everything else. It's all part of life's path, you think, is part of it, yeah? Absolutely. And the thing is, just how it happened, it was just so amazing. And then my company Thrive came about and he's showing me all this time that, you know, I've been mom or wife or, you know, all these other things. And it's great being those things, but he's like, I need to use you for me, not for you, for me. And so as I write, here's what happens when I'm writing
a song and I don't finish it. Like that day of everything that I had planned, it does not go
planned as. the same because like it's just like everything it's like nope okay well that was planned and that didn't work out but then when i write the song then everything goes right in order brilliant no wonderful great i'm also glad it does you know uh now i'm looking at the uh on youtube we're talking about we do your social media right at the end so people can find you as well um now The Badlands band we've got here, I think I found a Latasha Wirtz channel as well
with a couple of songs on, but there's quite a few here with you, like Helping Hands is a song, a few other things. Tell us about some of the other songs that you've recorded and people can listen to and download. Okay, Helping Hands, that's one of my favorite ones, because we all need Helping Hands. We all need people to extend a hand to help. to help out through the community.
You've got people who may be going through a lot of trauma or they're going through pain or they're going through hard times and they need us. And so it only takes just a little bit to have helping hands. And that's what we're supposed to be as our servants. Hasha, do you actually get to sing in your church, but actually out in the front of the church? At my old church I did. I was with the, like there was the lead singers, but I sing in the background. Okay.
And no one knew that I sing like that. Well, I never knew. Okay. Only the people in Tennessee and the people I've been around in Las Vegas. One of the reasons that the church was uncertain that I produced music was because the music that I produced when I was in the industry over 10 years ago was not spirit -led. And so I kept
that history to myself. Now that God has led me to use the gift of music for His glory and be a blessing to those who listen, they have been surprised that I have the ability to sing at this level. And I'm just so thankful that I'm singing for the Lord and the Holy Spirit. There was a time when I had done in this small town and it was deep because of what was going on in that timing. But the thing is, When I write
my songs, I write it in the Holy Spirit. However, I write it to where everybody can communicate with it and be like they're living in it as well. And that's something that I try to do so that they feel they're in the song. And Tutu present a radio show So here's Nick and Sue Your musical duo Well, if Rise Up's anything to go by, because obviously we're still quite new to discovering you, but if Rise Up's anything to go by, then
that's quite a feat. I don't know if I'm trying to find the right word, but that's quite a skill you've got there because it's natural. So, yeah, you've got to say something. There's a lot more songs coming from you. I can see it. Oh, yes, definitely. Thank you. Yes, I've been writing actually since I was five years old. And it was with my father. I mean, he was a musician as well. And I also was writing one with Neil Foster. And he's a musician as well. So I was always
around musicians. And so writing has always been around me. And I've actually got a book that in eighth grade that I had written and I had won for the writing contest for our school. And so I got to have my own little book, which I do have. And yeah, that was amazing that I got to do that. And then they had asked me in Nashville to use those songs in for the radio station. And so I did. And that was. Yeah. You bet you
the. writing that all into a book. Now there's quite a story there and it is a book, something you may do, like to have a book published about your story and the songs that you're writing and to help people that way. Is that something you could do that could go out as a podcast? Is that something that's on the cards that we
may be able to talk about in the future? Yes, I would absolutely love to do that because what I've learned is Okay, our trials and tribulations that we go through in life, that also helps us to grow and become wiser. And then it also helps bring nuggets to help others who are going through those times. And God places us in their lives at those times. But I've also learned you're only in people's lives for a certain amount of
time. And that's okay. It's those seasons that he's wanting you to be there to help them, to guide them and be there with them. Sure. I'll get that. I saw, as we mentioned before, or the beginning, I don't remember if it's off air or if it's since we've been chatting on air. So I'll say both so I can take which one out, which isn't appropriate. But yes, you're represented promotion -wise by Chris Spear of Space Angel Music. And I noticed a post that he's put up
the last day or two, the last few days. I've seen something about a new release you've got coming up, some new song. So why don't you tell us all about the new song? I have Angel Stay coming out and our grandmother, our great grandmother just passed away this morning at eight o 'clock a .m. And it is about dementia. She had dementia. And in the song, this is something that's like never been done in a song is that my mother is a caregiver and she helps people all the time.
And the one thing when dementia is going on, you have your family, but then you also have the caregivers who are taking care of your family at the last timing of their life. And this song actually talks about the things that they go through in the dementia and the things where the caregivers are there, the family is there, what they're trying, like what you can do to get their minds more creative. And it just, it's a type of song that really relates to the heart
of the family, friends, and it's upbeat. So you're not listening to a song that's just like got you sad and just crying so many tears. Instead, you're having a up like, OK, they're going to heaven. They're going to be going to heaven. And I I'm so thankful and I'm so glad I get to be there with them. Wonderful. What a wonderful, special song. And it relates to so many people
listening as well. In fact, John Henry Harvey, in the other interview on today's show, when Chatterbox goes out, he also talks about dementia and going around to the old folks' homes where they suffer from dementia. And he gets them singing the old hymns and things like that. So it's a
very important subject that's been there. mentioned twice in two interviews in the same show and as I said on John Henry Harvey's interview something I can relate to and most people can relate to unfortunately my own father he was diagnosed with vascular dementia when he was in his 80s early 80s we were lucky enough to have him till he was 94 he went four years ago now so of course I can relate to it and we all know somebody everybody knows somebody who they've been close to, whether
it be a friend or whether it be a relative or whatever. We all know somebody that's been stricken by that. And of course, in many ways, it's very sad that the fact is that that person's there, but it's like they're not really there. There's an object, there's a person there, but it's not technically them because they're not there as such. It's like they've already passed as such as far as this goes. But I was so lucky with my father, although... He could remember things
in the 1930s like it happened yesterday. He could remember what had happened in the last day, the last year, the last 10 years, 20 years. He could remember before the Second World War. But I was so lucky, and I mean this, I know I was lucky, he could remember my name and who I was. He never forgot me at any point and that's so lucky. Beautiful. That's rare. I was so lucky. That's a blessing. It was, it was. So, and did you mention you had another, something else coming out? A new, another
single other than that one? Yes, that's what's going on in my life right now that I've just kind of been being quiet about. But it's check the mirror. Oh, okay. Interesting. Yes. And it is actually about different personalities people have. And it's a facade. And where people they think that people don't see it. And it's there.
And you're also giving grace for it. But there's a certain time that you can't keep letting them get away with something over and over and over again, because they've got to learn from it that that's just wrong. So that's cool. That's cool.
That's good. There's a great title as well. we also thank you for coming in the chat room it's lovely to see your support and your support for the other artists as well it's lovely it is nice it's wonderful they're amazing artists i mean you go to listen to the songs why wouldn't you because they're they're just amazing artists and and i thank you for saying that but um you know as i get to interact with them and talk with them their songs are just they blow you
away Yeah, that's absolutely amazing songs absolutely amazing and they give any any mainstream and I mean proper mainstream, you know They give them a run for their money any day, which is like why we like to do both of course and yeah It's right to him because they are as good or better as I said, you know, they really are They always say yeah, and even I heard this 50 years ago There's better artists out there than the ones that have been discovered Yeah, it's always
been the case, you know And it still is the case, you know, yes. Yeah Okay, so um, let's have a have a look at what sir what you might be doing for the rest of the year What are your next plans? I? Would like to be saying that I achieved Certain songs going out that touch people's hearts like the other ones but they're very powerful and that God leads the way. The biggest thing is I would not be here where I'm at if God didn't
lead me here. And I'm learning that when we write from the heart and when you're writing from the heart and you're writing in the moments of something happening, that is when you have an amazing song and also that thrive will be really powerful of our company as we're putting out more songs because the goal is to work with movie people, the movie industry and to work with the singers and with the Christian industry so that Like with the movies, they can have more songs of
Christian songs of people writing them and us helping them so that we can have more movies with the Christian song because it's hard to just have that. So, yes. That's fantastic. That's great. And when it comes to singing live or doing any touring and that, is it venues or is it like churches or is that the plan to go around churches to sing and do concerts at those? So the plan is to go on tour. It's going to be after some things pass and we're looking forward to that.
And I've spoken, you know, about even the UK. And that's something I would love to do because so many others are wanting to see me come there. And I'm grateful for just what the Lord's doing. He's just opening the doors in even Australia because Chris even got people from Australia now. And I'm just very thankful of what God's doing. And the thing is, in the midst of trials and tribulations going on, he's still bringing
that happiness. And that's the thing I want listeners to know too is when you're going through trials and tribulations, it's okay. And he's going to be there with you and he's going to send his people and be there for you as long as you let him. And when you let him, you're giving it all to him. But when you don't, you're not giving it all. That's great. Now this, as you know, Chatterbox goes out on a podcast. It's called the Chatterbox Redux podcast. Now the podcast
is going to be uploaded on Good Friday. And this show goes out like Easter Sunday and all over Easter and then for the week afterwards. So it's when we get to this time of year or any time of year when it's a time that people that might have had families are now alone, or people are just by themselves anyway. It's a time when depression could kick in more severely and times could be
harder. And I wondered if you as a Christian had any message of hope or any message for people that are listening, because there will be people listening to this that are alone. Do you have any message for them that could help them? Yes. So for anyone listening this Easter, especially if you feel alone, I just want you to know you are not. God sees you, He is with you, and He has not forgotten you. There is still hope, and you can rise again. My music as a whole comes
from that place. Real life, real faith, and what God has brought me through. My heart is to create songs that help people feel seen, encouraged, and reminded that they are not alone. And moving forward, I am continuing to follow that calling, creating and sharing music that carries hope and truth wherever God leads me. If there is one thing I want people to take away, it is this. You are not alone, and no matter what you are facing, you can rise again. Wonderful. Thank
you for that. That means a lot. That's good. Thank you. And before we let you go, Ken, let's cover some social media. If you tell people what your social media presence is, where they can find you. I think you're on Instagram and places. So if you tell them where they can find you and what the tags are, like, is it Latasha Wirtz or Latasha Wirtz from the Badlands? Yeah, the floor is yours. If you tell them how they can find you, please. Instagram, YouTube, most of
the platforms. And we're getting ready to open up our website for Thrive. So once that's open then everybody can go there and then eat and you'll get to see the Thrive music. Let us know when Thrive is up and I think it'd be nice to have a chat. It's been wonderful chatting to you and meeting you and I think we should have a chat as the year progresses and certainly have you on before Christmas but let's see how the
year progresses maybe. before that but obviously I'll be sending your songs and keep up to date and we're friends on Facebook anyway and we do mess each other sometimes as well so yeah so keep in touch and I look forward to the next songs yes indeed so it leaves me for now Latasha just to say great meeting you thank you so much for coming on Chatterbox and for your great song and I was honored too I'm so thankful to get to know you guys and thank you for playing my
music and you know It's just and it's not just me, you know, it's a it's a team of people writing the songs as well to like Russell, I'm sure you guys have heard of him, Russell, he's been helping as well. And one, I mean, that's the other thing that's just amazing. Because Chris just pushed out his song. That's my producer. And he just put out a new song as well. Wonderful. Wonderful. So we listen out for that as well. But yeah, Latasha, thank you so much and love to chat more.
Looking forward to the next time already. You take care, Latasha. And happy Easter to you, Latasha. Happy Easter to you guys. Thank you very much. Bye bye. You've been listening to the Chatterbox Redux podcast with Sue and Nick and today our special guest was Latasha Wirtz. If you're interested in becoming a future guest on the Chatterbox Redux podcast or the radio show Chatterbox UK you're welcome to submit songs, books or whatever it is you do. and send us a
CV, synopsis or press release. However, we receive several thousand such press releases every week and it's impossible to reply to each one individually. Why not email us or leave a comment because we'd love to know what you think of the podcast. Our email address is nickelbum at myyahoo .com. Alternatively, you could write to us at P .O. Box 26, The Old Observer Building, Telford Road, St. Leonard
-on -Sea, East Sussex, England, TN389LZ. And wherever it is you choose to listen to the Chatterbox Redux podcast, Don't forget to give us a like, a follow, a favourite or whatever it is on that platform just so you don't miss a future episode. Sue, myself Nick and Twinkle the tuxedo cat, thank you very much for your company and we look forward to welcoming you again next time for another Chatterbox Redux podcast. In the meantime, take care, we thank you for your company and
we catch you then. Bye bye. This is Nick and Sue with Chatterbox giving you all you need to know about music Chatterbox, the best interviews with Nick and Sue