Elizabeth Chan
We’re so excited to have an incredible friend of ours, Elizabeth Chan, with us for this week’s Round Table. Elizabeth is a touring and session drummer from New York City, based in Nashville, TN.
She has worked with a variety of artists, including seven-time Grammy Award winner Carrie Underwood, country music legend Darius Rucker (of Hootie & The Blowfish), multi-platinum artist Keith Urban, powerhouse country trio Lady Antebellum, The Voice Australia finalist Ben Hazlewood, Billboard AC/CHR chart topper Hollyn, and 2014 GMA Dove Award "New Artist of the Year" Ellie Holcomb. Whether playing to anthemic rock and country melodies or accompanying folk and pop ballads, one thing is consistently evident: There is never a lack of passion in what Elizabeth does. We hope you’re encouraged and inspired by hearing a little more of her heart, pursuit, and story.
What dream are you currently turning into reality?
After years of sitting, dreaming, and waiting for the right time, I’m finally returning to grad school to get my Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. In addition, I will continue to travel as a full-time drummer.
When did you first realize you discovered your dream?
That’s a multi-layered question! Ha! I’ve had a number of dreams, which God has graciously morphed into further dreams as time has gone on! As a kid, I remember discovering drumming and being so intrigued and drawn in by the instrument. I would practice for hours each day, and every time I played, it felt like it just clicked. Eventually, as I got older and “reality” set in, I figured it wouldn’t be feasible for me to be a musician; so I set aside that dream and started pursuing writing/journalism and business, thinking that would be a more sensible field of work. Eventually, I got a full-tuition scholarship for music and, after graduating, landed in Nashville through a crazy string of divine events.
During my first year in Nashville, God blew my mind and opened up doors for me to do music full-time after just a few short months of being in Nashville. It was insane, and I thought that was it. But God had more to the dream than I realized at that point. After a few years of touring and walking through some life, I landed in counseling, where I discovered the gift of maintaining mental health and wellness. As I was working through things and continuing to travel, conversations with those I was traveling with started coming up left and right; and the more real I got with things I was working through, the more vulnerable people I was traveling with got regarding their own struggles.
I realized we were all on a similar journey, and it really opened my eyes and heart to the need for counseling amongst artists, actors, creatives, and others in the entertainment industry - Where the pressures of creating, traveling, maintaining a home life, and meeting both public and personal demands can be overwhelming.
How does your faith go hand in hand with pursuing your dream?
My faith is essential to pursuing my dreams. Particularly, with counseling, I don’t think we can achieve complete wellness while neglecting the spiritual aspect of our being. We are made physical, emotional, and spiritual beings, among other characteristics. So, not only do I believe my faith is essential to me; but I believe humanity’s understanding of God, our purpose, and our spirituality is essential to every person pursuing their dreams and desiring to achieve a full life.
What encouragement would you give someone who’s going after their dream?
Don’t be afraid to take risks. Most people are failure-averse, but here’s the truth about anyone who accomplished anything great: They risked. They failed. But they still believed that there was something in this world that only they could contribute. They knew that their passion wasn’t purely based on success, but on calling. And so they pressed on even through difficulty. If you know God has gifted you in an area or line of work, don’t be afraid to work hard. God doesn’t give us passions just to torture us - there is always a purpose in the things He has wired us for.