PBG 3 Question Interview with Nancy Carey Johnson "Shine Your Light" EP
- Produced by a Girl™
- 5 hours ago
- 5 min read
Shine Your Light, released June 12, 2026, is the latest four-song EP from Vermont’s own Nancy Carey Johnson, and it’s a beautiful testament to the power of resilience, hope, and genuine human connection. Johnson weaves together Americana, folk, and classic singer-songwriter vibes, creating a soundscape that feels both timeless and deeply personal. You can hear her life as a Vermont homesteader, author, and mother of four in every lyric and melody; there’s a lived-in warmth and honesty that shines through. Building on the heartfelt storytelling and national acclaim of her debut Chaos & Grace, Johnson invites listeners into her world with songs that linger long after the last note. Shine Your Light is more than just an EP; it’s a window into the soul of an artist who knows how to turn real life into music that truly connects.
1. Shine Your Light radiates resilience and connection, wrapping listeners in that classic singer-songwriter warmth while inviting them into moments of deep reflection. When you were creating this EP, what was the heartbeat behind it all? What feelings or experiences did you hope would resonate most with listeners as they journeyed through these tracks?
NCJ: Oh my goodness, what a nice thing for you to say. Thank you!
As with anything new, the heartbeats start small and individually, one song, one heartbeat at a time. First comes an idea, whether it's a phrase, a thought, a melody, or a chord progression. Then, little by little, each song's heartbeat grows stronger as it goes through changes, building upon itself until its completion.
In terms of what I want listeners to feel or experience, honestly, the most important thing to me is a sense of connection. Most of my songs contain elements of experiences we've all shared. In the case of She Let Him Go, we've all experienced heartbreak, and most of us have had moments when we didn't want to dig too deeply for fear of what we might find. With Shine Your Light, we've all had times when we doubted ourselves and questioned our worth. And who hasn't known someone who was physically beautiful but turned out to be a total wack job? Consequently, it's important to me that my audiences experience both connection and catharsis.
2. Your music paints such a vivid sense of place, woven with threads of storytelling, family roots, and the rhythms of your life as a Vermont homesteader. Can you share how the everyday moments at home inspire your songwriting and help shape the stories you tell?
NCJ: Thank you for your kind sentiments. I really appreciate them!
It's a funny thing, but for me, it's the everyday little moments that matter most. To many people they may seem insignificant, but I see them as the building blocks of our lives, the moments that add richness and depth and help create our personal history.
That said, while many of those everyday details add richness and depth, plenty of them don't. For instance, when your days are filled with chores, like starting a load of laundry before feeding your family breakfast, switching the laundry and starting another load, taking care of the critters, folding clothes, washing dishes, tending the garden, and raising four active boys, there always seemed to be another load of laundry waiting. Needless to say, it gets repetitive, and you begin to wonder if you're going to die of boredom. But that's the thing: how many other people share that same experience? Those small, everyday moments can become the foundation for a great heartbreak song, for instance.
On the flip side, when you step back from that daily routine and look at your life from a broader perspective, songs like Take Me to the River are born. After all, it all began when two people fell in love, and that's a story worth telling, and even celebrating.
3. You've carved out a unique space as both a songwriter and an author, and your live shows sparkle with humor, honesty, and those unforgettable stories behind each song. How do music and writing intertwine for you creatively? Do they spark each other in unexpected ways?
NCJ: That's a good question, and one worth pondering. It's also a question with several answers.
Let me start by saying that music has always just poured out of me. From the time I was a very little girl, I walked down the street singing. I was always singing wherever I went and, full disclosure, I still sing wherever I go.
In terms of writing, however, I consider myself an "accidental writer" because I never intended to become one. It just sort of happened, and that accidental writing includes songwriting. While the inspirations can be very different, which is why some ideas become songs while others become chapters in my books, the creative process is essentially the same. Something captures my imagination. Sometimes it's only the whisper of an idea that I have to follow until I fully understand the story behind it and can bring it to life, whether that becomes a song or a book.
As for whether they spark each other, yes and no. I naturally gravitate toward writing in shorter forms, short stories and songs, which are really short stories set to music. At the same time, I'm currently working on what I think of as a couple of Disney-style projects, where the stories and the songs naturally intertwine.
4. Bonus Question: What does Produced by a Girl mean to you?
NCJ: Words can't begin to describe the gratitude I feel with the release of this album. It's taken me a lifetime to get to where I am today. The road has been full of twists and turns, with all kinds of pressures, including a difficult marriage and raising children, giving me a million reasons to give up.
In fact, more people than I'd care to remember have said things like, "Maybe it's time for you to give up on this dream and focus on something else." But how do you give up on your dreams? For me, giving up on my dreams would mean giving up on myself, and there's simply something in me that won't allow that. I just don't quit.
I know I'm just getting started at a time when many people my age are slowing down, but I love what I do, and I believe I still have a great deal to offer. I've come this far, and I have no intention of stopping. This girl is going to see it through and go wherever the journey takes her.
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