Using Your Gifts with Asha Elia

For those who don’t know you who are you what do you?

My name is Asha. I am creative. I am an artist. I am a singer. I would also say I am a learner. An explorer of life.

Asha Elia cover - photo taken by Akera Tiffany

We’ve all heard your songs and we love it! So tell us a little bit about how you got into singing? How did you know you were called to sing?

I got into singing by accident. I completely fell into it, but I knew it was the right path. People were really loving what I was putting out. I was like oh my gosh? So I just thought - I have to keep giving people it if they’re asking for it. For me, I was meeting a need and that’s what matters.

With this month’s theme being about gifts, what does it mean to you?

To me, it’s not just about the natural talents that God has given to you. It’s also about that yearning to want to grow in a skill and feeling like you can give something back to the world whatever gifts you’ve been given or whatever gift you’re building up. 

You’ve mentioned that you are creative and that there’s so much that you do. What was your process in discovering what your gifts are and what did you do to become bold enough to step into it?

I had to take it one step at a time, especially at the start of my journey. The skill wasn’t there, I was scared and there was so much fear. Even stage fright. So, I thought to myself what is the smallest possible step I can take in the right direction and go from there. 

So, things like sitting my mum down and singing in front of her. That was so scary at the time. Once I did that, I could do something a little scarier now.

What would you say is the importance of using your gifts? How would you say you use your gifts to glorify God?

(The importance of using your gifts…) It’s what gives life purpose. Without purpose, it’s so easy to live in a state of hopelessness and just feel lost every day. But, when you use your gifts the amount of life that comes through that… it’s like when Jesus says my food is doing the will of my Father (John 4:34).

The way it just feeds you the inside out. I could never run away from my gifts even if I wanted to. What else would I do if it wasn’t this?

What advice would you give someone when it comes to using their gifts?

I would say that the thing that helps with comparison is knowing how uniquely God has created you to do a specific thing. Even if someone is doing the “same” thing as you, they won’t be able to do it the way you’re able to because no one has had your exact experiences or loves the exact same things you do. Or are called to speak to the exact same people you’re called to speak to. Continue to ask God what have been called to do, and how have I been created to do it. Because I guarantee you it won’t look like someone else’s.

Finally, what’s next from Asha? What should we expect?

I am working on the album, Expect some, hopefully, remixes. In the new year, there are some things. I am keeping it some low. 

You can watch the full video live on our YouTube channel