\Francesca Battistelli (born May 18, 1985) is a Christian musician from New York City, New York. She was originally an independent artist and had released an independent album, Just a Breath, in 2004. Her first studio album on Fervent Records, My Paper Heart, was released on July 22, 2008. Her first single, "I'm Letting Go", was released to radio stations in spring of 2008 and has charted on national Christian CHR charts since then. The song was the 16th most played song of 2008 on Christian radio stations according to R&R magazine.

Biography

Early life

Battistelli was born on May 18, 1985 in New York City. She grew up in a musical family with both of her parents involved in musical theatre. "There was just something about live theater—especially musical theater—that has always resonated with me" she said. She "knew that she was going to spend her life performing" after seeing a performance of the musical The Secret Garden on Broadway at the age of six. "So I thought that was it. I was going to be Mary Lennox in The Secret Garden."

When she was 15, however, she became a member of the Orlando, Florida all-girl mainstream pop group Bella. The group's touring performances included singing and dancing, which were "two things I loved", she said. After the group disbanded, Battistelli picked up the guitar and began writing songs.

Musical career

As an independent artist in 2004, Battistelli released her debut album, Just a Breath. In early 2008, she released the I'm Letting Go EP exclusively through iTunes on Fervent Records which contains four songs, including the title track. All four songs were included on her first major label studio album, My Paper Heart, which was released on July 22, 2008. The album was produced by Dove Award-winning producer Ian Eskelin, and was published through Word Distribution. Her first radio single, "I'm Letting Go", was released in spring 2008. The song had reached into the top 20 on R&R's Christian CHR charts by May 30, 2008. In early July 2008, the song reached #10 on Christian CHR charts. My Paper Heart debuted at #1 on iTunes in July and was in the top 10 Christian albums for 4 weeks.

Battistelli began a period of touring in the U.S. during early 2008, playing solo concerts as well as performing with fellow Fervent Records band Big Daddy Weave. She performed at several Christian music festivals during mid-2008, such as Spirit West Coast in California and Alive Fest. In late 2008, she guested on a tour with Aaron Shust and NewSong.

Her debut single "I'm Letting Go" reached #3 on R&R's Christian CHR and AC charts during mid to late 2008. Her next single, "Free to Be Me", reached #1 on the R&R Christian CHR format in March 2009, and has held the top position for 9 consecutive weeks through the beginning of May.

Battistelli joined tobyMac, Hawk Nelson, Brandon Heath and others on the Winter Jam 2009 tour, the nation's largest annual Christian music tour, which ran from January through March 2009.

Style

Battistelli's music has been given several different genre labels. A reviewer once said that "Battistelli's soulful piano-pop sound resembles a blend of her music interests—jazz, rock, gospel and R&B." Battistelli stated that when she first began writing music, "I really longed to bring something authentic to the [Christian music] scene that even non-Christians could listen to."

Personal life

Battistelli is engaged to be married to Matthew Goodwin, percussionist for the Christian band NewSong and son of the band's lead vocalist, Billy Goodwin. They first met on a tour in fall 2008, and on June 6, 2009, Goodwin proposed to her at Radnor Lake in Nashville, Tennessee.