Grammy Award winner alum Lloyd Nicks holds masterclass for GU musicians
Published: April 03, 2025
Author: Dave Bell
Just six weeks after winning a Grammy for co-writing “That’s My King,” Lloyd Nicks was back on the Greenville University campus, coaching aspiring songwriters and talking about his journey in the music business.
During that March 21 masterclass, he spoke of the building blocks of composition – writing lyrics, crafting melodies, structuring songs, and creating emotional connections with listeners. But, more importantly, he encouraged students to use their musical talents to glorify God.
“Never forget that it’s God who gave you your talents,” Nicks said. “It’s a slap in God’s face when you don’t use those talents. But when you do exercise them, pair them with godly character; that’s what will take you far.”
Nicks, a 2014 GU graduate in vocal music performance, now lives in the St. Louis area and serves as the worship leader in his church. Shortly after winning the Grammy for the song recorded by gospel music star CeCe Winans, he signed a recording deal with Curb Records and is currently writing and recording songs for his first album.
Though the Grammy award has fast-tracked his career, Nicks told the students that he remains committed to the disciplines and priorities that have sustained him and prepared him for this opportunity.
“The core elements in my life haven’t changed. My relationship with God is still the most important thing in my life,” he said. “The other pillars are my wife, my family, and my friends. The music has been an extension of those things; it’s never been the core thing. I’ve found that if I honor those things, God has always honored the music part.”
Making music has been a lifelong dream for Nicks. “We all have a road that God reveals to us,” he said. “For me, it has been music. And I’ve always stayed on that road. Find what you can’t stop thinking about and focus on that. I’ve never had a Plan B; I’ve always stayed focused on my goal of writing music.”
He also spoke about the importance of surrounding himself with other creative people.
“I’m drawn to places that promote creativity and connections,” Nicks said. “For me, coffee shops are that kind of place. Because of that, I started the Common Ground Initiative, a group of creatives that meets regularly in area coffee shops to talk about things like music, art, film, or whatever. We offer encouragement to each other, which is so important as we move forward with our craft.”
During his recent visit to the GU campus, he also critiqued songs written and performed by several students. He was quick to affirm their compositions but also offered suggestions to improve them. Among his comments were: “Get to the core of what you’re saying … make sure the emotions in your voice match the message in the lyrics … pull your listeners in … cut out extra words … write about things you’ve experienced.”
Two GU students reflected on the importance of such feedback after performing their songs for Nicks.
“The support and encouragement were huge,” said sophomore Aaron Taflinger, who performed his composition “Good and Gracious God.” “To get feedback from someone as accomplished as Lloyd is a real opportunity. I will use his suggestions as I refine this song.”
This is Aiden Hagler, talking with Lloyd Nicks.
Aidan Hagler also found value in Nicks’ critique. “It was inspiring to get his ideas for improving the song I’m currently working on,” Hagler said. “He also gave me suggestions on ways I can push myself as an artist.”
In turn, the students’ contributions to the masterclass excited Nicks.
“I was very encouraged to see the work being done by the students at the beginning of their musical journey,” he said after the class. “Most of them haven’t even scratched the surface of what they’re capable of doing, and I can’t wait to see what God has in store for them as their journey unfolds.”
Another student, D’Arcy Johnson, spoke about a fellow alum.
"It was such a privilege to be able to hear from someone who was in my shoes a few short years ago. To be able to learn from someone as humble as Lloyd was outlook-altering. I’m thankful for the opportunity to present some of my own work to someone that I respect so immensely," said Johnson.
