Today we’d like to introduce you to Courtland Pickens.
Hi Courtland, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I grew up as what I like to call a church baby. Church was a huge part of my life, and so was music. Some of my earliest memories are sitting in church and hearing the music, the choir, the musicians and the voices filling the room. Even as a kid, I remember how music made me feel. There was something about it that moved me, gave me joy and made me feel connected to something bigger than myself. That feeling is something I’ve never forgotten.
As I got older, I knew I wanted a career where I could make an impact. I didn’t just want to work. I wanted whatever I did with my life to mean something and hopefully leave people better than I found them. Music eventually became one of the ways I realized I could do that.
That journey led me into music education. I spent years teaching choir in Minneapolis Public Schools, and working with young people completely changed the way I viewed music. I started seeing that teaching a song was only part of the work. Music could build confidence. It could create community. It could give someone a safe place to express themselves. Most importantly, it could help a young person feel seen.
That same passion eventually led to the creation of Voicez Inc., a nonprofit organization built around using music and mentorship to amplify authentic expression, build community and transform lives. Under the umbrella of Voicez Inc. is Known MPLS, our youth and young adult community choir and flagship program.
Known MPLS started with a vision to create a space where young people could sing, build community and know that they were seen and valued. What began as a choir has grown into something much bigger than I ever imagined. Through Voicez Inc., Known MPLS has been able to create opportunities for young people to grow as artists, leaders and human beings. We’ve had the opportunity to perform on some incredible stages, partner with amazing organizations and work alongside artists I never imagined we’d have the opportunity to work with.
But I’ve learned that the biggest impact doesn’t always happen on the biggest stage.
Sometimes it’s watching a young person who didn’t believe in themselves finally step forward and sing a solo. Sometimes it’s seeing someone find community when they felt alone. Sometimes it’s watching someone discover their purpose, heal, grow in confidence or realize that their voice actually matters.
Today, I’m blessed to wear a lot of hats. I’m a father, educator, professor, worship leader, mentor and the Founder and Director of Voicez Inc. and Known MPLS. But at the center of all of those roles is the same thing I felt as that little kid sitting in church: the belief that music has the power to move people and change lives.
It’s pretty amazing to think that something I felt as a child eventually became part of my life’s work. I’m still building, still learning and still dreaming about what’s possible, but my goal remains simple: to use what God has given me to make an impact and create spaces where people know that their voice matters, their story matters and they are known.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It definitely has not been a smooth road. I’ve experienced many of life’s challenges along the way, both personally and professionally, but one of the greatest has been grief.
Learning how to manage grief while also leading others has not been easy. There have been seasons when I’ve had to show up for people while still trying to figure out how to show up for myself. I’ve had to learn that being a leader doesn’t mean you always have to be strong or have everything figured out. Sometimes leadership is allowing people to see you heal, grow and keep going.
In many ways, my own journey through grief has made me a better leader. It’s allowed me to lead by example and show the youth and young adults I work with that healing doesn’t mean pretending something didn’t hurt. You can acknowledge the pain, give yourself permission to feel it and still move forward.
That’s honestly become one of my greatest joys. I get to create spaces where young people know they don’t have to hide what they’re going through. We can talk about grief, disappointment, mental health, faith, healing and the realities of life while still finding joy and purpose through it all.
It hasn’t always felt good, and it certainly hasn’t always been easy, but some of the most difficult seasons of my life have given me a deeper sense of compassion and purpose. I’ve learned that sometimes the things we go through don’t just shape us. They prepare us to help someone else get through it too.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
At the heart of everything I do is people. I’m a music educator, choir director, professor, worship leader, mentor and the Founder and Executive Director of Voicez Inc., the nonprofit organization that is home to Known MPLS, our youth and young adult community choir.
Most people probably know me through Known MPLS. We specialize in creating powerful musical experiences while giving young people opportunities to develop their gifts, perform at a high level and be exposed to spaces they may have never imagined themselves in. We’ve been blessed to perform on some incredible stages and alongside some amazing artists, but what we do goes far beyond singing.
What I believe sets us apart is that we’re not just developing great singers. We’re developing people.
Mentorship is at the core of our work. We talk about leadership, accountability, professionalism, faith, confidence, purpose and what it means to show up for yourself and for your community. I want our young people to leave Known MPLS better prepared for life, not just better prepared for a stage.
I’m probably most proud of the community we’ve created. Seeing young people find a place where they feel safe, valued and truly known means more to me than any performance or recognition we’ve received. I’ve watched people come into our organization unsure of themselves and eventually become leaders, soloists, mentors and confident young adults.
I’m also proud that we’ve been able to show what’s possible for young artists right here in Minneapolis. Our young people have had opportunities to perform at major venues, community celebrations, professional sporting events and alongside nationally recognized artists. Every time another door opens, my goal is to hold that door open wide enough for somebody coming behind me to walk through it too.
Ultimately, I want my work to be known for impact. Great music is important to me, and excellence will always be the standard, but if the music sounds amazing and the people aren’t becoming better, then we’ve missed the bigger purpose. I want people to experience Known MPLS and hear something incredible, but I also want them to feel the love, community and purpose behind every note.
Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
I think my relationship with risk is deeply connected to my faith. As a Christian, I’ve learned that some of the biggest steps I’ve taken in my life didn’t come with guarantees. They came with a sense that God was calling me to move, even when I couldn’t see exactly how everything was going to work out.
Starting Voicez Inc. and building Known MPLS was a risk. There was no blueprint telling me that people would believe in the vision, that young people would show up, that funding would come or that the opportunities we’ve experienced would ever happen. There were plenty of reasons to play it safe. But I believed God had given me a vision, and at some point, faith required me to do more than just believe in it. I had to move.
That’s really how I approach risk today. I pray about it, I seek wisdom and I try to be responsible, but I’ve also learned that I can’t allow fear to make every decision for me. Sometimes you have to step out before you have all the answers.
My faith doesn’t mean I’m never afraid or that every risk works out exactly the way I hoped. It means I trust that even when things don’t go according to my plan, God can still use the experience to teach me, redirect me or prepare me for what’s next.
Some of the greatest opportunities in my life have come from saying yes when I didn’t know what was on the other side of that yes. I’ve watched God open doors that I couldn’t have opened for myself and provide in ways I couldn’t have planned.
So I don’t know if I would necessarily call myself a risk-taker. I would say I’ve learned to be a faith walker. For me, there’s a difference. I’m not taking chances just for the sake of taking chances. I’m trying to have enough faith to move when I believe God is telling me to move.
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that faith and fear can sometimes exist in the same moment. Courage is choosing which one gets to lead.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.knownmpls.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/knownmpls/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/knownmpls
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@knownmpls
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/album/0NrDwxNL5z2qF90HEwnO6T?si=i9ZYqjBiQ1qZAXS5_TW1ig
