Episode 151: Why Identity Matters: Steph Carse on Faith, Bullying, and Purpose

Dive into an unforgettable conversation with Steph Carse, a man whose life journey has seen incredible highs and humbling lows—all with God at the center. In this episode of Your Biggest Breakthrough, we explore the power of identity, resilience, and faith in overcoming life’s harshest trials.

Steph shares intimate stories of facing the music industry's ruthless side, including a season of living in his car despite high-profile connections. He opens up about the struggles of fame, the dangers of losing oneself, and how God used these experiences to mold his heart for service. Steph also speaks deeply about the trials of bullying, revealing how his own experiences inspired him to create the Y iCount organization, giving children—and adults—new hope in their identity.

This episode isn't just about Steph's life; it’s about you. You’ll find inspiration in his story, encouragement in his faith, and insights to reflect on your path. With his words, Steph invites us all to reconnect with our true identities, find joy beyond circumstances, and embrace God’s love fully.

Whether you're a parent, a young person facing peer pressure, or anyone battling self-doubt, Steph's story offers hope and practical wisdom. Tune in to hear how God can turn trials into blessings and why holding fast to faith is the greatest breakthrough of all.

Chapter:

[00:00] Podcast Preview

[01:02] Welcome to Your Biggest Breakthrough

[01:28] FREE RESOURCES

[02:22] Podcast Topic Introduction

[04:08] Steph Carse's Background

[06:09] Faith Breakthrough

[08:08] Struggles and Breakthroughs in Career

[13:48] The Impact of Bullying and Personal Experiences

[20:20] Creating 'Y iCount' Organization

[25:43] The Role of Parents

[30:07] Practical Steps for Identity Restoration

[33:23] Overcoming Fear

[40:01] Hope in Difficult Times

[42:22] Resources from Y iCount

[45:06] Fun and Personal Insights

Resources mentioned:

Y iCount

Steph Carse Website

FREE Unstoppable Ebook and Audiobook

Guest's bio and social handles:

YouTube

Facebook

Instagram

While many may recognize Emmy ® Award winner Steph Carse as a world-class vocalist, in actuality, he is a Jack-of-all-trades: a writer, editor, producer and director, songwriter, and music artist with multiple awards and accolades to his name. Having sold over half a million records and garnering fans and awards from around the globe, one would never imagine after his breakout success in (1993) he found himself at square one in 1997, with no money, living in his car, seeking his purpose.

Carse’s journey began in Canada, growing up in a diverse music-loving family, he was exposed to many genres of music from very early on including opera, country, rock, gospel, pop, and more. Being a classically trained vocalist, he performed over hundreds of shows around the globe as a solo artist and eventually found himself in Nashville (1997) where he found the path to stardom was a bigger struggle than he thought. What he refers to as his ‘hunger years’, he was living in his car, eating from the dollar menu at Wendy’s, and using whatever money he made to make and record music. It was then, that he found God. “While raised in the Baptist church,” says Carse &” I found God living in my car, these hungry years were so instrumental for me to find direction!”

With great time and patience, his persistence paid off, prayers were answered and his network began to grow. In 1998, he started writing and recording with Donna Summer’s husband and it wasn’t long before Carse was called in to replace Andrea Bocelli at the opening of Porto Fino at Universal Studios Florida. That same year he donated a song for the Special Olympics; a song that was included on an album Holiday Heroes, which also featured artists like Alan Jackson, Donna Summer, and Brooks & Dunn just to name a few. Carse’s song Reach Out For Freedom kicked off the album, and soon the project went gold and raised over $2 Million of net profit for the Canadian Special Olympics.

In 2006, Carse made his US debut with his album Reach Out, which was supported by a 60-minute concert and television special that aired on PBS, and his transition from country to pop opera I made popular by artists like Andrea Bocelli and Josh Groban.

After months of successful performances in Vegas, Carse wanted his work to reflect his Christian faith. “I wanted my work to reflect my beliefs and to be less apologetic for being a Christian,” explains Carse.

His career continued to soar when his co-arrangement of “Amazing Grace” which was first released as a music video and eventually featured in a 60-minute special My Shining Hour Story in 2019, a production that won an Emmy ® in the Musical Arrangement category.

The production of his autobiographical television special “My Shining Hour Story” began in 2014 and coincided with the release of The My Shining Hour album where he shared openly about his faith and how he met his wife, Natasha. The special was broadcast worldwide on Daystar and was licensed by PureFlix and garnered an Emmy ® Award in 2020 for Best Producer in a Religious Program.

Throughout his career, Carse has always had a passion for telling stories and sharing his faith whether it be through music, film, or acting. In 2021, his short film “We The Children” won an Emmy ® for Best Producer, and in 2022 he returned to the big screen portraying a defense attorney in 24 Flix’s feature film “Don’t Say My Name”, a powerful project about sex trafficking.

Even with an overwhelming career of success, Carse is not done yet. He has already begun working on his next endeavor, “Undone” where Carse is serving as producer and director. The feature film is set to start filming in June 2023.

When he isn’t creating music or films, he and his wife spend the majority of their time working with their philanthropic organization, YICount.org, a non-profit that fights bullying and empowers the younger generation in schools. Founded in 2016, the inspiration began when he was struck seeing the devastating news headlines of the rising rates of teen suicides due to bullying. Being a victim of bullying himself as a child, he wants to help remind youth of their identity. In support of YICount, he penned the inspirational song “Awesome”, in an effort to raise awareness of not only the danger of bullying but to show the power of words. “I wrote this song as a reminder that there is something awesome in each of us and that we are to celebrate our uniqueness to make a difference”. The song charted in Canada upon its debut and he took home another Emmy ® Award for Director in a PSA for its official music video.

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