Can you tell us about the inspiration behind your latest album, and what themes or
stories you aimed to convey through your music?

Our latest album was a fun one to create, but also held a significant amount of pain. In the year or so prior to releasing the project, I experienced my share of loss and heartbreak surrounding my family. I lost one of my best friends and a father figure during that time and I will say that life never really feels the same after that. Our EP, ‘Change’ has powerful album art that was drawn by a wonderful local artist, Anabel Johnson and it conveys a beautiful message. The focal point of the image is a sunflower, withered and worn from the long season, and it is holding an umbrella over its bowed head to keep the rain from falling on its dry petals. In seasons of rain, I often think the natural human reaction is to hide from the pain. We keep ourselves protected from the hard times. I’ve learned as I’ve grown over the years that not only do we need to embrace the rain when it comes, sometimes it’s actually the thing we need to grow into who we are to become. 

Music often has the power to transport people to different places and times. Can you
describe a moment in your life when a particular song or album had a profound impact
on you?

I remember the night when I wrote the song, « Not Coming Over. » I was laying on my bed in my room picking my guitar and at my wits end over a bad relationship that I had been in and out of for years. The words flowed from me in a way that felt more like I was being told the words than I was coming up with them on my own. It was quite an experience for me and the feeling and emotion that came out that evening as I recorded the demo couldn’t be matched in the studio, so we used that take on the album.

Many artists have rituals or routines they follow before performing or recording. Do you
have any unique or quirky pre-show or pre-recording rituals that you find help you get in
the zone?

I’ve actually never had something that I have continued doing over the years, other than chugging some water, maybe a short prayer and some vocal warm ups. I’ve recently started to use a portable nebulizer in the winter months due to the dryness of the air, but beyond that I really don’t have any rituals to speak of.

Your lyrics often tell a story or convey a message. Can you share the story behind one
of your songs and the inspiration that led to its creation?

The song, « Lies » is one of my favorites lyrically that I have written. The song is in itself a representation of the dichotomy we can find our minds in the middle of. The song starts off with the accuser attacking the protagonist and running through scenarios designed to impose doubt upon the hero of the story. The Pre-Chorus comes to the culmination of the attack by claiming, « Oh, just say a prayer ’cause you’re the only one who’s not okay. » In the Chorus however, another voice emerges claiming that these are all lies trying to keep us from the truth. In the end we finalize our dilemma with the call to action, « Gotta shake, gotta break through all of these Lie Lie Lies »

If you could curate a music festival with a lineup of your dream artists, who would be the
headliners, and what would the theme of the festival be?

I would pick a few people: Imagine Dragons, Ed Sheeran, Kacey Muscgraves, Morgan Wallen, Ben Rector, The Head and the Heart, Colony House, Needtobreathe, Jamestown Revival, Austin Plaine, Steve Moakler, Landon Conrath and Harbor & Home. The festival would be called Mutt Fest and would be dog friendly.

Music can be a powerful tool for advocacy and change. Are there any social or political
causes that you’re passionate about, and how does your music play a role in promoting
these issues?

I think we find ourselves trying to reach a broad audience and politics tend to be divisive more than unifying. We do believe that being a positive force in the world has a massive impact on those around us. Our music, while honest, will always come from a lens of positivity and will in turn inspire the listener to have a similar mindset.

The music industry has evolved significantly with technology. How do you see artificial
intelligence and emerging technologies impacting the creation and distribution of music
in the future?

I could see many advantages that come with practical use of AI or disadvantages that come with overuse of AI. We’ve had some form of AI with us for years now and I think its resurgence seems to be based around its more limitless features. There will be many people tempted to take songwriting away from human beings and put it into the hands of AI which is maybe the part that makes me sad about it, but other features such as questioning AI about business strategy and marketing ideas can be extremely helpful.

Many recording artists evolve over time. How do you see your musical journey changing
and growing in the next decade?

For us, longevity is the name of the game. We don’t want this to be something that we give up in a few years due to burn out or stylistic decline, we want it to be a career that provides for our families for many years to come. This being said, I think there are a few key pieces that need to be at the forefront of our minds: Balance, Relevance, Adaptability, Passion, Purpose and Drive.