By: Lisa Steinberg
Photo Courtesy of the Artist
Q) Last time we chatted in 2024 you described yourself as a pop-punk artist. How has your music/sound evolved since then?
A) It’s been a complete transformation, honestly. Pop-punk gave me energy and honesty and I’ve carried both of those into this new chapter. But the sound itself has matured. It’s more rooted, more soulful and the lyrics carry more weight now. I’m writing from a deeper place than I was two years ago.
Q) Your new music is gospel focused. What made you decide to shift your music focus?
A) I’ve always wanted to experiment with different genres and never wanted to feel locked in one box. Country has always pulled at me, but I wanted something that felt more like a story, which is why I leaned into the roots side. As for Gospel, it’s pretty unheard of for a Jewish woman to go this direction. But in my eyes, this is a kind of Gospel that can resonate with many faiths, not just Christianity. People hear the word Gospel and immediately associate it with one religion. This record is definitely Gospel, but I wrote it in a way where no single religion needs to be attached to it. It’s about the God who created every one of us, and I think that’s why everyone can find a sense of home in this record.
Q) How hands on was producer Justine Blazer when it came to crafting your new sound?
A) Justine is a huge part of this record; honestly, it wouldn’t exist without her. Not only did she produce the entire thing in stereo and Dolby Atmos, but she also co-wrote nine of the tracks. When we first discussed the album’s direction, I told her I wanted to do something I’d never done before, something that carried real meaning and told my family’s story and my own. Once I knew what I wanted to write about, the Roots Gospel direction just seemed to call to us. We wrote the songs together, and she produced them to sound exactly how they were written: raw, reflective and true to the story in every lyric.
Q) The album Light. Hope. Faith. is very inspiring. Which tracks have fans been reaching out most to you about that resonate with them?
A) The tracks fans have resonated with most are “Snake Hunting,” “Devil Don’t Mess With Me” and “Ain’t That What Love Does.” I think each one touches something we all feel in our everyday lives. Everyone has come across a snake in their life and calling it out instead of letting it hide is something we can all relate to. “Devil Don’t Mess With Me” is about overcoming something you didn’t think you were capable of and not being afraid to stand up and show the world the power you hold. And “Ain’t That What Love Does” is about love in all its forms and how it makes us feel. Love is such a strong emotion that it can be hard to explain or even understand at times, and that’s exactly what the song captures.
Q) My personal favorite songs on the album are “Ain’t That What Love Does” and “Devil Don’t Mess With Me.” Do certain songs on this album hold a special place in your heart? If so, which ones and why do they stand out to you?
A) Those are both great tracks and, as I said before, they’re two of the songs fans have resonated with most. Honestly, I feel like I have a new favorite every time I listen to the record. But one song that has always stood out to me is IIf God Had a Number.” It’s the closing track on the album, the last song I wrote for it and the only one I wrote alone. Sometimes you hear artists say a song wrote itself and that was truly the case here. I sat down and it just happened. I can’t even explain it. It was like the song was saying, “I need you to write me now – the world needs this, especially in times this dark.” I wanted to write something everyone could feel, something with deep emotion and yearning behind it, because we all wonder what we’d say if we could just pick up the phone and ask. Those are questions we carry every day, and we may never have the answers.
Q) Your song “We All Bleed Crimson Red” reached #1 on iTunes Singer/Songwriter Chart and “Snake Hunting” hit #1 on iTunes Americana Chart. How does that make you feel?
A) It makes me feel like I’ve accomplished everything people said I’d never do. When you release art into the world, you’re always going to come across haters and trolls. So when you hit a huge milestone with the very craft people used to drag you down for, it feels like you’re on top of the world. And, honestly, it’s not even about reaching #1. It’s about the resilience it took to keep going when everyone was telling you no. Once you hit that goal, it’s like, “Well, guess what! It looks like I can do this and I’m going to keep doing it.” But more than anything, those #1s belong to the fans who streamed and shared those songs. They put them there, not me.
Q) What do you hope lingers with audiences that explore Light. Hope. Faith. as a whole – either as a message or emotion?
A) I hope my audience feels empowered to be part of the change this world needs. I said earlier that I wrote this album to tell my story, but I also wrote it to bring exactly what the title says into the world: Light. Hope. Faith. There is so much darkness and tragedy around us today and I want people to walk away from this record feeling some sense of light and positivity. If it gives them even a little of that, it’s done its job.
Q) When we last spoke in 2024 you said you would love to collaborate with Gracie Abrams. Who are some artists these days that you would love to work with?
A) I still love Gracie Abrams, but writing this record has drawn me to different voices. I’d absolutely love to work with Brandon Lake. He’s such a talented artist and I think we share similar values. Lauren Daigle is another one. She writes with so much emotion behind her work and I think that’s something we both bring to our music. And I have to say Jelly Roll. Even just a duet with him on “Devil Don’t Mess With Me” would sound incredible with his gritty vocals. Manifesting that one.
Q) What would you like to say to everyone who are fans and supporters of you and the wonderful music you make?
A) I just want to say thank you. As cliche as it sounds, I wouldn’t be where I am today without you. You carried me here. You listened, you supported me and my music and you didn’t have to do that. You wanted to. I could never have imagined people wanting to listen to the songs I write, but here we are. So, thank you, truly. If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t be the artist I am today.