Interview: Ellie Holcomb
2014 Dove Award winning New Artist of the Year Ellie Holcomb has just released her second album, 'Red Sea Road'. LTTM caught up with Ellie to ask her about the album and her thoughts on music in general.
Tell us a little bit about this new album of yours?
The past two years for our community have been heavy, full of suffering and loss. Red Sea Road is a record full of songs about how I’ve seen God show up in the middle of all the pain. I know now more than I did two years ago that He is faithful, no matter what we are facing. I’ve seen Him draw near to our broken hearts and make a way to keep going when there seemed to be no way. There’s an Ann Voskamp blog post where she describes it like this: “…we believe that an unseen Hope makes a Red Sea Road when there seems to be no way.”
This record is celebrating the unseen Hope we have in Jesus, and the way I’ve seen Him make Red Sea Roads through some of the most difficult & heartbreaking years of my life.
Which is your favorite track on the album?
I obviously love all of them, but my top favorites are probably “Find You Here,” “Red Sea Road,” “Rescue” and “Wonderfully Made.”
If you could work with any songwriter, who would it be and why?
I’d love to write with Patty Griffin. She’s a storyteller who is able to capture the essence of what it means to be human in almost every song she writes.
Do you prefer playing live or working in the studio?
How do you choose between two things you love SO much? If you’re making me pick a side, I’d have to say live. There is nothing quite like getting to share you songs with other people. Every show is different, and every show is this beautiful intersection of peoples’ stories and the truth from God’s word that I get to sing into the room. I’m usually singing into my own places of struggle or unbelief as well, so playing live is always a gift to my soul.
How would you describe your style of music?
My husband has started calling me a “modern day Psalmist”. I’ve heard someone else say that that listening to my songs is like listening into my prayers.
How would you define success in your career?
Success to me is seeing the songs you write somehow find their way into people’s hearts and lives. As long as I’m singing what’s true, and it’s connecting with other people’s stories...that is success to me.
What is your favorite album of all time?
Hard question! Add to the Beauty by Sara Groves or To Be Loved by Thad Cockrell or Rubber Soul by the Beatles. Three way tie!
You're stuck on an island, it's hot, you only have enough battery life left to listen to one song on your mp3 player. What track is it?
Right now I’d say “Too Good” by Jess Ray
What does the next year hold for Ellie Holcomb?
More Jesus, more being a mom and a friend and a wife, and more touring around the country singing these songs I’ve written.
