Interview: COLMANblue
Louder Than The Music have managed to catch up with the wonderful new girl group "COLMANblue". They are, Chrissy Katina and Kristin Schweain (formerly of Zoegirl), and Kelli Trontell (Top American Idol Songwriter/2007). Their musical tastes range from Pop and R&B to Folk and Country, which makes up the sound of COLMANblue. The band are getting ready for the release of their first single and we have been lucky enough to speak to them about their future, Zoegirl and being a role model to young Christians.
For people who don't know much about COLMANblue, can you tell us a bit about yourselves?
Kristin - Chrissy and I were in ZOEgirl for seven years together, and after it ended and some time had passed, she still felt led to be in a group and continue with music. I had gone on to work on a solo project, so in the mean time she met Kelli, who up to that point had been working her own solo career. They began working together and forming a vision, as well as praying about and seeking out a third member. About a year passed for them before I joined. Chrissy and I had remained close, and she would update me on the group. I had even met Kelli a couple of times. Chrissy and I would often talk about how we missed working with each other and she would mention to me that she'd love for me to be that 3rd person. After finishing and releasing my solo cd, I was praying about what was next, and after a trip to Nashville where I saw Chrissy and Kelli perform a song called, Saved To Live, I felt drawn to being a part of the group. I joined them in August of '08.
It must have been hard when ZOEgirl ended, did you ever think you wouldn't be in the Christian Music industry again?
Kristin - It was quite an adjustment for me when ZOEgirl ended, but I knew that it wasn't really the "end" of everything and trusted that God would direct me to the right thing. The CCM industry has changed SO much these past few years, so I wasn't sure where I would fit into that, but I had always wanted to do a solo CD. Not long after releasing that, I joined Kelli and Chrissy in COLMANblue, and have loved being on this new journey so much with them.
Kelli was it strange joining COLMANblue with two ladies who have worked together for years?
Kelli - COLMANblue actually began as Chrissy and I. We even thought that we were to be a duo at one point! Kristin was commuting into Nashville while she was working on her solo album and she would stay at Chrissys house so, we would run into each other when I would be there to write. I absolutely loved Kristin from the day we met. Chrissy had been hinting to Kristin that we would love to have her be part of COLMANblue, but it wasn't until she came to our first show {where we opened up for the Katinas} that she began to seriously pray about it. I was so excited to have her join us. We instantly felt complete. As for me feeling "strange" about working with these girls who have worked together before- I didn't follow much of ZOEgirl so COLMANblue feels like a new group to me- something that I have been part of from day one. Our collaboration and sound is different from what they did in the past. This is a new beginning for each of us.
Why are you called COLMANblue?
Chrissy - Our name comes from Matthew 3:16 - "As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him." COLMAN is Gaelic for Dove, symbolizing purity, refreshment and being washed white as snow. BLUE- symbolizes water, baptism and new life. This is exactly what we want our music to bring to people- A new life in Christ.
Tell us about your new album, what is it called, when will it be released?
Kristin - Right now we are working on our first 4-5 songs that we will be putting on an EP. We've spent over a year writing and recording, and praying for direction and a sound that is a perfect blend of the three of us. Our EP will be done over the next couple of months, and have yet to decide the title, so hopefully it will be a nice surprise for everyone when we announce that!
Do you see yourselves as role models to young women, what sort of inspiration do you hope to be?
Kelli - Yes. Our desire is to encourage and empower the body of Christ. The Lord has given us the gift of music and we are passionate about stewarding these gifts well. Being wives and moms, we carry a new load of responsibilities and we are excited about connecting with and encouraging women who wear the many hats that are sometimes called wife, mom, chef, house cleaner, driver, teacher, coach etc.
Which do you prefer playinglLive or recording albums?
Chrissy - Both are great and it's hard to pick because they bring different joys. I would say playing live is my favorite because that is where I believe God is using COLMANblue to impact His Kingdom.
What's your song writing process?
Chrissy - Our songs are written many different ways. We enjoy writing to guitar and piano. We write with just the three of us and also co-write with other writers to bring in a different style and sound. I often come up with the melodies, Kristin is great with writing the lyrics and Kelli is great at inspiring a theme or direction for each song. It doesn't always happen that way but that tends to be how things go. Some songs take longer than others but there is nothing quite like finishing a song that God put in your heart.
You're stuck on an island, it's hot, and you only have enough battery life left to listen to one song on your Ipod. What track is it?
Chrissy: "I Found love" - a song that my husband and I wrote together.
Kelli: "When You Say Nothing At All" by Alison Krauss- this was the song my husband and I danced to at our wedding.
Kristin: "Thanksgiving" by George Winston, from his album December.
What does the next year hold for COLMANblue?
Kelli - We are finishing up our EP and are currently booking new dates. We are beyond excited to get out on the road to share with everyone what we have been working so hard on this past year and a half. We will be posting all of our tour information on our website: www.colmanblue.com
