He is We – Climbing Mountains

CCM: When you write in these spurts, are you taken back by what comes out?

RT: [Laughs] Yes. It’s interesting, because you don’t realize your influences until after the fact. Then you realize, ‘Oh that sounds like Pat Benatar.’ You start to recognize the pieces of you that have picked up other influences along the way and you realize just how much you’ve grown in your melodies and your wordplay. It’s really shocking. I didn’t realize how much I sound like the lead singer of Blink-182 when I pronounce words sometimes. So I’ve definitely surprised myself. I have an accent!

CCM: Were you surprised lyrically as well?

RT: As soon as I started writing, I cried my face off. I didn’t realize how much I’d been hurting. The next day, I didn’t realize how much I’d grown, how strong I am now. That’s not just strong as in “she can handle anything” but strong enough to know when I can’t handle something now. I’ve grown in that way. So in my writing, I was telling the story of the last six years of my life. It’s my story and what I’ve learned and sums up into “the love I deserve is a God-sized love.” If I could find the love that my fans and my family have given me, if I could find that in a partner, in a man, that’s what my love songs are now. Now I’m looking at this unconditional God-sized love and that’s what I’m in search of. My love songs have definitely changed the way that I approach love, the way I approach apologizing. I’m definitely a woman now.

CCM: You mentioned the raw state of the songs. Is that what draws your fans in?

RT: I think so. I think that part of the social brain I’m supposed to have where there’s fear, I don’t have it. I will just throw my dirty laundry up and blow glitter at it and hope someone likes it. [Laughs] That’s what I’m doing for some reason. People can connect with it because it’s the stuff they want to share with their friends and family but they somehow can’t do it just yet. I’m that little voice, I guess, of that thing they’re afraid of being realized.

CCM: There’s all this talk about vulnerability, but even that crowdfunding process itself is that way. Are you nervous?

RT: No. [Laughs] I’m just not. I have realized that there are things that I fear that my creator Himself created all of the elements involved. If He has the power to do that, I have zero power in that regard. So fear isn’t an option anymore. It’s not an option. God didn’t create me to walk in fear. So I have to remember that I’m protected by someone who created the thing I’m afraid of. He’s got it. So I can’t be afraid anymore. There’s nothing in that.

CCM: Is that a new realization for you?

RT: I had to walk through it headfirst. There are moments you look around and open your eyes and say, “I survived. Wow, I survived.” I’ve had so many of those moments where you think, “Holy crap. Not only did I survive, but also I look good. He did some good work with that!” It’s a new realization with every trial that is brought my way. God seems to really touch on the good. I feel like I’ll realize it until my last day here.

CCM: You’re playing some of Warped Tour. Are you excited?

RT: I’m thrilled I’m a pretty calm person, so trust me when I say that I’m so excited. [Laughs] I was actually boycotting Warped Tour for a bit. There was a lot of controversy around Warped Tour for a while, so I refused to it again and again. Then I heard it was their last year and knew I had to pay tribute to the tour that always brought my favorite bands to town.