“I think what preserved me was the ability to differentiate between things Christians do that don’t reflect Christ—and Christ Himself.” – Ronnie Martin

For over three decades, Ronnie Martin has built one of the most thoughtful, spiritually rich, and artistically consistent careers in Christian music. From his early days as a Joy Electric, a genre-defying Tooth & Nail artist, to his current roles as author, counselor, pastor, theologian, and recording artist, Ronnie continues to create with purpose and precision. His latest solo album, Consume Like a Moth What Is Dear, continues his creative search with poetic meditation on the Psalms, released by an artist who has never stopped listening for the voice of God.

His new album drops today which happens to be on Good Friday, and while he’ll humbly tell you that wasn’t planned—“I wish I could tell you that it was based on a very deep theological decision… The record is really based on just the prayers and songs of the Psalms,” he told me. “So for it to come out on such an important week in the church calendar like Holy Week, I think is really interesting timing.”

Interesting is one word. Divine might be another.

What struck me the most in following Ronnie’s career is he stayed rooted, not just in the creative world, but in his faith, his local church, and his calling—especially when so many from that ‘90s Christian alt scene have drifted away or disappeared altogether. “Honestly,” he said, “the answer really is just that the Lord has been gracious. All the way through. Through all the ups and downs, all the recordings, the releases, 15 years of Tooth & Nail Records and touring—it was just the Lord who preserved me through it.”

He said it gently, almost as if he was surprised by how simply it came out, but the weight of that truth hit me hard. A lot of us watched that era of music shift into cynicism, but Ronnie went deeper.

“I always managed to stay connected to a local church, even at the height of our touring days,” he said. “There was an anchor there. A community. That kept sort of a fresh vision of Jesus in front of me at all times. There’s a lot of bitterness and resentment that can emerge from being in this industry. And I think what preserved me was the ability to differentiate between things Christians do that don’t reflect Christ—and Christ himself.”

The new album echoes with analog synths and delicate melodies that made Joy Electric a cult favorite. I asked him what pulled him back to recording after focusing so much on ministry, seminary, and writing books.

“Songwriting has always been the thing I most identify with,” he said. “Even when I had to put it on the back burner for church planting, seminary, whatever—I never stopped writing songs. Music still fulfills something in me. It’s the thing that comes easiest. That I enjoy the most.”

And it shows. Consume Like a Moth What Is Dear continues the artistic and theological trajectory of his previous solo records (From the Womb of the Morning… and Bells Merrily), both on Velvet Blue Music. It’s an album inspired by the Psalms—but reimagined with Martin’s signature sound. “I really devoted myself to wisdom literature about ten years ago—Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes,” he explained. “I started thinking, what if I could do my own rendering of those texts musically? What if I took the poetry of Scripture and ran it through my own sonic vocabulary?”

It’s a bold blend.

“Those books are so rich in emotional honesty,” he said. “The way you’re allowed to come before the Lord, full of angst, full of complaints, and still land in worship—it moved me deeply. So I thought, why not let that shape the music too?”

Martin’s music has never been for everyone, but having the context of the album will give you a deeper appreciation for the concept. “I still just want to make music that doesn’t sound like anything else. That’s always been the goal.”

We both laughed remembering that stretch in the mid-‘90s when Joy Electric was the only synthpop band in a Christian bookstore full of grunge and worship CDs. “It’s funny,” he said, “people say now it was a time when experimental music was accepted. But I always felt like we were on an island. We were not widely accepted. We had a niche audience. And honestly, it was only because of Tooth & Nail that we were able to do what we did.”

He lit up talking about Brandon Ebel and the team at the label. “They were the kind of label that wanted their artists to be creative, to realize their own vision. That’s why I was able to make the records I made. We had freedom.”

You can hear that freedom still in Consume Like a Moth What Is Dear. You can read it in his upcoming book, In the Morning, You Hear My Voice, a year-long collection of poetic prayers designed to draw you into God’s presence. “It’s abstract, thought-provoking,” he told me. “It’s meant to surface something in your heart and invite you to offer your own prayer.”

Thirty years later, and the spark is still there. Ronnie’s music still resists the algorithm. Still doesn’t settle. Still doesn’t sound like anyone else. Maybe that’s the real beauty of Ronnie Martin’s music: Someone who has seen behind the curtain and still sings about the throne. “It’s just at the pinnacle for me of my artistic expression. It’s just what I love more than anything else. I just love music, I love melodies, I love songwriting… it is very grounding for me.”

➤ Where to Listen and Pre-Order

🎧 Consume Like a Moth What Is Dear is available now on all major streaming platforms (Spotify, Apple Music, Bandcamp).
📖 Pre-order In the Morning, You Hear My Voice from B&H Publishing or your favorite bookseller now.
🔗 Follow Ronnie Martin on Instagram for updates, Christmas cheer, and synth-fueled reflections.

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