Holly Starr Talks About Her Upcoming Marriage & New Album "Everything I Need"

By Timothy Yap Sep 02, 2015 07:16 PM EDT

Everything I Need, the highly-anticipated fourth studio recording from acclaimed singer/songwriter Holly Starr, is set to bow September 18. Produced by Ed Cash (Chris Tomlin, Needtobreathe), Scott Cash (WOW Worship, Dan Bremnes) and Christopher Stevens (TobyMac, Jamie Grace), the project showcases seven selections, six of which were co-penned by Starr.

Everything I Need features the new single, "Through Me." Produced by Stevens and written by Starr, Stevens and Ian Eskelin, the song is currently impacting Christian radio formats nationwide. Additional highlights of the album include "God Is" and "Sunshine," as well as two songs with deeply personal meanings for Starr: "My Father's Love" and "Forever Faithful."

Hallels: Congratulations on your upcoming marriage. Chris was first your bass player before he became your future husband, how did the romance start?

He became my best friend on the road! We worked well together, and he had a servant's heart that I fell in love with. However, it did take me about 2 years or so before the lightbulb went off... "Oh, this could work!" :)

Hallels: Congratulations also are in order for the upcoming release of your album "Everything I Need." On this album, you've got to work with Ed Cash, Scott Cash, and Christopher Stevens as producers. Being a fan of Ed Cash and all the wonderful records he has had produced, what was it like working with him?

In both Scott and Ed I appreciated seeing up-close the way they desire God to be glorified in their work. It made it easier to bring things to the table that I might feel God leading me to do or say through my music.

Hallels: You have a hand in writing 6 out of the 7 songs. Does songwriting come easy for you? What normally inspires you to write?

Inspiration comes pretty easily, but writing the entire song is hard work. It's like editing a paper.... a thousand times! It can get frustrating and confusing, but when the vision is there, the work falls into place. For this reason I prefer to co-write, as opposed to write by myself. When there are two or three people working together it is easier to stay on task and execute the vision, as opposed to my mind wandering round and round and overthinking things.

Hallels: I read in your press release that when you were working on the album, God put the word "worship" on your heart. In what ways is this new album worshipful?

In every song I write, this is my desire: to lead people to worship God. I don't believe songs have to simply be corporate to do that, either -- but it has to be the goal of what I'm writing or it will fall flat every time...missing the vision and reason why I'm even a musician. As I wrote for this project, it was a word that I kept close to my heart and always on my mind, like a filter. Am I creating songs that will usher a heart posture to worship the King of Kings, our Savior and true Lover, or not?

Hallels: I believe there are songs on the new record that mean alot to you personally. Can you share with us two songs that mean alot to you? And why?

Two songs that stick out to me right now are "Through Me" and "God Is." "Through Me" has been the prayer of my heart since God called me into ministry. I was finally able to write a song that expressed my passion to live a life that shines the love and Spirit of Jesus. I want to be someone people can come to knowing that Jesus is at the center of what I say and do, not culture. "God Is" is a song of faith despite circumstances -- a message I will probably sing and talk about until I die! The point is this: God is greater, so we can rest knowing He's got us, EVEN WHEN everything is falling apart!