Kari:  Amazing. I call him Pastor Cash. He’s such a pastor. He has such a heart for you as a person. You are making music, but he’s like, “What is God calling you to? How did you get here?” He’s just awesome. It was a phenomenal experience. I couldn’t have asked for a better producer. I didn’t really know what I needed my CD to sound like, but I knew what was in my heart and was able to say to him, “I want to do worship, and I want to connect with people.” I tried to explain what I was hearing in my mind, and he took it and ran with it and was able to totally interpret what I was trying to say. He’s an amazing artist himself.

Brandon:  There are so many new artists coming out who are encouraging to me. It seems like the scope of our industry is changing. God never rests and never stops calling people to do His work. Who are some people that you are excited about in Christian music these days?

Kari:  Well, there’s this one guy named Brandon Heath. …

Brandon:  Besides me!

Kari:  As a girl, I’m real emotional. I love music that moves me. I love Brooke Fraser. I can’t even explain it. I’m loving Worth Dying For. They’re newer; Integrity is releasing some of their stuff. I got to meet them this year. They love to call themselves not a band but a movement, and they want to start a movement with teenagers. I love what they’re about. They’re out of California, and they are [a group] to be watching out for, with phenomenal songwriting abilities and amazing vocals.

Brandon:  I’m with you on the girl front. As far as Brooke Fraser goes, so many of us in Nashville love her songwriting. Her voice is amazing and so fresh. It’s encouraging to me to see so many female vocalists like you and Francesca [Battistelli] coming on the scene and making an impact. … It’s encouraging to see new people and new faces helping us advance to new audiences.

Kari, when you write, how much do you think of the non-believer?

Kari:  I love to write songs that will help people who are broken, [going through] those times in our lives where we are walking and are weary; or we’re broken and we’re like, “God, I need You to rescue me from this and help me walk through this. Help me hear Your voice and follow what You’re saying.” And because I feel like I’m always walking through that myself, my songs take that on, and unbelievers can absolutely connect with that, because if they’re being honest, then that’s where they are in life. They’re like, “I am broken; I don’t know what to do.” If [my music] can connect with people, and bring life and hope and healing, then that touches my heart