[ Kari ] Yeah, I have a Sennheiser SKM 5200-II with a Neumann capsule, and the microphone itself has a talkback button on it. It’ s called the“ Command” function. That has been so wonderful for me as a worship leader … to be able to communicate with the team. In a way, I feel like that is my instrument as well because I’ m able to communicate so well with the team and not have to make them read my lips!
[ WM ] What in-ear monitors are you using?
[ Kari ] I’ m loving my 1964’ s.
[ Kari ] Yes, I’ ll sit at the piano a little bit. The guitar … kind of, but I like the moodiness and how the piano just resonates well. I can just sit there and hold a chord and just keep writing. So, I’ m more of a piano writer.
[ WM ] Your career has spanned the globe and you’ ve performed in many places. Is there a venue where you would long to sing?
[ Kari ] Well, it is a dream to do a night that is my own night at Red Rocks. I’ ve gotten to be there with other artists, but not my own night. So, that’ s a dream for me.
[ WM ] Obviously, with the recent past, our country has suffered some stressful times. I believe your song,“ Heal Our Land” is a very timely song. Where did that song begin?
[ Kari ] Yes! Cody and I wrote that song with Brooke Ligertwood and her husband. All four of us wrote that song. It’ s one of those songs … the chorus, Scott Ligertwood had for a few years and he was like,“ I think we should just take a stab at this idea.” We wanted to just write with the church in mind about unity and lifting our voices together and the power that comes from a congregation setting, you know? God comes in our individual spaces and living rooms or whatever, but there is something powerful when we are together as the church and are worshiping. So, we were just sitting there
writing and all of a sudden, Brooke just started in on that bridge and I was just SO moved. It was just very timely and very much straight out of scripture. It felt really special then and really every time we’ ve done it so far. I actually sang at an inaugural event the other night and sang that song. That was really, really special. I’ m just amazed that God helps us write things … you know, we wrote that song nine months ago and it’ s so timely now.
[ WM ] Looking ahead to your upcoming tour, how does your song set on tour differ from when you’ re leading at home?
[ Kari ] Well, I wish they weren’ t any different! But, at church we don’ t only do my songs. The tour is just a little more of the songs that I believe people want to hear from the new album and just some older stuff that they connect to from over the years. But, we definitely have some spaces in there where we can just chill and wait on the Lord. It’ s not like so routine and so“ stuck-to-tracks” that we can’ t wait and just have really special moments. I always feel like every single night is just a little different. I mean, there’ s different people, there’ s different needs, there’ s different … you know, things the Lord wants to say. What I do is, I put all of the more congregational songs together so that it just feels more like a church setting. [ WM ] Thinking of gear … do you have a microphone you are more comfortable with?
[ WM ] Are your band mates on tour also with you at your church?
[ Kari ] Yes they are actually. My drummer has been with us for eight years now. We haven’ t always been at the same church, but we are now. It really feels like an extension of church on the road.
[ WM ] I have some questions from other worship leaders. Many of them are centered around your vocal health and training and techniques. What are some vocal preparations you do?
[ Kari ] I have a voice coach here in Nashville and I have vocal warm ups on my phone. I try to do 20-30 minutes of it every day so that I’ m geared up and ready to go. And … I love Throat Coat ® tea. If I don’ t have the Throat Coat ® tea, I will just have a hot water with lemon and honey. I’ m not real strict about much other than yelling. I really try not to yell in loud environments like a hockey game. If I’ m in places where it’ s just so loud, I try not to try to talk over really loud music. Years ago, I got some nodules in my throat because of talking loud in situations like that and so I try to be really careful about that now.
[ WM ] What is your comfortable vocal range?
[ Kari ] As far as keys? Oh man … I don’ t know! I don’ t like to be constantly singing above a
14 Mar � Apr 2017 WorshipMusician. com