JoshIVM: Please give your name and what position you hold in Fireflight.
Dawn (Fireflight Vocalist): Dawn, lead singer
JoshIVM: Could you give us a short history of Fireflight and how you came to be a part?
Dawn: Fireflight started in 2000, when Glenn Drennen (Guitarist) decided he wanted to start a band. Glenn’s wife Wendy was an obvious choice for bass. One day Justin, whom Glenn knew from high school, walked into the music store Glenn was working at. They started talking and Glenn found that Justin was interested in being part of the band. I graduated with Glenn’s brother DAve and sang special music at our baccalaureate service. Both Glenn and Wendy were at the service, and it wasn’t too long after that they approached me about singing lead.
JoshIVM: Was Flicked your original choice for a label? Were there other offers?
Dawn: We have been interested in Flicker since the beginning. A friend we went to school with was a roadie for Audio Adrenaline; he eventually become a guitarist for them on the road (since then he has joined Relient K). He would always get us backstage whenever their tours would come through Florida and would pass along our demos. Sadly, they were all terrible up until we made “On The Subject Of Moving Forward”, which we recorded with James Paul Wisner. Finally our sound had matured enough and we were able to create an EP that really represented our music. We passed that along to Will of Audio A and many other labels in the industry. When the smoke cleared we ended up with Flicker, after all those years!
JoshIVM: What things really drew you to Flicker?
Dawn: We really liked that the label was started and then run by artists. Also, we really respected the guys at Flicker for being so willing to talk to and advise nobodies like us!
JoshIVM: How has the relationship been so far?
Dawn: We love Flicker! It’s more like suddenly having all these new friends than a business merger. We love being part of the Flicker family. Not to mention all of the awesome support, marketing, and distribution they have given us.
JoshIVM: You recently released “The Healing Of Harms”. How was it working with Skidd?
Dawn: Skidd is awesome! He is very even tempered and quiet, which we really needed because we have much of the same dynamic as a traveling circus. It became our greatest ambition to get him to laugh really hard because then we knew we had earned it!
JoshIVM: Was he able to challenge you in any way during the recording process?
Dawn: Definitely! As a newly signed band, we were still getting used to the whole compromise thing. Your songs feel like your babies and a lot of times it’s hard to let go and let things be changed. But in the end, the fine tuning really helped to bring out the beauty in our music.
JoshIVM: Any interesting stories during recording?
Dawn: We all grew up in Florida, so we have minimal experience with cold weather, especially snow. The first week we were in Memphis recording, it snowed and everything iced over. One night we all decided we wanted Pepsi to drink with our meal (Wendy and I had made dinner at our temporary apartment home). So Justin, Glenn, and I decided to have an “expedition” through the ice and snow to the coke machines at the complex office. We counted everyone’s dollars and bundled up in our scarves. We even grabbed the video camera to document, full with witty bbanter and narrative. So we trudged across the cold grounds and almost fell half a million times. Finally we got there and the machine didn’t take dollars.
JoshIVM: Is there an overall theme or direction you were shooting for on “The Healing Of Harms?
Dawn: In the beginning, we were just shooting for eleven completed songs. But God created a masterpiece. We feel strongly that His hand was on the record through all of our kicking and screaming. What emerged is an album that focuses on God’s healing love.
JoshIVM: Christian band or Christians in a band?
Dawn: We are so thankful that God has given us the opportunity to use our talents to glorify Him and tell people of His love. We hope and pray that our music will always endeavor to reach those two goals.
JoshIVM: Is there anything that God has taught Fireflight as a whole?
Dawn: He has taught us to swallow our pride and submit to His authority. It never fails that just when we quiet down and rely on Him, He takes what we could not understand and makes it into something greater than we could have ever hoped for.
JoshIVM: Anything you’ve learned recently about your personal faith?
Dawn: I personally struggle with legalism. I deal with a lot of shame and guilt that I have trouble letting go. Not too long ago, I met a man at a show we played in Georgia. He was in a wheelchair and he came up to me after we played. We talked a little bit about what I had said from stage, which was about finding your beauty in God’s love. I shared with him about my struggles, and he reminded me that the Bible says Jesus not only took away our sins on the cross but also died to take away our shame. That really hit me.
JoshIVM: What is the main desire of Fireflight as a band?
Dawn: We want to make music that will help people grow closer to God
JoshIVM: You have basically played every major festival this summer. How has that been? How have turnouts been and how was the overall reaction?
Dawn: The festivals have been phenomenal! It’s been great to meet so many people. We have been thankful for the people coming to our shows. Week after week our crowds grew, even when our stages fluctuated in size.
JoshIVM: What’s been the most memorable moment on Fireflight’s journey so far?
Dawn: For me it’s probably shooting the music video for “You Decide”. I’ve never felt so awkward! It’s very intimidating to have people recording your every move and facial expression. I’ve seen a lot of really bad, cheesy videos, and I was so scared I was going to look like a goof! But in the end, the video turned out amazing! We got the opportunity to work with director and producer Dale and Kim from Raging Nation Films. They were awesome and so was the crew. The whole thing was such a surreal experience!
JoshIVM: Are there any touring plans for the rest of the year?
Dawn: We will be on SHOUTfest through October. After that, everything is still in the works! But we are stoked to be in Germany at the beginning of December for Christmas Rock Night!
JoshIVM: If you could pick someone to tour with now, who would it be?
Dawn: I would love to tour with The Showdown. Those guys are the best!
JoshIVM: What bands have you been listening to lately?
Dawn: I’m into a broad range of music, everything from Johnny Cash to Demon Hunter. Currently I can’t get Death Cab For Cutie out of my head. No really, I’m driving everyone crazy singing it all the time. I really like Kids In The Way, which has worked out cool since we play with them all the time. I also love the band Leeland and the singer Damien Rice. Very powerful music.
JoshIVM: What are some passions/interests outside of Fireflight for you?
Dawn: I used to be a high school science teacher before the band started touring full time. I really love nature. I think that the Glory of God is on display all around us. I like to take time to soak it in and thank God for His patience.
JoshIVM: Anything in closing that you’d like to share?
Dawn: To everyone who has bought the album and come to shows, we can’t thank you enough for your support! You’ll never know how much it means to us to have people all the way across the country listening to the music we wrote in our garage.