The members of Flyleaf don't consider themselves a Christian band. Sure, they're a band whose members happen to be Christian, but as former front woman Lacey Sturm asked in a 2010 interview, "[...] if a plumber's a Christian, does that make him a 'Christian plumber?'"
However, when Sturm stepped down as the group's vocalist last October, just days before the release of the band's third album, they knew they were looking for someone whose belief system coincided with their own.
"One of the main prerequisites is that we share the same faith," said Bassist Pat Seals. "It plays such a huge role in our music, and we wanted to be united in that."
Enter Kristen May, formerly of Vedera, to take over vocal responsibilities for the group. And not only is her faith a perfect fit, her sound is, too.
"She's really taken to it like a fish to water," said Lead Guitarist Sameer Bhattacharya. "Her voice fits into the mix nicely. It's exciting working with her."
But don't just take the band's word for it. At a performance in November 2012, May's first with the group, Flyleaf fans were delighted with the new vocalist.
"The performance was so rejuvenating, a lot of fresh energy on the stage," Bhattacharya said. "Before we played that show we only had like, three real rehearsals with her. It was just spot on. The emotion in her voice and the delivery ... it was really amazing. The reception was even better than I could have imagined."
Now they're embarking on their first tour, not only with their new vocalist, but also in support of their latest album, New Horizons, which has received success not only on the charts, but much in the way of positive feedback from fans as well.
"Everyone has great things to say about it," Seals said of the album. "People have felt the power. When we were recording it, there was something special in the songs. People are feeling it, too."
And while they have been doing some writing and recording with May, what they're most excited about right now is being out on tour.
"We're excited to see our fans," Seals said. "We also want to thank our fans for seeing us through this transition. They'll be pleasantly surprised with the new vocalist."
