Husband and wife duo Bryan and Katie Torwalt just released their latest album Champion last month. It’s their third release together and has garnered critical and commercial acclaim. The album tells of a God that represents hope and victory.
“We really want people to listen to and to sing the songs from this album,” the Torwalts wrote in an email. “That they are filled with a message of hope and victory. More than anything, we want these songs to point to Jesus and to the victory we gained through the death and resurrection of Christ.”
Both Bryan and Katie got their start singing in the church community. Bryan found himself involved in worship teams from as early as children’s church. Katie started leading youth worship when she was 16 years old. After meeting at a Jesus Culture Ministry event in 2006, Bryan and Katie started dating and later married in 2009. It is through this union that they developed their signature sound.
“We feel called to write songs for the church…”
After signing with Jesus Culture, they released their debut album Here on Earth. The 2011 record is most notable for the Grammy Award winning song, “Holy Spirit.” Bryan and Katie Torwalt use their songs as a way to spread God’s message.
“We feel called to write songs for the church,” explained Katie. “We try our best to be growing in our theology as we write, and be intentional in the words we are declaring.”
Their latest offering, “Champion”, points us towards holding on to the promises of God in our lives as believers.
They write as a team, working with themes and inspiration from scripture and life experiences. The melodies and lyrics come spontaneously, allowing the duo to write whenever and wherever they feel inspired.
“The great thing about writing with the person you’re married to, is that you can be really honest in the process,” said Bryan. “Sometimes it takes a little longer to finish a song, but we always get a song to a place where we both love it before we record it.”
“It is important to spend time with God and to develop an identity in Christ.”
It is this honesty that makes Bryan and Katie Torwalt such a winning duo, professional and personally. They write their songs for themselves and God first, then decide which to record and which to keep private. Their title track, “Champion,” is a personal to God and the personal relationship they have with him.
“The song ‘Champion,’ actually came out of a season of dealing with fear and anxiety,” said Katie. “The Lord really spoke to me, and about how He fights for me and already has victory. I felt like He gave me the words to declare over myself and situation.”
It is this idea of God being the champion in ones life that really rings true in Bryan and Katie Torwalt’s music. Their personal struggles and experiences help encourage others to believe in God’s message of hope and ability to overcome these obstacles.
“One of the things that most creative people struggle with is their identity,” the Torwalts wrote in an email. “It is important to spend time with God and to develop an identity in Christ.”
The future looks bright for the Torwalts, with Champion peaking in the No. 3 spot on the Billboard Christian Albums chart. They plan to tour Europe this September and continue spread God’s message through their music.
