Everlife Audio Special
Tommy2: Hey, it’s Tommy2 and today we’re at The Factory in Franklin, TN for Everlife’s final show. It’s about two hours until showtime and we’ve got Amber, Julia and Sarah here to talk about this special occasion. So how’s everyone feeling?
Amber Hezlep: Good… nervous.
Sarah Ross: Ooh, I’m getting nervous when you said two hours.
Julia Ross: When you said that, yeah!
Sarah Ross: We’re doing good, we’re excited now.
Julia Ross: We’ve gotta get dressed.
Tommy2: This last week has there been a lot of preparation that has gone into the show. Has it gone by fast?
Amber Hezlep: Yes.
Sarah Ross: Somedays were fast, somedays I felt like were…
Amber Hezlep: Were forever.
Sarah Ross: Really slow and forever and we had so much to do. But rehearsal was really good the other night so that was encouraging.
Amber Hezlep: It was… and Julia actually spent a lot of time this week putting together just a little bit of video content for the show and she’s had to like go through the last 16 years of our videos.
Julia Ross: Footage, photos.
Tommy2: And that’s a lot of work.
Julia Ross: Oh yeah, it took me eight hours to finish the video.
Sarah Ross: Crazy!
Amber Hezlep: Crazy!
Julia Ross: But… and it’s only three minutes long.
Tommy2: That’s how it always is, right?
Sarah Ross: Always!
Tommy2: That’s why nobody likes doing videos.
Julia Ross: Exactly!
Tommy2: Cause after they do them they realize they don’t want to do them again.
Julia Ross: Yeah!
Tommy2: Now, with your new release “At The End Of Everything,” do you feel like when you guys entered the writing sessions in the studios that there was more pressure on you since you that this was your final release?
Amber Hezlep: Actually, it was the opposite.
Sarah Ross: Actually it was less.
Julia Ross: Literally no pressure, and it was amazing.
Amber Hezlep: It was a really good feeling.
Sarah Ross: And I think too, before… I mean we’ve been independent, so it’s kind of that thing of like we just decided this is what we’re doing. We didn’t put together the normal, we’re releasing this and this is the promotional thing and whatever. It was just, we felt like we have something more to say and we want to end this chapter of our life well and so we just started writing. We took a year, really… to write songs.
Julia Ross: And it was our idea, it was for our fans, for our friends and for our family and everybody that has been with us. So, it was just us telling our story and saying “Thank You” basically.
Tommy2: And this album was funded via Kickstarter, now that you mentioned it, I was going to say do you think that that kind of helped you guys cause it gave you like momentum? Like everyone wants to hear this, so now let’s just do it.
Amber Hezlep: Exactly, yeah.
Sarah Ross: Oh yeah!
Julia Ross: We weren’t doing the record unless the Kickstarter happened, and it did and that’s why we’re here.
Amber Hezlep: It was humbling, very humbling and overwhelming to know there were people…
Sarah Ross: People still care.
Tommy2: You mentioned a video, are their any other special treats for tonight that people might see?
Amber Hezlep: Yeah, well we’re filming so anybody that can’t be here will see parts of the show online. There’s… yeah, we’re gonna bring up some people that are really good friends of ours and we’re going to, I don’t know, play some instruments we haven’t played in awhile.
Sarah Ross: Play some older songs, it’s going to be exciting.
Julia Ross: Old, old songs.
Amber Hezlep: Yeah, so it should be very interesting. What’s more frightening is that we’ve not played any of the new music out live yet, so…
Julia Ross: Yeah, that’s gonna be funny.
Amber Hezlep: We’re just hoping that goes well.
Tommy2: The first and last time.
Sarah Ross: The first and last time, crazy!
Tommy2: And then just kind of in closing here, we’ll go through each of you and why don’t you just say what’s your best memory of Everlife, like one of the best things that has happened to you as being part of this group?
Amber Hezlep: Oh my gosh! I think for me the best memory of the whole thing has been the fact that I was incredibly awkward and shy when I was a kid, especially… like even back when I met you. Back in the day I was so fearful of so many things and it’s like God’s tool in my life to have forced me out of that and become a confident woman, and I think the fact that the three of us too have remained so close through all of it. By all accounts we really shouldn’t have. Honestly, it’s opened doors for us to have our entire friend community, the church community, I mean it’s just been… it’s been incredible.
Sarah Ross: So cool! I think aside from, I mean obviously shows and different countries we’ve been to and all of that amazing stuff that comes with touring. I think for me it would be the moment when we became independent and we honestly freaked out and didn’t know what to do and we were here in this building.
Julia Ross: In this room.
Amber Hezlep: Yeah.
Sarah Ross: In this room and we just kind of sat down and we were like okay, what are our individual strengths and how can we make this work. And that was the beginning of our journey of figuring out us women on our own, and also as a team. So… yeah!
Julia Ross: Wow, that’s basically everything. But, we are who we are because of Everlife. I was eight when we started and that’s not even when you start becoming an adult. Like I was still a kid and I’ve learned. I did my Math doing our merchandise, like all of that kind of stuff.
Sarah Ross: That’s so true!
Julia Ross: Like so many things like that. But, I actually did meet Micah my fiancé because of Everlife and I wouldn’t have if it we wouldn’t have been in this band and I wouldn’t have the friends that I have now, which our my life and my second family and the countries that we’ve been to, the people that we’ve got to meet and just speak into there lives. And, I don’t know, it’s so fulfilling. I’m sad because a chapter that is over but I’m so incredibly proud of everything we’ve done and I have no regrets.
Tommy2: Yeah, obviously it’s something you guys can’t do forever, so there’s always that point where you have to look at it and say is this the best time to do it.
Amber Hezlep: Right.
Julia Ross: Exactly.
Sarah Ross: Yep.
Tommy2: Okay, now for each of you what does the future hold. Are you guys going to be staying in town or any business opportunities or ministry’s you’re going to be involved with?
Amber Hezlep: Well we still love each other very much and want to live near each other.
Tommy2: That’s alright, that’s good.
Amber Hezlep: So, I have recently… okay are we going to do shameless plugs now?
Sarah Ross: Go for it.
Amber Hezlep: I recently illustrated my first Children’s Book.
Julia Ross: It’s so good!
Amber Hezlep: My Sister-in-Law is a third grade teacher and felt the need to write about bullying and so I’ve done that, I really love graphic design and I’d love to continue writing with other artists. Sarah and I’ve co-written a lot, actually all three of us have co-written a lot with other artists. Yeah, that’s my thing!
Sarah Ross: Yeah, we’ll always do some kind of thing in music, but for me I am a Personal Trainer now. I figured out I really love to encourage people and to help them start, like come from where they’re at to where they want to be. So I kind of do that with whatever I do. So I’m personal training and I lead worship and also do a lot of short-term missions trips.
Julia Ross: Uhh… I actually work for a on-site hair and make-up company, that’s the thing I’ve been doing for weddings. I’m getting married, I’m very, very, very excited. That’s very weird, we’ve known you for so long and I’m getting married. That’s crazy!
Tommy2: I still remember when I got your invitation for graduation from High School.
Julia Ross: That was here too!
Sarah Ross: Oh my gosh! Yeah, that was here.
Julia Ross: It was here.
Tommy2: I did skip that one, but I’m making good tonight.
Julia Ross: So married, and next year I’ll be starting my own, like a new record and some solo stuff and just venturing and writing with other artists.
Tommy2: Well thank you so much for all the memories and…
Amber Hezlep: Thank you.
Sarah Ross: Thank you Tommy.
Tommy2: I just can’t wait to see what goes down tonight cause it’s gonna be happy, it’s gonna be sad it’s gonna be all of that mushy good stuff, right?
Amber Hezlep: Lot’s of mushy, mushy stuff.
Sarah Ross: I’m getting nervous now.
