Christian rock duo Natural State has steadily built momentum with a bold blend of worship, alternative rock, and pop-driven energy. Formed by Haley and Del after years of leading worship together, the band’s music reflects a passion for authenticity, fearless faith, and pointing listeners back to Jesus. In this conversation, the band shares the story behind their name, their journey through rebranding and rediscovery, and the heart behind songs such as “Paper Tiger” and “Can’t Wait.”
For those who may not know your story yet, who is Natural State, and how did the band begin?
Haley: I’m Haley, and this is Del. We originally led worship together at a few different churches and ministry events. At the time, we were also leading worship alongside Del’s brothers in a group called Landers Music Co.
We toured with pop artist Colton Dixon under that name, and it was an amazing experience. Then, in 2020, we were supposed to head back out on tour with contemporary band Citizen Way and Colton again, but Del’s brother and his wife needed to step away from touring due to family responsibilities and business commitments.
Del and I really felt like God was telling us to keep going, so we started praying about rebranding and creating something new. We were driving into Arkansas one day, crossing the Mississippi River from Memphis, and we passed a sign that said, “Welcome to the Natural State.” The name instantly resonated with both of us spiritually and musically.
Our natural state is to know and love God and to show that love to others. Del also says it represents redemption—because sin comes naturally to us, but through Jesus we’re reconciled back to the way we were created to be.
That’s where the name came from.
Your music blends worship, rock, pop, and alternative influences. How did you discover your sound?
Haley: Worship will always be at the center of who we are because that’s where we started. We both grew up in church, and we connected deeply through those worship moments where the music gets intense, and you can physically feel the presence of God in the room. But we’re also rock fans through and through.
This past year, we started working with Josiah Prince from rock band Disciple, and I really feel like we finally found the sound that honestly represents who we are.
The music industry can sometimes pressure artists to fit certain boxes or trends, but we reached a point where we decided we just wanted to make music we genuinely love. That became our filter: “Would we actually listen to this ourselves?” If the answer was yes, then we knew we were moving in the right direction.
There was a period when the band stepped away before returning with a new sound. What happened during that season?
Del: A huge part of that process was relocating from Chattanooga to the Nashville, Tennessee area. When we got here, we really put our heads down and focused on writing, learning, and growing. We spent a lot of time writing with different artists, producers, and songwriters, and that season taught us a lot about songwriting and about finding our own voice.
People can give you great wisdom and advice, and that’s important, but eventually you must figure out how to be authentically yourself. As Christians, we often wrestle with purpose and calling, but sometimes the answer is simpler than we think. God has already wired us with passions and gifts for a reason.
During that season, I also personally wrestled with insecurity and identity. I remember reading the verse where Jesus says, “You did not choose Me, but I chose you,” and thinking, “God, You know me completely—why would You choose me?”
But through that process, God taught me to accept who He created me to be.
Not accepting sin or refusing growth—but understanding that I’m fearfully and wonderfully made by God, and that there’s freedom in leaning into the person He created me to be.
That season was about learning how to be ourselves.
Your recent songs have deeply connected with listeners, especially “Paper Tiger.” What inspired that song?
Haley: “Paper Tiger” is incredibly special to me because of what happened around the time we were releasing it. We wrote the song a few years earlier with songwriters Tony Wood, McKendree Tucker, Conrad Johnson, and Wade Wenrich. The song is basically an anthem about refusing to give in to fear.
Around the time it was about to be released, my daughter started struggling with fear at night. I’d tuck her into bed like normal, but suddenly she became overwhelmed with anxiety and panic.
Sometimes she couldn’t even explain what she was afraid of. She’d say things like, “I’m scared of robbers,” or “I’m scared of getting sick,” even though nothing was happening. That experience immediately reminded me of the song.
The lyrics say, “Fear is just a paper tiger. It may be loud, but he’s a liar.” I kept speaking that truth over her and reminding her that God's love casts out fear.
Eventually, it stopped. One night, she just peacefully went to sleep again. That whole season taught me something personally, too. So often fear tries to control our decisions and dominate our thinking, but when we focus on the reality of God’s love, fear loses its power.
We’ve had so many people come up to us after shows and tell us how much that song meant to them—especially people dealing with anxiety and panic attacks.
Your upcoming single, “Can’t Wait,” also carries a strong message of faith and boldness. What can listeners expect from these new songs?
Haley: This whole batch of songs carries this theme of refusing to let fear or hesitation keep us from what God is calling us to do. “Can’t Wait” is about not allowing things that aren’t from God to hold you back anymore.
So many people feel stuck, waiting for everything to feel perfect before taking a step of faith. But sometimes God is just asking us to step out of the boat and trust Him. That’s really the heartbeat behind these songs: following God wholeheartedly and refusing to stay paralyzed by fear. There’s just so much hope in this new music.
You’re also hitting the road for a busy festival season this year. What can fans look forward to?
Haley: We’re playing so many incredible festivals this summer, including Kingdom Come Festival, Unity Fest, OneFest, and even a festival in Switzerland. We’re also playing JFest in Chattanooga, which we’re especially excited about.
Honestly, this new music was made to be played live. We can’t wait to get out there and share it with people.
Before we wrap up, how can people be praying for the Natural State in this season?
Del: I’d ask for prayer for wisdom and focus. There’s so much that goes into releasing music while balancing life. We want to make the right decisions and stay focused on what God is calling us to do.
Haley: And beyond all the logistics and planning, we really want to stay grounded in why we’re doing this. Our prayer is that through every song, every show, every interview, and every post, people would be pointed to Jesus.
At the end of the day, if nobody remembers our name but they remember the name of Jesus, then we’ve succeeded.
Bradden Ford is a Christian music enthusiast responsible for managing NewReleaseToday's new release database of artists and albums. He resides just outside Nashville, Tennessee. Some text in this article was generated by ChatGPT.
NEW!BEHIND THE SONG
#1296 - Mary-Clair
A candid conversation about faith, vulnerability, and finding God
ADVERTISEMENT
NEW!MOVIE REVIEW Miracle
NRT reviews the new movie after attending the premiere
NEW!SERIES REVIEW
A Night At Wingfeather
We attended the show's premiere of the Angel Studios animated show
NEW!NRT LISTS
Worship Into 2026
Standout new worship releases that invite the Church to sing and reflect
NEW!THE CHH DROP
#261 - Gavin the Hotrod
What's new this week in Christian rap and hip-hop
