Mike Grayson spent thirteen years as the lead singer for MIKESCHAIR. Molly Reed has penned songs for Marie Osmond, Amy Grant, Hilary Scott, Colton Dixon, and Francesca Battistelli, among others. Together they make up Grayson|Reed.
After marrying in 2013, Mike and Molly were devoted to their individual musical interests. Then along came Baby Grailey and the duo realized that their goal wasn’t sustainable for the long haul.
Enter Grayson|Reed and a brand new EP entitled Walk — along with a powerful new radio single called “Fight For You” — from Centricity Music.
When did the two of you meet, and when did you know you wanted to make music together?
We met our freshman year of college in 2003 at Belmont University in Nashville. Our dorms were next to each other and we had the same friend group. We remained friends for 9 1/2 years until we started dating in 2012. We were married in 2013. From the time we got married, it was always a dream to ‘one day’ do music together.
God often writes a plot twist—a different melody—into our lives that blesses us more than our original plan. Have you ever experienced such a “Divine Detour”?
YES. Many times, actually. We would both consider our new venture in doing music together to be a ‘Divine Detour.’ We feel like the moment we get comfortable with where we are God tends to steer the ship another way. Without fail, His way has always been so much better, even if it’s a hard journey to get where He wants you to go. God is currently showing us how much He can be trusted through each detour.
Let’s talk about your new EP, Walk (Centricity Music, January 2017). Please tell us about it.
We could not be more excited about the release of this EP! We have been working SO hard on this and it feels amazing to be able to finally put it out there. Our heart behind these songs was to write honest, real, inspiring tunes. Everything on “Walk” is a part of who we are as a couple and as individuals. It’s our prayer that anyone who listens would feel hope, peace and be able to connect to the Lord in a way they never have before.
Was there a foundation song for the project? How many of the songs did you write or co-write?
We either co-wrote or wrote every song on the project. We wrote over 60 songs for this project and somehow we narrowed it down to six. The foundation song, which is the title track, was one of the early songs written for the project. It was the one that actually made our record label, Centricity Music, take notice of our duo. It’s stood the test of time and we feel like it embodies, both lyrically and musically, who we are as a couple.
Your music has a cross-genre edge to it. Who are your musical heroes?
Thank you! That’s kind of what we were going for. Mike comes from a worship/CCM background and I (Molly) grew up listening to more Country/Top 40 pop. When it came time to write, we wanted to stay true to who we were and sort of blend our musical inspirations. Mike’s biggest influences include Jars of Clay, DC Talk, and Delirious. Mine are Amy Grant, Faith Hill, and Carrie Underwood.
A few fun questions…
What Bible passage or story best describes your personal journey of faith?
Oooh, this is a good one!
Mike: 1 John:16
Molly: Honestly, most all of the Psalms. The way David goes through the highs and lows. That feels the most true to my life so far.
Whether touring or at home, what is your favorite comfort food and why?
Mike: Pizza, because it’s always good.
Molly: Any kind of baked goods. I love baking and I love eating them too! Baking is how I unwind when I’m off the road.
What’s the name of the last GREAT book you read?
Mike: John Ortberg’s “Soul Keeping”
Molly: Brene Brown’s “Rising Strong“
Molly: In the story that is your life, are you the strong, female lead; the girl next door; the mysterious woman behind dark glasses; the super heroine; or the little girl trying to walk in high heels?
Haha. I love this! I would say I am the girl next door. I am a people person by nature and I like to think of myself as a ‘normal’ girl living an extraordinary life. I want anyone and everyone to feel comfortable around me, and I love meeting new friends and connecting with people. Plus, if you happen to live next door to me, chances are I will bring you homemade cookies or come borrow a cup of sugar at some point.
Mike: In the story that is your life, are you the tall, dark stranger; the romantic lead; the mythical warrior; the mad scientist; or the child in an adult’s body?
This is a tough question for me because I don’t really relate to any of the above, but if I had to choose one I would say the romantic lead. Not because I think of myself as romantic or a lead in any way, haha. That’s because of the fact that I feel like romantic leads usually embarrass themselves and mess up their words, etc. I feel the clumsiness of a romantic lead lines up with my own story, haha.
I’m a dog lover. Please tell us about your pets, if any, or your favorite pet as a child.
Unfortunately, I (Mike) am allergic to everything under the sun so pets are not a part of our life. I actually love dogs and would love to have one. When I was younger, I did have a pet hamster named Hairy. I took Hairy everywhere with me until he got out of his cage and fell to his death on my birthday. Sad day. I grew up with cats and I was highly allergic but didn’t know it until I moved away to college and suddenly my allergies just went away.
I (Molly) love dogs, cats and horses, but we will be a pet free home (sadly) due to our allergies. Maybe we will get our kids a fish one day!
Thank you! It’s a pleasure to have you as a guest at DivineDetour.
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For more information about Grayson|Reed, visit their website or follow them on Facebook or Twitter.
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