Cade Thompson (Identity, Newlywed Life, and Deleting Social Media)

In today’s episode, Cade Thompson tells a story from South Dakota that still marks him: getting on his knees and telling God he might never be able to do music again. It took a moment like that to realize his identity can’t be in what he does for Christ, only in who he is as a son. We talk all about newlywed life with his wife Amber, including what it looks like to start marriage while touring and serving together. Cade shares some great practical marriage advice and the truth that you’re ready to get married when you’re ready to lay down your life and serve someone else, not when everything feels convenient. We also touch on his new music, why he keeps social media off his phone, and his encouragement to anyone stuck in a waiting season. Make sure to download this episode to listen offline and subscribe to the show so you don’t miss a weekly episode!

Follow Cade Thompson:
https://www.instagram.com/cadethompsonmusic/

Follow Hannah Kerr:
https://www.instagram.com/inthemiddleofit.pod/
https://www.instagram.com/hannahkerr/

Transcript

Surrendering Music And Identity

SPEAKER_02 0:00

There was a moment where I actually ended up going back home to South Dakota, getting on my knees, very vividly remembering this, and saying, God, I don't know if I'm gonna ever be able to do music again, but I trust you with it. And I remember in that moment being reminded from the Lord that my identity cannot be found in what I do for Christ. It can only be found in who I am as a son. Yeah. And that's what keeps me going today.

Welcome Back And Quick Icebreakers

SPEAKER_00 0:29

Hey guys, welcome to In the Middle of It. I'm your host, Hannah Kerr. Welcome to season two of the podcast. I'm so excited. Our guest today is my friend Cade Thompson. Cade is an amazing Christian artist, songwriter, and worship leader from South Dakota, which is pretty cool. I read his bio last night on the internet and it says that he is energetic and soulful. And I totally believe that. If you watch him perform, you know exactly what we're talking about. He's also a newlywed, which I can't wait to hear all about today. So please welcome to the podcast, my friend Cade Thompson.

SPEAKER_02 1:01

Woo! Here we go! Season two.

SPEAKER_00 1:04

I Googled you last night. I said Cade Thompson bio, and every single bio said you are energetic and soulful.

SPEAKER_02 1:10

You know what? I think that might be a little bit true.

SPEAKER_00 1:12

I feel like it is true.

SPEAKER_02 1:12

You just said, Who is Cade Thompson?

SPEAKER_00 1:14

Who is Cade Thompson? No. I'm so glad that you are season two in the middle of it. Here you are. Thank you for being here today. Thank you for having me. I'm so pumped. It's gonna be great. Um, okay, so the way that we open the podcast is a little icebreaker get to know you game for the audience to learn who you are. I'm sure most of them know who you are, but it's called Love It, Hate It, In the Middle of It. So, what I'm gonna do is I'm gonna give you a list of five things. You tell me if you love it, if you hate it, or if you feel kind of neutral in the middle of it.

SPEAKER_03 1:41

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 1:41

Um, you don't have to explain your answer, but I do enjoy explaining the answer. So, the first thing is Chick-fil-A.

SPEAKER_02 1:49

Love it. I crazy story. Okay.

SPEAKER_00 1:52

I know this story, I need to hear it.

SPEAKER_02 1:53

So I am allergic to peanuts, and for my whole life, I was like, you know what? They use peanut oil. I can't, I can't have Chick-fil-A. It was a big point of you know, contention for me with a lot of people. I'm sure. And one day I went to the allergist and I said, Hey, can I have Chick-fil-A? And he said, Absolutely. So, you know what? The first thing I did, I left that office, I went to Chick-fil-A, and my life was changed right there.

SPEAKER_00 2:16

Was it actually changed? Like, did it live up to the hype, or do you feel like you're like, this is fried chicken?

SPEAKER_02 2:20

At first, I'm like, okay, this is this is just chicken. Like, what's the hype? But then I don't know what they put in that chicken because I wanted to go back the next day. And I'm I love it. I love chicken.

SPEAKER_00 2:30

So do they not use peanut oil anymore, or your allergy is just better?

SPEAKER_02 2:33

They do use peanut oil, but it's 100% refined. So that means the protein's not in it, I guess. So if you're allergic to peanuts, don't trust me. Ask your doctor, but you're probably gonna have chicken.

SPEAKER_00 2:44

This is not medical advice, but you might be able to have a chance. Please hear your doctor. Please hear your doctor for all side effects. I love it. Okay, camping. Do you like camping?

SPEAKER_02 2:53

Nope. Glamping.

SPEAKER_00 2:54

Okay, me too. I'm a glamper for that. I'm a glamper. Yes. Don't you feel like touring is kind of glamping in some ways?

SPEAKER_02 3:00

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_00 3:00

Like when you're whether you're in like a bus or a van, like you're kind of camping when you think about it.

SPEAKER_02 3:05

Yeah, but some days it is not glamping. It's just literally we have to shower where? Yeah. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_00 3:12

Great. Okay, love that. Um, number three, early mornings.

SPEAKER_02 3:16

In the middle of it.

SPEAKER_00 3:17

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 3:18

Is that how I respond? No, that's perfect, actually. I'm just gonna use your song.

SPEAKER_00 3:22

Excellent. Um, why? How do you feel like you like them sometimes, you don't other times?

SPEAKER_02 3:27

I feel like I'm not really a morning person. Yeah. But being too, you know, touring and traveling, you have to be a morning person because most of the time we're getting up early for those flights.

SPEAKER_00 3:36

So I know.

SPEAKER_02 3:37

I'm definitely in the middle of it. Um, but I also enjoy getting things done. So if I sleep in, then I I miss the whole day. That's right. So yeah.

SPEAKER_00 3:45

I don't like early mornings when I have to do like a radio interview where they make me sing at like the morning show at like 5 a.m. I'm like, dude, you don't want me to sing right now.

SPEAKER_02 3:53

I feel like your voice doesn't work until it's after like 11 a.m.

SPEAKER_00 3:56

My voice is not awake. The sun's not awake, therefore I am not awake.

SPEAKER_02 3:59

No, we've all done that.

SPEAKER_00 4:00

Yeah, we all have. Okay, number four, Mount Rushmore.

SPEAKER_02 4:04

Definitely a big yes.

SPEAKER_00 4:06

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 4:06

Okay, I've been there. Obviously, it's my home state.

SPEAKER_00 4:09

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 4:10

Hot take, maybe it's a little overrated. I mean, you get there and it's- I've never seen it, so I don't know. It's a bunch of faces on a big giant rock, which is kind of crazy to think that somebody actually did that. It's true. But mad respect to the home state, I gotta go with it. Yes.

SPEAKER_00 4:24

I love it. How far is that from where you grew up?

SPEAKER_02 4:27

It's like four hours.

SPEAKER_00 4:28

Okay, so it's a good way away.

SPEAKER_02 4:29

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 4:29

Have you ever been to that place in South Dakota that's like where people can like stand on the walls and like balls roll upward and what is that place? You lost me. Okay, I can't remember what it is, but my husband played a show with Austin French and they went to this place in South Dakota that I think was near Mount Rushmore, right?

unknown 4:48

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 4:48

What was it called?

unknown 4:49

I can't remember.

SPEAKER_00 4:50

Okay. It's called I can't remember. It's called No, it's like this weird place in South Dakota where apparently the laws of gravity don't apply. What? You I'm surprised you don't know about them.

SPEAKER_02 5:00

I'm sorry to all my South Dakota friends, okay? I am very I'm very uncultured with this.

SPEAKER_00 5:05

I don't know if it's real. I feel like the general consensus of the band was like it might be kind of real, but mostly hokey like tourist trap.

SPEAKER_02 5:13

Okay. The Cosmos Mystery Area.

SPEAKER_00 5:16

Cosmos mystery area. Never been there? Never been there. Okay. When you go home for whatever, you need to check out the Cosmos Mystery Area.

SPEAKER_02 5:24

All right.

SPEAKER_00 5:24

This podcast is sponsored by Cosmos Mystery Area. No, okay. Alright, last one, golf.

SPEAKER_02 5:31

No.

SPEAKER_00 5:31

You don't love it.

SPEAKER_02 5:32

I've tried, y'all.

SPEAKER_00 5:34

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 5:34

When I was growing up, I was trying to do all the sports. Really sad story. I was taking golf lessons, but I was also playing baseball at the same time. Oh no. I remember very vividly this one moment as an eight-year-old Cade, I got up to swing at the plate. And I used my golf swing while playing baseball. And that was a moment where I said, I don't think both are for me.

SPEAKER_00 5:56

You're like, this was the moment that really sealed the beat.

SPEAKER_02 5:59

That's when I really became a singer, you know.

SPEAKER_00 6:00

You're like, I think music is my last hope. Pretty much. I love that. No, I'm I'm not a big golfer either, but I feel like a lot of musicians are golfers these days. Do you feel like that?

SPEAKER_02 6:10

Yeah, it's like the thing to do. Yeah. I mean, even our buddy Colton Dixon is getting into golf. And I was on tour with him in the spring, and he started he just started going out there with the whole crew, and I even went out there with him one day and embarrassed myself. But yeah. Shout out to all the Christian artists. Christian golfers golfing.

SPEAKER_00 6:28

It's so fun. Love that. Okay, great. Thank you for playing. Love it, hate it. In the middle of it. Love it. That was so good. I used to do 10 things and it just felt far too long. So thank you for being here for the fun.

SPEAKER_02 6:39

I also I just realized I said yes and no instead of love it and hate it. So there you go.

SPEAKER_00 6:43

It's okay.

SPEAKER_02 6:43

There you go.

SPEAKER_00 6:44

Yeah. Um,

Newlywed Life On The Road

SPEAKER_00 6:45

all right. Well, this podcast is called In the Middle of It. So we talk about what you're in the middle of right now. Like I, of course, if you want to share like how you got here, any history, that's fine.

SPEAKER_03 6:55

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 6:56

But the question of this podcast is Cade, what are you in the middle of right now? Like as you sit here today.

SPEAKER_02 7:01

Well, I just got married a few months ago. So I'm in the middle of that, which has been amazing.

SPEAKER_00 7:07

In the middle of marriage.

SPEAKER_02 7:08

It's been so sweet. We got married October 24th, 2025.

SPEAKER_00 7:13

You're still for sure a newlywed. Oh, for sure. How long do you think you're a newlywed? Like the first year?

SPEAKER_02 7:18

Maybe we stretch it out to two.

SPEAKER_00 7:19

Maybe we stretch it out to two. Yeah. I feel like that.

SPEAKER_02 7:21

I was on tour with Leanna Crawford and she said that she's still just soaking up that stuff. Totally.

SPEAKER_00 7:25

So I love that.

SPEAKER_02 7:26

Yeah, it's been so sweet. We got married, went to Hawaii for a honeymoon, which is so sweet. And then we got back, and I was getting ready to go back out on tour. And at that point in time, uh, it wasn't sure that my wife was going to be able to join me on tour. And then a bunk spot opened up last minute. And so Amber and my wife got to join me on the road.

SPEAKER_00 7:47

You guys didn't want to share a bunk?

SPEAKER_02 7:49

No, we didn't we didn't want to share a bunk. Listen. Save everybody.

SPEAKER_00 7:52

So we Jason and I have shared a bunk out of necessity, I think once or twice. Worst night ever.

SPEAKER_02 7:58

Oh, it sounds like you just get so cozy and sweaty and all the terrible.

SPEAKER_00 8:02

For all the listeners out there, a tour bus bunk is like half the size of a twin-size bed. So like one person in there feels really cramped. Two people in there, no, it's not good. It's not good. But I'm so glad she came with you on the road. That's and had her own bunk. I'm so glad to hear that. Yes, we're happy to hear that too. That is so fun.

SPEAKER_02 8:20

It was so sweet, though. We got to just be on the road together. And you know, I got to see firsthand the power of marriage of doing ministry together. And the two is better than one. And so special to start out our marriage in that way. And then December and January, I took off touring and just being home has been awesome. Oh, that's so good. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 8:41

I feel like you guys together are such a power couple. Like, I just met Amber for the first time today, but just like looking at your social media and watching you guys be the Thompsons together. Like, that's really that's crazy to hear. I know. Isn't that sweet? It's so sweet. And I just feel like Amber is a strong woman. Like, she just feels like a minister as well. And so, how cool for her to kind of be part of your ministry. You guys have this ministry together that's just starting. It's just so special. It's been awesome. My favorite thing about what I get to do is doing it with Jason, like us together, being on the road, um, ministering together. It's just strengthened our marriage so much. Like watching each other operate in gifts and just like minister to people, it's ministers to each other, you know. Um, and so it's just really cool. I'm excited for you guys. That's so sweet.

SPEAKER_02 9:29

And we're also involved with our young and old group at our church. So cool. Every Tuesday night we get to serve and do ministry together. And very cool. You know, when I first started touring out, I I had it on my heart that I felt like the Lord told me that if you can't serve people in your own backyard, that you shouldn't go out and do it uh anywhere else. Because truth be told, it's a lot harder being in the trenches in the church world week in, week out, living life with people than it is going to somewhere else and getting your favorite food in the green room. It has its own sacrifices, right?

SPEAKER_00 9:58

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 9:59

But being able to see how God has used that to strengthen my heart for ministry has been really sweet.

SPEAKER_00 10:03

That's really cool. Yeah. I do feel like when you're an artist and you're on the road, you're gone so much. It's easy to kind of forget about your local church. It's easy to just be like, I don't have time to go to church, or I minister so much on the road that I don't have anything left to pour into my community. But I love that you have prioritized that. I think it's hard to do. It's really hard to do. But the fact that you have, I think is uh just a gift to your community, but also to you, like you guys being plugged in and people who really know you. I think that's been important for me. Like I we've been at the same church since I was like in high school, and I feel like those people really know me for who I am, and it's not like oh I have to be an artist or I have to be cool to come to church. It's like these people know me, and I think that's been a gift, like through the whole artist journey, just being like, I can always come back to my church and know that I'm known there. Yeah, you know, yeah, I love that.

A Wedding Built Around Prayer

SPEAKER_00 10:56

Also, I saw at y'all's wedding um that you did like a prayer wall and you gave like a card to every guest and then prayed over them. That is the best idea.

SPEAKER_02 11:06

It was so yeah.

SPEAKER_00 11:07

Will you tell us about that? I just feel like anyone that's like gonna get married needs to have this as inspo for their wedding. Yeah, totally.

SPEAKER_02 11:12

Well, you know how it is. Plan on a wedding, there's a lot of details. And thankfully I was on the road, so I probably saved my wife a lot of the craziness of the conversations because uh I was trying to be the best help, but from a distance, you know what I mean? Yeah, and uh we had this idea. There was, you know, obviously you have 200-something guests at your wedding and you want to make it special, and so many times a wedding is all about us, which is great, it's celebrating marriage, but we're like, how can we pour into the people that are at our wedding? This is the one time in your life that you get all these people from all different walks of life in the same room, and we had it on our hearts just to ask people like, what do you need prayer for? And so at every single chair there was a tag that was empty with their name on it, and we asked them to just put in their prayer requests, and we were so blown away by the response of people that were so vulnerable with their prayer requests, and we just take a few cards a day and start praying for people. So cool. And we've seen like real miracles take place. It's been awesome. No way, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 12:13

That's awesome. I feel like you're right that weddings, I feel like especially I don't know if it's just our culture, but it does feel like it's all about you, it's all about what I want and my color palette and all the things. Like, and it it it's okay that that day is about you, like you were saying, but I love that you guys made it about the people that were coming too and honored them. I just think that's really cool. At Leanna Crawford's wedding, I was so blown away because every single person they hand wrote a thank you note for coming and like put it at your plate in the reception. And I will never forget that because I just to take the time out of the busy like wedding planning to hand write notes to everyone, like that's just so rare.

SPEAKER_02 12:52

I just think that's before the wedding was even taking place. Yes.

SPEAKER_00 12:56

That's maybe she just wanted to get her thank you notes out of the way. I don't know.

SPEAKER_02 12:58

And I'll tell you what, that stuff takes a long time.

SPEAKER_00 13:01

Oh my goodness. I feel like I'm still writing wedding thank you notes five years later. I mean, not really, but like it took so long. But it's good. The art of the thank you note. I feel like it's a lost art, but we gotta bring it back.

SPEAKER_02 13:12

Bring it back, y'all. If you're watching this, write a thank you note or just a note in general, you know? I know people don't do that often anymore. Yeah. And it's a it's a sweet way to be creative. It really is. Even in marriage, too. It's like just writing a note. Do you guys write each other a note? We do, we still do. We still do.

SPEAKER_00 13:28

That's really sweet. You guys keep that alive. That's

Breakup, Refining, And A Surprise Song

SPEAKER_00 13:31

really cool. Okay, also, you wrote a song for Amber for your wedding, never let you go. Can you tell us about the story behind that song?

SPEAKER_02 13:38

Yeah, so I wrote a song, rewind, called Dear Future Wife. Yes. In the middle of 2020. Thank you, thank you. It fits with the color palette too.

SPEAKER_00 13:48

It does, yeah, that's right.

SPEAKER_02 13:49

I wrote that song and I wrote it in the middle of 2020, all by myself in my bedroom. I was like, you know what? I'm feeling lonely, you know what I'm saying? And I I knew that I had this desire to be married, and I wanted to be the best man that I could be. And so that song was really special to me, and I knew that once I was going to be married, I wanted to have a follow-up song. And so this was the song that's gonna be.

SPEAKER_00 14:11

Oh, you always knew there were two parts to this song. I love it.

SPEAKER_02 14:15

I had it in the brain, you had it in the brain, and uh Amber and I and our relationship has been so special, and we've gone through the ups and downs, and we actually broke up for seven weeks. Yeah, and one of the last few things that I told her as we were um going through this time of breakup is I said, I love you enough to let you go. And when we got back together, I looked at her and I said, I love you, I'm madly in love with you, and I will never let you go. And when I said that, she said, That's crazy because that's so similar to what you said when we were breaking up, and God just totally felt like was just flowing out of me in that moment. And after I said that, I said, Wait, there's some songwriter brain going on here, and I wrote this song for her.

SPEAKER_00 15:00

And it's surprised her with it honestly.

SPEAKER_02 15:02

I totally surprised it for her. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 15:04

How did you make it through singing it?

SPEAKER_02 15:06

I don't know how I did. That I mean honestly, the the whole day of your wedding is crazy, and so there was so much stuff going on, and I felt like I got up there and I was just floating when I was singing it. It was so special. But it was a complete surprise. I've been working on it for months, obviously, and I got my whole label on board to put it out, keep it a complete surprise. Put it out on the day of her wedding. She had no idea, which was amazing until after I got done singing it at our wedding, and she said, This is amazing. The song's amazing. Like, where can I hear it? And I said, It's it's on Spotify now. She's like, What?

SPEAKER_00 15:41

Oh my goodness, what a great surprise! That's like a great wedding gift.

SPEAKER_02 15:45

It was really, really sweet.

SPEAKER_00 15:47

And I love how God brought you guys back together after time apart. Like, I think a lot of people go through that in their relationships where they it takes coming apart to come back together and realize how grateful you are for that person. And is that kind of y'all's story? Like the time apart showed you how good it is to be together.

SPEAKER_02 16:05

Oh, totally. Yeah, I mean, I could talk about it for so long, but God used those seven weeks to refine me in a way that I didn't even know that I needed. And honestly, that was like one of my biggest fears was losing her. And God used what at some points in time could have been an idol in my life, and he used that to refine me in a way that our foundation was truly like clean from that moment on. As I was forced, I mean, two days after we broke up, I went back out on tour, and I'm on stage singing these songs about trusting God and the waiting and these lyrics that I have written in my songs. I felt like I needed it more than ever before. Yeah. And I was reminded in those seven weeks that my hope cannot be in another person. My hope can only be found in Jesus.

SPEAKER_03 16:55

Yep.

SPEAKER_02 16:55

And to encourage anyone who's watching right now, like maybe you're in that waiting season, you're waiting on a miracle, you're waiting on finding your spouse. Like, God does not use that season as a wasted season. That's right. And I saw that in my life, and God brought us back together in the way that only He He could do in His timing, and He used that in such a special way in our lives.

SPEAKER_00 17:18

I think that's so cool. That's happened to me too, where a song that you've written comes back in a different season of your life and hits you in a new way, and you're like, wow, I need to hear this today. Isn't that wild? Yeah, and that's that's just a testament to the Lord's work. It's really not about like our songwriting being so prolific or anything. It's just like God does work on us, even using the things that He's given us, which is really cool. So so that's awesome. There's nothing like going on stage and singing through heartbreak, too. Like, I think about that verse that's like, I will not offer God anything that costs me nothing. And I feel like in those times where you're going through a difficult season, a difficult moment in your life, and you're still pouring out and ministering, like I have experienced the presence of God in such a special way singing through heartbreak. Yeah, you know. So thank you.

SPEAKER_02 18:05

You sing differently, yeah. You do.

SPEAKER_00 18:06

Yeah, because you really need what you're saying. It's not just like the same song and dance, it's not like you know, muscle memory. It's like, wow, I really need this today, and I really believe this today, and we're just gonna like worship together. Yeah. Um, I don't know.

SPEAKER_02 18:20

Isn't that crazy too when you read the Psalms, like David's truly his heart cry out to the Lord, you know? Yeah. And sacrifice unto the Lord as a broken, contrite heart. Like he wants us to bring our brokenness to him. And yeah. I uh I look back on those seven weeks with a lot of depth in my relationship with with the Lord that was so pivotal. So yeah.

SPEAKER_00 18:41

And that was on the Leanna Crawford tour, right? It was. And then to for God to bring that full circle with her coming, like Amber coming out with you on that tour. That's just really cool.

SPEAKER_02 18:51

Yeah. Yeah. That's how God works. Only God. Only God in the middle of it.

SPEAKER_00 18:55

In the middle of it. He redeems even the small things, you know? That's just really cool. I love it.

Marriage Habits That Build Trust

SPEAKER_00 19:01

Um, what do you guys feel like is a good piece of marriage advice that you've gotten in your newlywed season? It's a hard question. Everyone always asks you this, and I I never have an answer, but I'm asking you now.

SPEAKER_02 19:13

Well, well, this is kind of two things. Um, we started doing this thing, it's called the marriage journal. So it's every week. Okay. And we sit down for probably 30 minutes to an hour, or there's like six questions in this journal that we get to ask that are really sweet because it allows a space every single week to talk through things that maybe are harder to bring up, or what have been the joys, what have been the struggles. Is there any unconfessed sin in your life that you need to repent of and looking at the week and strategizing together? So that's been awesome. That's a tool. Um that we really love. The marriage journal. Yep. Um, but on a practical thing, I think that somebody asked me, how do you know like when you're ready to get married on a on a different podcast? And I said, I think you know you're ready to get married when you're ready to lay down your life to serve somebody else. Wow. Yeah. And that's really hard. Uh but I think that something I ask God to help me every day is like, how can I serve my wife? Like and literally ask Amber, like, how can I serve you today? What is it like to practically serve you? So that would be my like little quick note of encouragement, I think.

SPEAKER_00 20:27

That's awesome. I feel like that's so true. I feel like our culture is like, what can my spouse do to make me happy? Or like, how can I if this doesn't serve me anymore, then like I'm done with it. And that's just not what God calls us to be in a marriage. It's like instead of focusing on what how am I gonna be happy? How can I be served? It's like, how can I serve you? How can I lay my life down for you? And uh in return, your spouse is saying the same thing, so you never have to think like I don't feel happy or I don't know. I just feel like a biblical view of marriage is so life-giving. And I don't know, I was telling Amber earlier, I was like, I feel like when Jason and I were about to get married in the newlyweds, I feel like people talked so negatively about marriage. Like people would come up and be like, just wait, once you get past those first couple years, you're not gonna like each other anymore. And I'm just like, I don't like that at all. I don't like that people say that because I just don't think it's true. I think as with anything in life, marriage has ups and downs. There are hard times, there are great times, but the truth is like you love each other all the time. That's right. And if you've chosen the right spouse, then you will like each other every time. There might be moments of disagreement or problems, but like that's just because you're imperfect and you're in relationship with each other.

SPEAKER_02 21:43

And yeah, we gotta change that narrative. I know. Like, I think the enemy really does try and skew things uh and takes a moment to define a whole relationship, right? Yes. And um, that's not discrediting what people have walked through at all. I know that people have walked through so many different things, but I do think. I think that like love is a verb and and getting to choose uh to show by the way that you love is so pivotal and can change really your heart and your mindset on things.

SPEAKER_00 22:10

Yep. Oh, I love it. Okay.

SPEAKER_02 22:12

This is good stuff.

SPEAKER_00 22:13

It's good stuff. I mean, this is this is really and you know what I love is like you guys are freshly married, but you both carry so much wisdom, and I've you have such a mature faith, like both of you guys, and it doesn't feel like you're just like you're you're not immature in your marriage. Like it feels like you guys already have such a great beginning to everything, and that's really sweet.

SPEAKER_03 22:34

Thank you.

SPEAKER_00 22:34

I love I love that about this podcast because I feel like we intentionally bring people on that are in the middle of something, and it's like a snapshot into your life, like where you are right now, yeah, instead of like tell me your entire life story. It's like right now you are newly married. That's right. You have like the sweet wife who's just like you're starting your ministry together. It's just yeah, it's it's really cool to get you in this moment of your life.

SPEAKER_03 22:57

Thank

New Music After A Long Pause

SPEAKER_03 22:58

you.

SPEAKER_00 22:58

Um, what are you in the middle of right now in your career with music? Like, tell me what's going on right now.

SPEAKER_02 23:03

I'm in the middle of a lot. Yeah. I've gone through a lot of transitions um over the past few years, but with label stuff, and uh, I'm working on my third project right now with Red Street Records, which is awesome. So I'm super excited about it.

SPEAKER_00 23:18

New music in 2026?

SPEAKER_02 23:20

New music, lots of music. So I haven't put out music in almost three years. Wow. Aside from a couple special songs, but uh I'm really excited about it. I have been working on this new project, and I really feel like there's a depth to it that um is where I'm at in life, yeah and encouraging people to base their lives upon the truth, upon the word of God, and to just be bold. And so these songs truly share that, and I'm really excited about it. So I'm actually flying out to the West Coast soon, aka next week, to film some content. So really excited. Um, I'm not gonna share any names or titles. Yeah, yeah, no.

SPEAKER_00 24:00

We gotta keep it, we gotta keep it a secret.

SPEAKER_02 24:02

But I'm really excited.

SPEAKER_00 24:03

That's really cool. I don't know when this will come out, so maybe it will already be out by the time this it totally could be. I don't know. Yeah, but either way, just go to Cade's Spotify Apple Music profile and just see if there's any new music going on. Scope it out. Just scope it out. I love it. You've been doing music like all of your adult life.

SPEAKER_02 24:19

I really have.

SPEAKER_00 24:20

When I first met you, I think you were like 18, maybe, or I just remember you were like a teenager, but you were already doing music then.

SPEAKER_02 24:29

Isn't that crazy?

SPEAKER_00 24:30

Yeah. How does that feel for you? Like just being in music so long, but still being so young.

SPEAKER_02 24:35

Yeah, you know, it's funny, we're filming this right now in January, so I don't know if talking about timing, but every time in January, I'm like, all right, God, still gonna do music this year, right? It's a season of trusting. Yeah, and I feel like I'm in the middle of that right now, just trusting God. I've been in Nashville almost seven years now, and I signed a record deal right outside of high school. I was 18 years old, like you said, yeah, moved down here and just started to trust God and to walk it out. And then, as we know, 2020 all of life hit, and that was about a month after my first radio single went to radio. No way, I didn't know that. There was a moment where I actually ended up going back home to South Dakota, getting on my knees, very vividly remembering this, and saying, God, I don't know if I'm gonna ever be able to do music again, but I trust you with it. And I remember in that moment being reminded from the Lord that my identity cannot be found in what I do for for Christ, it can only be found in who I am as a son. Yeah, and that's what keeps me going today. And so every day is a gift, and just living life one day at a time, yeah, trusting him with what he puts in front of me. So I'm excited for all that's ahead this year, and it's gonna be good to have new music out.

SPEAKER_00 25:51

I do feel like as artists, I mean, really in anything in life, it's so easy to put your identity in what you do, or to think like, oh, I'm gonna please God by what I do for him. Um, I think I've fallen into that so much in my career of being like, okay, I I have to be successful because I have to like earn the love of God. And I just the older I've gotten, the more I've done this, the more I'm like, wow. Our life is really just meant to be lived in worship of God and in step with him, and all of the other things will fall into place as they're meant to. Um, but I feel like I've learned so much about myself since being an artist, and I feel like you probably feel the same way, just like growing up, kind of not in the spotlight, but kind of, you know, growing up fresh out of high school, like moving to a new city, trying to find your voice, yourself. Um, that's really formative in your adult years. Totally. Which is crazy.

SPEAKER_02 26:43

Yeah, and it's it's this idea too that you know those things that God puts inside of you, but you don't see them lived out years down the road, you know. And I think the enemy always wants us to look at what we don't have, you know. You get to a certain point and you're like, oh, that's great, but I I want something else. I want something else. And that's the that's the scary spot of when our hope became uh is starting to be dependent on things instead of just the Lord, right?

SPEAKER_00 27:10

So what have the three years looked like for you with not releasing music? Like, have you still been working on music in those three years, or have you just kind of been waiting on God to tell you what's next, or what have the three years looked like?

SPEAKER_02 27:21

Well, I've been a road warrior, so I've been on the road a time. I played 120 shows last year. Oh my goodness, that's a lot. Yes, and I lead every Tuesday night for young adults ministry. So definitely has been full of being on the road, which has been so sweet. Um, and I've been working on new songs, riding as well, too. So I've got uh a lot of new songs dropping this year, but yeah, a lot of my time has been spent mainly on the road, and seeing people sing these songs with me has been so special. It's so sweet to be able to do that.

SPEAKER_00 27:54

And you've been doing a lot of stuff acoustic, like kind of by yourself, right? Yeah. How is that for you? Like, do you like doing the acoustic shows or do you like having a band more?

SPEAKER_02 28:03

I I have really enjoyed doing acoustic shows. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 28:06

You're so good even by yourself. Like I've seen you at writers' rounds and stuff and just been like, Cade can really carry himself up there just with his guitar. Like, you still bring energy even with just an acoustic guitar, which is hard to do. I'm like, I get up there and I'm like, is everyone so bored right now? It's so hard. But you do so well at that.

SPEAKER_02 28:24

That's how I got started. So it reminds me of how I got started. But this year I'm really excited. I'm doing a lot more with full bands. My new music is super energetic.

SPEAKER_00 28:33

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 28:34

Energetic and soulful.

SPEAKER_00 28:35

Energetic and soulful, could you say? I love that.

SPEAKER_02 28:38

No, but really, it is very energetic and anthems that I think people need for their lives.

SPEAKER_00 28:43

That's super cool. I'm excited to hear it. So I feel like it's gonna be full of a lot of just like rich life. You've lived a lot of life since your last album. So which I love your last album. Empty Room is great. Thank you. Thank you. Um, okay, let's see. Let's see what we have here. I think that's all of my questions about what you're in the middle of, unless you have anything else that you're in the middle of that you want to share. Is there anything else going on in your world?

SPEAKER_02 29:06

Well, I think you heard it all. I'm in the middle of getting ready for new music, and that's what I'm really, really excited about.

SPEAKER_00 29:12

Which is like a full-time job in and of itself to like make content, prepare a new album, what's the theme of the album, what's the visuals for the album? It's a lot of things.

SPEAKER_02 29:21

I don't think people really understand, especially nowadays. The the industry and our world has changed so much, right? Especially from even when we first got started in 2019, 2020. And it's a it's a joy to to kind of learn this new world. And so yeah, it's all the people that have been waiting. Music's on the way.

Quitting The Scroll And Opening Psalms

SPEAKER_00 29:39

Yeah. How do you feel about being an artist with social media? I feel like that has changed so much since I started. Like I think when I started, I just had like a Facebook page and a YouTube account. I don't I don't even think I had like a music, Instagram, or a TikTok or anything really. Before TikTok is before TikTok. It's like a different era, you know.

SPEAKER_02 29:58

It's wild.

SPEAKER_00 29:59

How how has social media kind of changed your career?

SPEAKER_02 30:02

Well, um, I actually don't share this very often, but I don't have any social media on my phone.

SPEAKER_00 30:08

Really?

SPEAKER_02 30:08

I feel like social media for me is a distraction. And um that being said, you're like, you still post on Instagram and social media. I do. You have people. Yes. So I whenever I get on social media, I get on my computer. And um I've just found that my life is a lot better of not scrolling.

SPEAKER_00 30:29

That's inspirational.

SPEAKER_02 30:30

And not being on my phone in that way. And so I'm able to be really present with the people around me, which is great. Um, but yeah, I still obviously am making content and I want people to be inspired to open up the word of God. Like that's been the biggest thing in my life. I've a few years ago encouraged people in my life to start memorizing scripture with me. Wow. And to really just been diving in into the word of God, which has been sweet and so yes. When we first got started, you know, you feel the pressure of trying to create content. We're not just people that are created to do, we're supposed to be, you know, and to be present and where we're at. And so that's what I've really tried and strived for the past year.

SPEAKER_00 31:10

I love it. I see you brought your Bible. Did you have anything you wanted to share? You just have it just in case you need to do it.

SPEAKER_02 31:14

I just have it in case.

SPEAKER_00 31:16

It's just part of your outfit.

SPEAKER_02 31:17

You're I I guess, you know, I have it in case I I feel like the Lord put something on my heart. But this is actually funny we're talking about this. This Bible was given to me on my wedding day.

SPEAKER_00 31:26

Was it really Amber?

SPEAKER_02 31:28

Yeah, it has my name right here. It's really special, really sweet. But I feel like as we've been talking today, just I want to encourage people to open up the Psalms because I watched that that movie David. Yes, the animated version, and it was awesome by the way. I love it. So quick plug, but I I was reminded just of the story of David and how he was anointed to be king, but he wasn't appointed until years later. Right. And people that might be in that waiting season, like trust God in the middle of those moments and open up the word because it's living and it's active, yeah, and it touches our hearts. And so that would be my encouragement to people today, just as we close, like open up the word.

SPEAKER_00 32:09

I love that. Okay, thank you for being here today. You're awesome. I'm so excited for you and Amber and the new music and everything to come this year. Thank you.

Conspiracy Theories And Listener Comments

SPEAKER_00 32:17

Um, to end the podcast, we always do a little, well, it's called the middle moment. Sometimes we do it in the middle of the podcast, but today we're doing it at the end.

SPEAKER_02 32:24

So it was so good. Our conversation was so good that we forgot about the game.

SPEAKER_00 32:28

Okay. What you're gonna do is you are going you are going to spin this wheel and it's gonna land on something. Okay, and then we're gonna talk about that something as a fun way to end the podcast. So take the wheel, give it a good spin. You take it. And I spin it. It's a big responsibility, I know.

unknown 32:45

I'm nervous.

SPEAKER_02 32:46

Alright, here we go. Conspiracy theory.

SPEAKER_00 32:53

Oh no. Okay, you know what's so funny is season one, we had different questions on the wheel. Okay. One of the questions on the wheel was, What are your thoughts on Bigfoot? And it landed on Bigfoot.

SPEAKER_02 33:03

I did watch that one with Lena.

SPEAKER_00 33:05

Literally, it landed on Bigfoot for there were 11 episodes, probably eight of the 11 episodes, it landed on that. And now, conspiracy theory is how we start season two. Okay, what is your favorite conspiracy theory?

SPEAKER_02 33:20

Wow, this is crazy to say on a podcast right now. I'm just gonna say it. Don't judge me. I don't know. I haven't done my research. Did they really land on the moon?

SPEAKER_00 33:31

Whoa. This is a popular conspiracy theory.

SPEAKER_02 33:35

I'm just gonna say it. I don't know.

SPEAKER_00 33:37

I was born in 2001, so what causes you to question that?

SPEAKER_02 33:42

Maybe this isn't even true either. Have we been back to the moon since?

SPEAKER_00 33:46

I don't know.

SPEAKER_02 33:46

I don't know. See, that's that's the thing. We don't know.

SPEAKER_00 33:49

We don't know.

SPEAKER_02 33:51

We don't know.

SPEAKER_00 33:51

I've seen, I've like dived in or dove, I don't know. I've gone into the moon landing conspiracy a good bit, and I do feel like it's sketchy, okay? Why are the flags waving? There's no way who knows. You know what I mean? We do have questions.

SPEAKER_02 34:07

We have a lot of questions. So if you work for NASA and you like to join us on this next episode, there's a spot for you right now.

SPEAKER_00 34:17

We're in the middle of it, and I don't know if we've been in the middle of the moon. I really don't. I don't. I think maybe we've just we've we've been in the studio, you know?

SPEAKER_02 34:26

Hot take.

SPEAKER_00 34:26

Hot take. Great. Wow. My conspiracy theory that I totally believe is chemtrails. Like that they're totally dropping things on us in the sky from airplanes.

SPEAKER_02 34:37

Yep.

SPEAKER_00 34:37

I really think that's true. I don't have any evidence to back that up. I just feel like it's true.

SPEAKER_02 34:43

There you go. Wow. That's no chat GBT or anything. That's just Anaker right here. That's just saying it.

SPEAKER_00 34:49

That's just straight knowledge based on no factual evidence.

SPEAKER_02 34:52

Straight knowledge dropping.

SPEAKER_00 34:54

Oh, Kate, thank you so much for being here today. Thank you. This is so fun.

SPEAKER_02 34:57

This is awesome.

SPEAKER_00 34:58

If you guys have any conspiracy theories, drop them in the comments and we'll have a little conspiracy fun. Send me your conspiracy theories. Okay. Thanks, Kate.

SPEAKER_02 35:06

Thanks for having me. See y'all.