Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with We Three

We Three, the sibling trio from McMinnville, Oregon, made a lasting impression when they competed on America’s Got Talent. Their performance of their original song, “Heaven’s Not Too Far”, a dedication to their late mother, established them as a new voice in the industry, and has over seven million streams. It showcased their ability to create lyrics that resonate with any audience and left many in the theater with tears in their eyes. Following the competition, Bethany, Joshua, and Manny, carried that momentum, releasing their self-titled debut album and headlined their first nationwide tour. Pop Culturalist caught up with the band and chatted with them about their whirlwind year.

PC: What inspired your self-titled album?
Bethany: We started recording the album last summer. It was a very, very fast process because we were determined to get the product out when we did. It gets crazy when you’ve got timelines and schedules, but it really pushed us. It was a cool experience that we wouldn’t trade for the world.

Manny: Yeah, pressure was a huge part of it. We were going back and forth from America’s Got Talent. We’d fly in, rehearse and prepare for a performance, and as soon as we would get back, we would rush into the studio and start creating, because we knew that at some point this whole AGT thing was going to end. We wanted to capitalize on whenever that was, and we wanted to be able to move and push our careers forward. That was our goal, which we’ve felt like we’ve done, and we’re super excited for everything that’s happening now.

PC: If you had to pick one song that best encompasses the album, what would it be and why?
Joshua: Oh, that’s a great question! I feel like it would be “Lifeline.” Do you agree?

Bethany: Yeah, at the moment I think so, especially since our fans have really connected with that song. You never know what people are going to connect with and it’s been overwhelming with that song.

Manny: I do think it would be that. I mean, there are other ones on there that are really close, but if I had to choose one right now, especially on the tour, having named the tour The Lifeline Tour, I would definitely say “Lifeline”.

PC: You all got your big break on America’s Got Talent, and your initial audition has had over seven million views to date. Did you have any expectations heading into that competition?
Manny: No, none whatsoever. Honestly, we had no expectations. We went in and said, “It can’t be bad. We’re going to play our original song in front of a bunch of people. Hopefully they will like us. If they hate us, at least they got to see us.” That was our expectation. Honestly, we didn’t think we would get past the first round. When it blew up like it did, it was a huge surprise to us, and definitely a confidence booster. It made us realize that what we’re doing is special and made us feel like we have a voice in this crazy thing called the music industry.

PC: What would you say is the biggest lesson you took away from that experience that you’ve now been able to apply to your career moving forward?
Manny: These are great questions.

Bethany: Yeah! They’re really good questions. They’re very thought out and we appreciate them a lot. In my opinion, we learned what we love. We also learned that we work well under pressure. In this industry, you have to be able to work well under pressure. The stage was overwhelming and huge, and then performing in front of the judges and audience was terrifying at times, but we always came back to the fact that we were going to play our song and be honest. If that’s the best we can do, then we’re happy.

PC: You’ve had a lot of success already in your career. Is there a moment that stands out to you and what’s been the key to all the success?
Manny: For me, looking into the crowd and watching people sing our lyrics back, and not just sing the lyrics, but actually scream them at the top of their lungs, is one of the coolest things. I’ll never get tired of seeing that every night. You see them almost disappear. It’s like they’re not at a concert anymore; they’re listening and singing the songs and transforming to a time in their own lives. They’re thinking about what they’ve gone through.

Bethany: Since the show, my view of success has changed in a huge way, which is interesting. It’s crazy getting to see and meet so many people who you admire. It’s interesting, because now I’m just like, they’re just human people. They’re normal people who are doing really, really cool things. Everyone is just working hard at what they’re doing and hopefully they love whatever that is. If they don’t, the fame and success, as people would say, doesn’t matter. You have to love what you’re doing.

Manny: I feel like we have been successful in what we’re doing right now, but that doesn’t mean we’re going to stop working hard. We’re just incredibly blessed.

Joshua: To tie into that, we enjoy what we’re doing and we’re able to do it because we have worked really, really hard. We’ve been doing this for ten years, and so I think working hard, being kind to everybody we’ve come in contact with, and just having time on our side have been key.

PC: You all are on your first headlining tour. What has that experience been like? Has anything surprised you?
Bethany: One of the biggest surprises has been seeing everyone screaming the songs, especially the ones that aren’t singles. It’s like people have dug into the songs, which is really, really cool. I get surprised every night when they start screaming things back. It’s something that you can never get used to.

Joshua: I’m surprised how hard it is to find time for and do laundry. [laughs] Oh, the lyrics too.

Manny: The laundry is actually really difficult.

Joshua: I’m surprised by how many drum heads I’m going through—I can’t believe how many I’ve gone through, it’s absolutely insane. I’ve never gone through this many, this quickly before.

PC: Do you have a favorite song to perform on tour and has it changed now that you’re towards the end of the tour?
Joshua: For me, it changes a lot. Lately, it’s been a new song that we’ll keep a secret until you come to a show. [laughs] It’s a brand new song.

Bethany: Yeah, it changes every night. When I went into the tour, I had a favorite, which was “Lifeline”, but now every audience is different and every crowd vibes out to a different song. We always tell them, “You guys, we vibe off of you.” So, we love the energy they give us. I think the favorite last show was “Testify.”

Manny: Mine is probably still “Hold On”…I don’t know why. It’s been fun since the beginning. I think it’s just one of my favorite songs on the record and that carries over into the live performance.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: Guilty pleasure TV show?
Bethany: Gilmore Girls and the boys make fun of me. The writing and the characters are so good. I’ve watched it probably like ten times per episode.

Joshua: I know the first thing that comes to mind is The Office, but it’s not a guilty pleasure…oh, The Justice League, the old cartoon. I love that so much. I don’t know if it’s a guilty pleasure, but I’ll go with that.

Manny: I didn’t choose to watch it, but I was in the room while it was being watched, and it’s Keeping Up With the Kardashians. Again, it wasn’t my choice. [laughs]

PC: Guilty pleasure movie?
Bethany: Mine are all the rom-coms. I love every cheesy Jennifer Lopez movie. They’re just adorable and end the right way. My husband watches them with me and he’s like, “They’re all the same story line!”

Joshua: Does Christopher Robin count as a guilty pleasure? I don’t know if that counts as a guilty pleasure. Shoot. Then that’s tougher for me for a movie. I don’t know if I have a guilty pleasure movie. I’m more of a TV show type of guy. Oh no, wait, I like the live action Cinderella movie.

PC: Favorite book?
Joshua: C.S. Lewis’ The Screwtape Letters

Bethany: I’m a terrible reader. I used to read a lot when I was in school. I read every fictional book, but I’m so bad at it now. I want to change that. But in middle school, I loved Harry Potter.

Manny: I’m the same. I don’t read very much, so I have a lame answer, which is I don’t have a favorite book.

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your play list?
Bethany: Maybe Coldplay?

PC: First album you bought?
Manny: Michael Jackson

Joshua: I can’t remember the first album, but I remember my first mixed tape.

Bethany: That’s so cool.

Joshua: It was a compilation of Earth, Wind, & Fire, Chicago, and Tower of Power tunes. I played along with it downstairs on my drum set.

PC: First concert you attended?
Bethany: Earth, Wind, & Fire…

Manny: …in Portland at the Modus Center. Earth, Wind, & Fire and Chicago performed together.

Bethany: We made Joshua buy us VIPs. [laughs] We were like, “They’re only a hundred dollars!” We were like we’ll pay you back and we got to meet them. It was awesome.

PC: A must-have on tour?
Manny: Coffee

Bethany: Coffee. Amen.

Manny: Nyquil

Joshua: Ear plugs

Bethany: I would say an organized suitcase. Just organization in your suitcase because it’s kind of your home for a little while—unless you don’t care. For me, I have to keep my organizational system going: separate the dirty clothes, keep it organized.

PC: An album that changed your life and why?
Manny: John Mayer’s Continuum. There are so many other albums that I love, but that one is a work of art from start to finish. It’s insane. John Mayer really changed the way that I view guitar, and it was because of that album. It’s very, very important to me.

Bethany: I feel like I’m experiencing some of those albums right now. I can’t say that my life has changed, but it’s a huge inspiration of mine, and that’s the Billie Eillish record. It’s so epic and it makes me feel like there are no rules to anything that you do. She writes from the heart and creates killer sounds that are fun to listen to.

Joshua: I would say Outbound by Bela Fleck and the Flecktones.

To keep up with We Three, follow them on Twitter and Instagram, and pick up their self-titled album on Amazon Music, iTunes, or stream it on Spotify.