NEEDTOBREATHE has made a career out of songs caked with the muck and mire of life and cracked with crevices where light breaks through. Their latest single, “Who Am I,” is no exception.
The track begins with a dark, moody sonic underbelly where lead singer Bear Rinehart questions how the God of the universe could ever love a mistake-riddled, undeserving heart like his. Rinehart’s smoky vocal fills the whole verse to capacity before swelling into a rhythmic chorus, backed by harmonies from the group’s Seth Bolt and Josh Lovelace.
"While I'm on this road, You take my hand. Somehow You really love who I really am. I push You away, still You won’t let go. You grow Your roses on my barren soul," Rinehart passionately sings. His vocals explode on that last line, pushing his range into next-level territory previously uncharted even by Rinehart himself, despite his long-standing reputation for gritty, guttural vocals.
WATCH: "Who Am I" Official Music Video
"Probably the biggest and most constant struggle I have in my life is being able to accept love. At some place in my core, it's hard for me to believe that I’m ever worthy of it or somehow deserve it," the frontman admits. " 'Who Am I' is a song about the fight to accept, embrace, and trust that the greatest love requires nothing in return."
As for the vulnerable lyrics—a hallmark of NEEDTOBREATHE's body of work—Rinehart co-wrote the track with Country superstar Thomas Rhett and well-known Country songwriter Jordan Reynolds.
Incidentally, this is NEEDTOBREATHE's first radio single recorded without co-founding member Bo Rinehart, who announced his exit from the band earlier this year. "Who Am I" also serves as the rock act’s first new song offering following their Lauren Daigle-assisted version of "Hard Love" and the lead single from their forthcoming seventh studio album, "Out of Body," arriving Aug. 28.
WATCH: "Who Am I" Lyric Video
