Dara Maclean is a soulful Christian/pop artist from Ft Worth, TX. She released her debut album You Got my Attention in the summer of 2011 and recieved heavy radio airplay for her hit single's "Suitcases" and "Free". Maclean is getting ready to release her sophomore album Wanted in September.

We'd like to thank Dara Maclean for taking the time to do this interview with BreatheCast. 

BreatheCast: How excited are you for the release for your second album Wanted on September 24th?

DM: "Excited doesn't do it justice, more like elated, jumping for joy, like a kid at Christmas, haha. It's just a very timely record in my life, everything about it is right for me right now, which is only a gift from God and very humbling. Even more so, why I'm ready to share it and pray it does for others what it's done for me."

BreatheCast: What special guests or co-writers did you work with on the new album? 

DM: "I had a cast of incredible writer friends and my producer Paul Mabury who is an equally talented writer. I have to give honorable mention to a friend of mine in Nashville, Justin Ebach. We wrote "Wanted", "Our Only Hope" & he and Paul and I wrote "Set my People Free." Which is one of my favorites on the record because of the cause in my heart against trafficking. It's an anthem that I pray dispels the darkness for the ones unseen and in need of rescue."

BreatheCast: How would you describe your sound for people that haven't heard of you guys and what bands have influenced your sound?

DM: "I describe it as acoustic soul. It's raw and emotive, soulful and the way I worship. I want it to sound like arms around you... My musical journey was influenced by soul singers of the 70's, to Etta James, to Passion/Hillsong worship records that I played 24-7, to every Crystal Lewis record and then my more current and biggest female musical influence was Miss Lauryn Hill. When I heard her sing "His Eye Is On The Sparrow" in Sister Act 2, my life as a vocalist changed. Some influences for starters, but there is so much more when music is life."

BreatheCast: What is the story behind your new single "Wanted"?

DM: "Wanted" is the heartbeat of the record, because I believe it is the heartbeat of the human condition. Everyone regardless of age or demographic, longs to know they are loved, cherished valued, worth fighting for. It's the reason we and everyone around us seek it desperately in negative and positive ways our whole life. What's amazing about Jesus is, He is the only good thing we can and should overdose on, the only obsession we should have. As we let Him be the lover of our souls, the Father we never had and take Him at His word every day, when He says we are wanted, we are loved and that will never change. When that knowledge becomes enough, it will change us and we will stop looking and needing anything else. His love will finally and in every way, be enough."

BreatheCast: What was the best thing about growing up in the great state of Texas? 

DM: "Wide open spaces... Haha. Well kind of. I just know it to be home and with the kind of travel that I do, it's good to come home to the simple life, husband, church, family, beautiful small town of Fort Worth. And lets be honest, there's nothing like southern hospitality... It's the good life. Texas has been that for me."

BreatheCast: If you could collaborate with one Secular Artist and one Christian Artist, who would you choose? 

DM: "Old Etta, New Lauren, Cece Winans and Jonny Lang"

BreatheCast: What advice would you have to other singers coming up and wanting to make a career as a Christian artist?

DM: "Producers, singers, songwriters and talent are a dime a dozen. The only difference is what you are called to do and what you were born for. If you choose to use the gift God has given you to show off His goodness and give Him all the credit as your life testimony. Then you will walk in impossible dreams, you will experience the sweetest life and you'll look back in amazement at what only God can do. 

Love God, love people. Songs, platforms and everything comes from that place."

BreatheCast: Have you read any good books lately?

DM: "Seeing as how I'm a newly married women of almost 3 months and loving every second! I'm reading Stormie Ormartians "The Power Of A Praying Wife" and it is changing me and my marriage. Good to great every day. My man and I are reading Gary Chapmans "The Five Love Languages." It's a must regardless of the phase of life your in. Everything revolves around relationships and there are practical keys in this book that will help make them the best they can be."

BreatheCast: Do you have a favorite scripture or a truth that you use a lot? If not, what are some personal favorite verses of yours?

DM: "Thank God for the living, breathing word of God. An answer is there waiting for every moment... I will share my life verse:

 "If you extend your soul to the hungry And satisfy the afflicted soul, Then your light shall dawn in the darkness, And your darkness shall be as the noonday. The Lord will guide you continually, And satisfy your soul in drought, And strengthen your bones; You shall be like a watered garden, And like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail. Those from among you Shall build the old waste places; You shall raise up the foundations of many generations; And you shall be called the Repairer of the Breach, The Restorer of Streets to Dwell In." (Isaiah 58:10-12 NKJV)

Immediately it focuses the need on people and then walks through prophetically Gods sustaining power, of strength and nourishment as you, by His grace, do what He has called you to. Raising and building foundations of many generations, repairing the breach  and tear between families and in church's, things the enemy has caused by using division. Restoring the streets to dwell in, uniting the body of Christ and aiding in bringing about community and a healthy body of believers walking in the knowledge of who they are in Christ and loving people lavishly all along the way."

BreatheCast: What are your touring plans for this Fall 2013?

DM: "I will be on a radio tour launching the new record in September, out with the my friends, the beloved Casting Crowns in October and then doing a regional short, fun Christmas run in December before my husband and I leave for Africa the day after Christmas to do missions work there with an organization called "The Reaction Tour". It's going to be a good year!"