Judah Band Interview

Judah Band

IndyGospel.com's Sha'Quila Mathews was able to talk with Naptowns own Judah Band, an anointed group of young people that are intentionally going after our generation and taking it back for the Kingdom of God. You will find out that this group is more than just an edgy group in "Chuck Taylor's," they have a message!!

S: What was the inspiration behind the name Judah Band?

JB: I didn’t have to think long. God had given me a concept of a praise and worship democracy and I didn’t want it to sound religious or churchy, even though we don’t compromise our faith or our belief, but I wanted to appeal in the name creatively. People in the church know that Judah means praise and people outside the church think it sounds hot.

S: What is the concept behind the style?

JB: It's how we dress on a day to day, we dress how we feel.

S: Have you caught any slack because of your style?

JB: Somewhat, but not too much because most of the time people who invite us know what their getting. Because of modern day technology you can see us and hear us before we come. When the presence of God is there people don’t tend to care about [how we look] much.

S:  It seems like you appeal to the young people, is that your target?

JB: Yes, but the older people love us too.  We are the spiritual alternative to the Disney Channel. My kids love Hanna Montana and The Jonas Brothers. They're reaching millions and millions of kids with that kind of energy; that is a gift. If that was a spiritual vitamin, they would all be saved. That’s why God has raised us up with this kind of sound, as a remnant to battle against that. We are going directly at the Disney Channel generation.

S: How do you respond when people would consider you to be a non-traditional gospel group?

JB: That’s what God wants to hear. I don’t write because it’s a talent, I write because it is how God wants it to sound, so everything we do has to make sense in the spirit, every vocal riff, it has to edify. This is what God wants to hear!

S: How were the Judah Band members chosen?

JB: Some have come from just years and years of knowing them, some God just allowed to cross paths with. Spiritually it fits and we connect as a group. We pray three times a week together as a group at 5 a.m. Our objective is to be better people, secondly the sacrifice of getting up so early is to wake up before the problems start, before the enemy starts, basically beating Satan to the punch to try and test you. Waking up and commanding your morning. Our objective is to please God, so coming together in prayer we can come against negative influences from Satan, and know that as a group we have all spent time in the presence of the Lord.

S: Can you recall an experience where you knew people where touched by your ministry?

JB: While doing a concert in North Carolina, we were singing and praising God, just going hard, and not that you go off on people, but it can be a little disheartening when you get no response. So afterward someone came up to us and was like, “we wanted to get with you all, but we didn’t know what to do, the anointing we felt has literally changed our lives forever!”

S: What is next as far as an album for Judah Band?

JB: The next release is "Midterm" from the CD Freshman Year: First Semester, a three part CD. This will be the second one. "Midterm" kind of shows you where you are, similar to a school progress report. This CD is more situational, more substance, getting you ready for graduation, with songs like “Let it Go” and also a song called “Isaiah’s Pen.” It's very easy listening. It's still Judah Band sound, with substance dealing with sin deliverance!

S: Who writes most of the music?

JB: Most of the music is written by me (Randy Weston) and collectively as a group we add the “Judah Band sprinkles”,

S: How are your inspired to write music?

JB: Well, I pray to God for relationship, and music comes to me really practical just in the spirit of the day. But God let me know that He was getting ready to flood me with a series of six songs that will be on the next album.

S: When will the new album "Midterm" Drop?

JB: July 28^th at Club Ice in Downtown Indianapolis, to intentionally make a statement that we don’t have to just go off to some outskirts part of town to have an event but we [Christians] can go to the heart of the city and represent the Kingdom of God!!

For more information on Judah Band:

For booking the number is 317-503-9574 and the email address is michellewestonjb@gmail.com
for promotional information for management the number is 317-503-9574 and the email address is judahbandmusic@gmail.com
the facebook page is judahfan.

You can also catch Judah band at one of these upcoming events:

July 10th God's Flow at God's Grace 7pm
3939 South Emerson
Indianapolis, IN 46203
 
July 11th Musical/Praise Extravaganza
New Dimesions Christian Church
1140 Griffin St.
New Albany, IN 47150

July 25- Slam
Louisville, KY
 
July 25 Kings Island Judah Band in concert with Kierra Sheard and BRL, Nu Tradition, 2103, New Direction, and Jessica Reidy
Kings Island
6300 Kings Island Drive
Kings Island, OH  45034-0901

Aug. 8 New Wineskins Ministries
4501 West 38th Street
Indianapolis, IN 46254

August 22
Fashion Show "Rip the Runway"
Indianpolis, IN
 
November 14 Judah Band releases their movie "Prisoners of Praise"