(Photo courtesy of anthemlights.com)

February Favorites
An Interview with Anthem Lights

By Sarah Komisky

It’s February and in light of Valentine’s day, we at Marked Ministry are bringing all the essential favorites and boy bands are at the top of the list. Ergo, Chad, Caleb, Joey, and Spencer that make up the guys of Anthem Lights. Upon the drop date of the new PureFlix animated series, we took some time to ask all of our go-to’s on mashups, original music, purity, dream duets with their favorite pop group, love songs, and more. Here’s a glimpse at our conversation together.

Marked Ministry: First of all, congratulations on your new TV show on PureFlix! Interestingly it combines music with animation. Tell us a little about that unique experience and how it came about?

Anthem Lights: Thank you! We’re so thrilled to have the opportunity to talk about our new show. For 10 years now, we have strived to find new and unique ways to connect with fans and find new eyes and ears for our music. In the Netflix age of streaming, it felt fresh to develop a TV show centered around our band, and an animated series seemed like the best way to capture the spirit and personality of who we are as artists.

Marked Ministry: Besides being an aminated show that highlights your music this show also highlights what it means to be in a boy band – which is incredible! Now, we all know there have been many amazing boy bands in the past, and today, we have bands like BTS! However, you guys are distinct in that you are guys that bring your faith to your band. Speak into that and how you hope it brings something unique to Christian music and music in general?

Anthem Lights: We’ve always looked at ourselves as “Christian guys who are in a band,” rather than “guys who are in a Christian band”…and I think there’s an important distinction there. The brand isn’t “Christian,” but the people it’s comprised of are. I think that is what keeps the band anchored. We set out to create great music, and meet our listeners where they are…regardless of where that is or what the song may be about. That said, we’ve never shied away from singing about God and are excited to embrace that faith community via Pureflix.

Marked Ministry: You all do some amazing mashups! If you could do a mashup with any boy band past or present, who would it be and why?

Anthem Lights: This answer would probably vary depending on which one of us you ask, ha…. For me, *NSYNC and Backstreet Boys were on top of the world when I fell in love with music and those guys made me wanna do something like that someday…so to collaborate with any members of those groups would be an honor.

Marked Ministry: Pivoting, this month at Marked Ministry, our new issue is called “Purity Redefined” and we are uncovering the “what” behind purity. Observing our current culture, we have seen those who define purity in a way that is either extremely in being fully right or fully left. But also, many are confused about the definition in general. Therefore, when it comes to purity, why do you think our current culture needs a redefinition?

Anthem Lights: For me, purity isn’t about perfection, it’s about pursuit. We’ll never get it all correct, but we can always chase after the example Jesus has graciously given us. When we inevitably come up short, well…He’s given us grace for that too.

Marked Ministry: At Marked Ministry, we feel like purity is a lifestyle that infiltrates every part of our lives. How have you seen this in your every day and why do you think we commonly see it as one-dimensional?

Anthem Lights: “Purity” in Christian culture growing up was always synonymous with following rules, particularly in relation to members of the opposite sex. In reality, I think it’s much broader than that…it’s about your heart, your desires, your dreams, and how to approach those matters in a healthy, beneficial way.

Marked Ministry: Coming back to boy bands, it’s Valentine’s Day and as we all know, boy bands are notorious for love songs. What are some of your favorites?

Anthem Lights: I always really liked Story of My Life by One Direction…I think 1D did a really cool job of creating a more timeless sound than typical boy bands throughout the years.

Marked Ministry: Speaking of love songs, “Live This Day” is one of your recent love songs that talk about the gift of being present with the one you love. Many of you are married and have kids. What does that song mean to you in light of that?

Anthem Lights: Trying to manage a career while married with a family can be tricky….it’s important to remember all we ever get is this moment. Live This Day is all about remembering to hit pause and be in the present with those you love.

Marked Ministry: Staying on this topic, most of the songs we listen to speak of either a fluffy superficial love or a tainted love. How do you guys want to leave your mark on creating content that goes back to the purity of music that reflects what God’s love looks like and why is discernment important when it comes to the music we listen to?

Anthem Lights: We always want to create music that is friendly to anyone listening – whether you’re 7 or 77. It brings us joy and satisfaction to remind people of ALL ages that they have value and that they’re loved by their creator.

Marked Ministry: On the other hand, how can we balance the enjoyment of fun love songs without seeing them as all “bad” or fully “secular?” How would you speak into that when some might look at your covers that aren’t Christian songs and judge them?

Anthem Lights: I think God created all things and is IN all things. I also think life is messy. If both of those things are true, I think a song about a messy situation can also reflect the divine in a beautiful way, even if it may not appear so on the surface.

Marked Ministry: Wrapping things up share a little bit about what’s up ahead for Anthem Lights?

Anthem Lights: We’re entering a new season of original music… We’re excited to put out some new songs that are near and dear to us and hopeful about the future of the TV show and how that will play into the music we release as well.

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Find out more about Anthem Lights by visiting anthemlights.com