Boy Band=Ministry Tool?
Sep 12 '02
The Bottom Line Never underestimate the power of a boy band to preach the Gospel.
The Christian teen pop world is often criticized for being a carbon copy of the secular boy-band genre. Bands and singers such as Stacie Orrico, ZOEGirl, Phat*Chance, and plusOne are often criticized for their efforts to reach the teen listening audience. Even bands such as POD are criticized for producing music that is too similar to the music "of the world." Yet, hardly anyone comments on the music of such classic singers as Michael W. Smith or the Newsboys. Why? Because often, secular genres similar to their music does not exist. Although some styles of music (such as teen pop) are mass-produced in the secular world, that gives no excuse for anyone to push off the Christian version as just another spin-off from the secular music world.
Keeping that in mind, i would like to introduce you to plusOne.
The music of plusOne has been embraced by the young Christian (and even non-Christian) community, and shunned at the same time by others who enjoy Christian music. Some of the songs sound as if they are just another set of notes written for the next N*Sync album, but i believe that if you take a deeper look at the meaning behind the songs, they will appear as more than just insipid, meaningless, Backstreet Boy wannabe songs.
plusOne is comprised of five guys ranging in age from 20 to 24. When "The Promise" was released in the spring of 2000, the group was automatically labeled "The Boy Band of Christian Music." So what constitutes a boy band, anyway? Usually, a few good-looking guys that can sing and dance.
So, by that definition....plusOne IS a boy band. But their purpose transcends the meaning of the phrase "boy band." These guys are NOT about looking good, attracting girls, and racking in thousands of dollars from album sales (although that has inevitably been the case since the beginning). The message behind their songs is ultimately about the true perfect guy--Jesus Christ. The boys of plusOne are not looking for fans to tell them how well they can sing or how hot they are; they're trying to point the way to the truth, and if they have to deal with swooning fans in the meantime, well...they'll just have to do that.
The boys had little opportunity to do any songwriting on their debut album. The band actually got its start thanks to a producer who decided to form a Christian alternative to the bands his daughter currently listened to: N*Sync, Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears... An audition was held, and *BAM*, the boys of plusOne were thrown together and began to record. They had the chance to work on one song, "Be," but all the other songs were written for them.
plusOne's music has touched lives and gained backing from loyal fans. To those who still claim, "But they're just the fake Christian alternative to N*Sync!" i want to ask, "Don't you WANT an alternative?" plusOne's mission is to spread the Word of God, and how could one more easily reach the listeners of teen pop than by producing a Christian version of the mainstream junk? What better way to introduce someone to the Christian music scene than by familiarizing them with the melodies he/she loves...but with a deeper message?
And guess what? These guys CAN sing! They aren't just random guys pulled from the streets of nowhere and pasted on an album cover because they're good-looking. They really do have good voices with incredible range and super harmony. Although some of their vocal talent is better showcased on plusOne's second album, many examples can be found throughout "The Promise" as well (listen to the bridge of "Written On My Heart").
i'll admit it: even though i'm a diehard plusOne fan, some of the songs on the album could've been better. i don't blame this fact on the boys, who had little opinion or opportunity to present their genuine selves to the world. Although a few of the songs sound like the mass-produced happy melodies found on any secular radio station, the lyrics were what impressed me.
"He knows every star in the sky/ every single tear that you cry/ His love is here, faithful and alive/ i know that this world can be hold/ in His arms you're never alone/ that's the promise for you and i" --so this message has been reiterated through the Christian music market since it began....yet, this song continues to be one of the most touching plusOne songs. Why? Because many plusOne listeners haven't heard older versions of the same message. This song, telling them that things will get better because God is there, speaks directly to them in language that they can understand. If the music touches lives, does it really matter that it contains the same message as dozens of other songs? Good messages can never be repeated too often.
i'm not trying to take a defensive, "you-better-like-plusOne-or-else" viewpoint in this review, although it may seem that way. My purpose is to help reduce the stereotyping that takes place among Christian music listeners. If you're not a fan of boy band music, remember that no one's forcing you to listen to it; always be willing to give a band (or any artist in any form, for that matter) a chance....or even a second chance (if you were formerly anti-plusOne, try listening to their second album....you might be slightly more appreciative). If you don't share my viewpoint, that's fine. Send me comments on how terrible "The Promise" was; tell me that i wrote a bad review; share with me your own opinions on plusOne.
i am an advocate of anything that will allow us as Christians to obey our calling to preach the Gospel to all the world, and if that means advocating a Christian boy band, i'm going to do it. Remember, one should never underestimate the power of a boy band to preach the Gospel.
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Life: to look at You in wonder; to look at You and wonder
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