Exploration Six: Jordon Frye

     A music artist that has had a significant influence on me is the Australian Christian-pop band, For King & Country. Although they are a Christian band, their audience spans far beyond Christians. For King & Country is comprised of two brothers, Joel and Luke Smallbone. Their purpose for writing music is not solely for leading people to Christ. In their newest album “Burn the Ships” the two brothers focus on their own family struggles, while also putting out an encouraging and positive message to those that listen to them.
     One of their songs that has a large impact on my everyday life is ‘Priceless’. In this song, the Christian duo tackle the issue of women’s worth. In current times, women are viewed as objects and have certain standards they must meet in order to be accepted by society. In the song, they say “no matter what you’ve heard, this is what you’re worth. More than all the money and the diamonds and pearls” (For King & Country). I think this song has the biggest impact on me, because of it's message.
      I once went to one of their concerts, and bought a bracelet that related to this song. The bracelet read ‘Respect & Honor’. The bracelet is a reminder to me to always respect and honor women to the best of my ability. Anytime I would wear it, I would get asked multiple times what it meant and where I got it. Aside from ‘Priceless’, another song that has encouraged me in troubling times was ‘It’s Not Over Yet’. This song is a “lift your head up/keep moving forward” song. Each and every lyric in these two songs have power and authority behind them, and their message is easy to grasp and put to use. I highly recommend a quick listen to these songs.
     It's hard to really compare For King & Country to another band, as their style and lyrics are very unique. Compared to other Christian bands, their sound has a "fresher" more up-beat sound to it that has helped them grow over the years. It's surprising to believe just a couple of years ago, they were widely unknown. Now, they're one of the highest ranking Christian bands.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DL7WLyCzql8

Brothers Luke (left) and Joel (right) Smallbone on their new album cover.