Interview: Planetshakers
As Australia's Planetshakers release their new album 'This Is Our Time' this week, LTTM caught up with the band to find about their exciting style of worship music, captured live from this year's Planetshakers Awakening event in Melbourne. Make sure you also check out our Free Song Download from the album!
Tell us a little bit about your new album 'This Is Our Time' and what the inspiration behind it was?
This album was the live recording of our Planetshakers Awakening (conference). Each year we desire to give the delegates a personal, supernatural encounter with God that will empower them to fulfill their calling in God. This year the songs encourage that personal worship connection while at the same stirring them to take the opportunities presented to them to change their world. The album is also the culmination of songs sung throughout the year at our church. They reflect the communication of a year of worship. We also wanted to keep that current fresh sound that speaks the language of the day.
Which is your favourite track on the album and why?
Sam - “My Heart Is Alive." When you sing this song it makes you feel so alive. The melody and the music stirs such joy and faith.
Joth - "Covered." I love how this song gives us a great picture of God's grace. It gives us hope and security in God's love.
This album has a very modern sound, how do you stay on top of that and find ways to keep making innovative music?
We are always experimenting with new sounds and trying to find new ways of doing things. We also incorporated some new young song writers on these songs to help give it a sound that people can relate to in this generation.
What inspires you in your music?
Our personal encounters with God. The various messages that get spoken in our church. The desires that we have for things to happen in a meeting will often inspire how we construct a song. With the song "This Is Our Time," we imagined that it would excite people to step out and do what God has called them to do.
How would you define success in your career as a band?
Success is defined by people's lives being touched by God when they worship with us live or as they listen to the cd. Our greatest buzz comes out of the testimonies of salvation, healing and freedom we receive.
What do you want people to get out of listening to your music?
We want them to feel empowered, closely connected to God and to feel that they can be all that God has called them to be.
What advice would you give to any aspiring bands, worship leaders or songwriters out there?
We would advise them to be connected to their local church and to serve God with their gift there first and then to allow God to open the doors to minister to the wider body of Christ. We would then advise them to spend time with God and investing in their gift.
Madison square garden would be awesome because it's such an iconic venue and it would be great to lift up the name of Jesus in there. Another great venue would be the MCG in Melbourne, where we live. It's the biggest sporting stadium in Australia that holds 100,000 people.
You're stuck on an island, it's hot, you only have enough battery life left to listen to one song on your mp3 player. What track is it?
A song called "Holy" off our new album This Is Our Time. Cause every time we listen to it, it takes us back to that incredible moment at Planetshakers Awakening where the powerful presence of God filled that auditorium. It was like heaven touching earth.
What does the next year hold for Planetshakers?
We will continue to travel the world, worshiping together with people from all nations. New songs will be written and we are always believing for greater encounters with God. We will produce a new album and DVD that pushes the limits of anything we have done previously.
Find out more at planetshakers.com
