How to make your music album no.1 in iTunes
This morning as I prayed I asked the Lord to direct my day. Mondays are my day-off. I am in Jakarta and had nowhere to go and nothing to do. Most of my friends in the city are pastors and I didn't want to take them away from their families and their own day of rest. With Monsters University is showing everywhere I'm sure they want to be with their kids.
After my time with the Lord I answered some emails and made a call. I then went to the mall for lunch. I remembered the restaurant that served an amazing seafood soup and imagined that would be the right thing to do, go light and tangy.
As I entered the restaurant I saw a long table of people. I recognized the man at the extreme end - Sidney Mohede whom I have met just the day before. Sidney is an Indonesian song writer and worship leader who grew up in LA but decided to move back to his nation intent on spreading the good news of Christ.
The rest of the group with him was the band of JPCC Worship formerly True Worshippers which Sidney led. They were celebrating the recent release of their album "The Rescue" which for the last eight days straight was the number one album in all of Indonesia (a nation of 240MM) in iTunes. The album got so popular not just in Indonesia that last Friday no less than the leading US production house Integrity Music gave Sidney a call with interest in their music.
Pretty awesome feat for a Christian album in the world's largest Muslim nation. They have crossed over. Apparently because their songs are not about their religious beliefs but about the redemptive promise of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The love of God that is offered to us in Christ that is couched in music and lyrics.
While I have yet to get my copy of the album I listened to a song he wrote which he sang duet with Darlene Zschech - pretty amazing.
I asked Sidney, "I am sure that the Lord is responsible for all this success, but I'd like to know what you would say is the single biggest contributor (outside of saying, the Lord or the grace of God) to this success.
I was expecting some magical revelation until Sidney said, "In one word....consistency." He said that people often ask the same question looking for a magic formula, miracle pill and a certain model they can copy. There's none. In one word it is consistency.
Consistency with the passion to serve God and His purposes. Consistency to keep your eyes on the goal of spreading the good news of Christ through music. Consistency is being clear about why you do what you do. To be sure that it is not about fame or royalties but for the joy, pleasure and fame of God and His kingdom. This consistency is also how they have kept the peace in the group.
Consistency extends to keeping the spirit of unity as a group. He points out that their group is not just made up musicians and singers but writers, videographers, sound technicians, editors, production assistants and producers. No wonder they had a long table. Consistency is also about making sure that the group is made up of people who consistently strive for being the best in their role.
Consistency is leading worship for over 20 years even when no one wanted to listen. It's about consistently refining the craft that God has given them. Consistency also means not giving up when things don't happen instantly. Even if you didn't have a great voice if you consistently practice and continually strive to improve, you will.
Matt Wong (left) Sidney Mohede (right)
Consistency to demand nothing less than the best. One of guys in the team is Matt Wong. Matt is actually Ozy of Chinese descent. Matt is the owner of Unique Melody (UM), Melbourne, makers of custom made in-ear monitors. He explains that by using custom made monitors musicians and singers perform better. Top of the line equipment is also part of consistently improving their craft.
Using these monitors eliminate the big clunky things that not only restrict movement and flow but make the whole stage and place "less noisy" as the band performs. Apparently a noisy stage is not good. Matt helps the team with engineering their sound. Talk about attention to detail.
Matt got saved at the age 17 and has dedicated his life to traveling all over the world to serve Christ by helping teams get better with their music.
Sidney and guys, thanks for inviting me to join your table and thanks for paying for my soup and salad. Enjoyed my time with you guys. Learned a lot. Thanks for generously sharing your secrets and stories.
And God thanks for directing my day.
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