Lindz West, frontman of EDM faith group LZ7, has spent years ministering to young people and sharing the Gospel in schools. He is set to release a new album that promises to be a soundtrack for life’s challenges and a source of encouragement for listeners.
Christian Today spoke with Lindz to hear more about a new album in the works, his thoughts on the evolution of gospel music over the last two decades, and how his music is impacting young people.
You have a new album coming out soon. What is the inspiration behind it?
We went with a slightly harder sound this time because I believe the Gospel is not a joke. When we do our school tours and festivals we preach the Gospel to young people, they need something to take away so that they too can be a part of the change. The album touches on creation, knowing who you are, whose you are, identity, anxiety and where you sit with Jesus. We also bring in our own stories, our own testimonies, and our own journey of faith.
What do you hope people will gain from your new music?
Music is a tool that can take people on a journey, like a navigation system that leads them to Jesus. For someone who is a Christian, I hope it inspires them and it gives their faith legs. I hope that people who are not Christians hear it and are impacted by it. I would like it to play on mainstream radio stations. That is where we need to be, because Jesus says ‘you are the light of the world.’ My hope is that it really stretches far and wide and it goes into the darkest places and shines a light.
You have worked in music for the last two decades. What significant changes have you seen in the gospel music scene during this time?
It is tough because gospel music is so broad, but watching the journey Christian music has taken has been incredible to see. People like Brandon Lake, Martin Smith and Phil Wickham winning Spotify number 1 for streamed song across all genres is incredible. For a Christian band to get such ratings was unheard of 10 to 15 years ago.
I think our music sits on a fine line between mainstream music and Christian music. Our last single was remixed by Charlie Hedges on Radio 1 and as a result, I think that when we go into secondary schools young people acknowledge us. It reduces that feeling of reluctance to engage with the message we bring. We talk to the young people about mental health, suicide, bullying and racism, and the music creates a platform to speak into it. I think that is slightly different to the world of worship and gospel music in that we are using music as an evangelistic tool to enable us to speak to millions of young people.
You have performed for Prince Harry and Pope Francis. What were those experiences like?
Pope Francis was doing a tour around Europe and he was booking arenas in every football stadium. Young people from the stadiums were going out onto the streets, inviting people in who might not have heard of Jesus. We would play a set and I would preach the Gospel in the middle of it. We saw seven to eight thousand people in this arena and they were moved by it and it was incredible - music has got this beautiful way of crossing all language barriers.
Two days later I attended the Wellchild Awards at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London and Prince Harry was there. We performed our single called ‘Heart Unchained’ with the London Community Gospel choir, which is a song about living free against adversity. Harry enjoyed it, he was clapping his hands and smiling, it was a really good time. The WellChild Awards celebrates young people that have overcome adversity in their lives so it was a real privilege to be part of it.
You run the Illuminate Schools tour to engage young people. Tell us more about that and what reception you receive when you go into schools with the Gospel.
We speak to secondary school students from ages 11 to 18 on issues that may be affecting them, like mental health and bullying. We visit five schools over five days and on the Friday night we will book a venue and invite all of them to a gig and share our faith. We recently visited Peterborough and did four days in a school, and seven to eight hundred young people turned up. There was even a parents area so that people could come in for free. We preached the Gospel and the whole place responded. We also work with Youth Alpha and start a Youth Alpha session the following Friday and invited them all to join. It was great.
You are a worship artist yourself but which worship artists do you listen to?
I listen to a lot of Brandon Lake, Phil Wickham and Maverick City. I like to listen to up tempo praise music, and hearing it in church is incredible as it sets you up for the week. Then there are the pensive, reflective songs and I think these enable you to feel the Holy Spirit. I think anything that moves you and your spirit is worth listening to.
Lindz’s upcoming single ‘The Send’ is set to be released on March 21st . The Send Tour will launch in Glasgow on March 29th. For more information visit https://www.lz7.co.uk
