We The Least
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We The Least are an intriguing band comprised of singer/songwriters, who have recently released a single titled 'Made You Too'. Louder Than The Music chatted to them about the song, plus their superbly titled album 'Sundae Best', and all things music.
For those who haven't heard of you before, can you tell us a bit about yourself and how you got involved in making music?
We are a band of independent singer/songwriters from Mendota, IL. Our members include Michaela DeLong (vocals/keys), Nathanael DeLong (vocals/bass/guitar), Noah DeLong (drums), and Dell May (vocals/bass/guitar). We released our first album entitled “Screw It Up” in 2019....
Read More We The Least are an intriguing band comprised of singer/songwriters, who have recently released a single titled 'Made You Too'. Louder Than The Music chatted to them about the song, plus their superbly titled album 'Sundae Best', and all things music.
For those who haven't heard of you before, can you tell us a bit about yourself and how you got involved in making music?
We are a band of independent singer/songwriters from Mendota, IL. Our members include Michaela DeLong (vocals/keys), Nathanael DeLong (vocals/bass/guitar), Noah DeLong (drums), and Dell May (vocals/bass/guitar). We released our first album entitled “Screw It Up” in 2019. We hope to inspire both deeper faith and deeper joy in the lives of our listeners, thus why we choose to write in a variety of musical and lyrical styles. Our second album "Sundae Best" is out now on all streaming platforms. Fun fact: We were all in an 80’s rock cover band for 4 years before we started writing/recording our own music in 2019. Our parents were church musicians and they inspired us to start writing and performing music when we were in elementary school. We recently moved to Nashville, TN to pursue a career in music. All Glory Be to Christ. John 3:30.
Tell us about your song 'Made You Too' and what the inspiration behind it was?
Michaela DeLong, who sings and plays keyboards, says the song was inspired by a friend’s Instagram post.
"The post basically talked about how we, as humans, look in awe at the things God has created: oceans, mountains, sunsets. Then the next second,” DeLong points out, “we turn and look at ourselves in disappointment. The Instagram quote ended with the phrase, ‘as if He didn’t create both.’ I instantly knew God had specifically allowed me to see that post.”
DeLong shares that she personally related to the message.
“I can sit and watch sunsets for hours, absolutely amazed by the colors God paints in the sky. I can hardly breathe looking at the most spectacular view at the top of a mountain. I truly connect with God through His creation. God has made a world that is indescribable. But we constantly forget that ‘He made us too!’ He made me. He made you.”
DeLong worked on “Made You Too” for three years as she processed the idea that, “just as the stars have a purpose, and the sun and the moon, each of us has a purpose too,” she says.
“The day I finished the chorus, I bawled my eyes out,” she shares, “because I truly believe God gave me the lyrics to encourage other people and to encourage myself.”
That song is taken from your album 'Sundae Best', what more can you tell us about the album?
The title track of this album is called ‘Spoonz,’ and the song is all about ‘holding on to your spoon’ because dessert (a metaphor for ‘something better”) is right around the corner. We thought that the spelling of Sunday as “Sundae” was clever, since Spoonz has so many references to food and dessert in the lyrics. We also thought that it fit well because the album contains both Christian songs and songs that are not explicitly Christian, but still family-friendly. And what is more fun for a family to enjoy than an ice cream sundae? Lastly, the name fit well because of the cover photo on our album, where we dress in attire that would be classified as “Sunday Best.”
What message would you like people to take from your music?
We will take this perfect opportunity to explain our band name, and the purpose behind everything that we do. Our band name We The Least comes from John 3:30, which says, “He must become greater; I must become less.” In every song that we write, we want the name of Jesus to be glorified. At the end of the day, nothing that we do matters, unless we are pointing people to God himself.
How would you describe your style of music and what are your influences?
We are heavily influenced by the Paper Kites, Kacey Musgraves, All Sons & Daughters, and Chris Renzema. We describe our sound as “indie country Christian.” Our songs can fit within any of these three genres, which makes listening through our albums a very unique experience! As you listen through, though, we would love to hear what artist(s) YOU think we sound like. Send us a message on Facebook or Instagram @wetheleast and let us know what you think!
If you could work with any songwriter, who would it be and why?
We would love to have the opportunity to write with either Steven Curtis Chapman or CAIN. We grew up listening to Steven Curtis Chapman, and we love the way that he tells stories in his songwriting. We also really value strong lyric writing, so it would be fun to write lyrics with him. It would also be sweet to write with CAIN because they have a similar country Christian pop vibe that we sometimes do. So if anyone reading this knows either of these two artists, please tell them that they should co-write a song with We The Least. We would love you FOREVER!
How would you define success in your career as an artist?
The most exciting part about being an artist, for us, is meeting people who are really encouraged by the lyrics and messages of our songs. It’s all about connecting with people! We have already been blessed to hear several life-changing stories of how God has used our songs to bring people closer to himself, and to remind them of who they are in Christ. We love performing at churches, bars, festivals, and really anywhere that we can make friends with people and bless them with our music. So to answer the question, success will be continuing to write songs with unique lyrics that make people laugh, cry, think, and know Jesus more, and to enjoy hearing how the songs specifically encourage our fans along the way.
What is your favorite album of all time?
Michael W Smith - Change Your World (1992) - We grew up listening to this album back when we were kids. Such a fun album!
You're stuck on an island, it's hot, you only have enough battery life left to listen to one song on your phone. What track is it?
“It is Well With My Soul” - Such a powerful backstory to the hymn, and a powerful truth to know that no matter what happens in life, it is well with our soul because of what Christ did for us on the cross to bring us back to God, now and forever. What a God!
What does the next year hold for you?
This next year we are excited to be playing many writer’s rounds in Nashville, TN. We are making more friends everyday, and open to any co-writes with songwriters and artists that we are meeting in the Nashville area. We absolutely love playing at churches, camps, and festivals, so we will be playing at as many as we are invited to in the next year. Feel free to email wetheleast@gmail.com if you would like to book our band to play at your church or event! We would love to come play for you if you are willing to have us! Lastly, we are currently working on recording new songs that we plan to release by November of 2022! We are so excited to hear how people connect with these new songs, so make sure to follow us on Spotify or Apple Music, and let us know what your favorite song is! And feel free to reach out to our band at any point! We would love to get to know you. God bless!
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