Interview: daFOO
Switzerland's Protest4665 and singer-songwriter daFOO, a Swiss youth pastor, have just released a music video for their song 'Worship in Our Hearts'. Louder Than The Music spoke to daFOO about what inspired his music and his plans to release more next month.
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?
There was an old Hammond organ at our home. As a child, I used to play it and make as much noise as possible. In the 1980s, bands like the Swedish group Jerusalem released enormous energy with their hard rock. During my teenage years, I wrote my first songs and played in various bands.
What can you tell us about the name 'Protest 4665' and what the group is all about?
Protest 4665 is an artistic response to a label's approach towards smaller youth gangs that were causing trouble in our urban area. The aim is to channel the energy of the streets into art projects. Using street slang in a church context is not easy, but a few small things have emerged from it.
Tell us about your new single 'Worship in Our Hearts' and what the inspiration behind it was?
'Worship in Our Hearts' is a song inspired by Romans 8: 'The whole creation waits for the revealing of the sons and daughters of God...' It is a cry for a new creation in light of this wonderful God Father. It is an 'Into the New' amidst a fallen world. These are the thoughts behind the song, which officially accompanies the reform process of the protestant churches in our canton of Aargau.
Do you have any plans to release more music in the near future?
I am already working on my next single, due for release in December. 'Show Me Your Ways' is a kind of prayer - a song that emerged as a biographical accompaniment to the changes in my life.
What message would you like people to take from your music?
My songs have a message: 'Never give up.' (Incidentally, this was the title of my very first song). Life has its downsides and we cannot suppress them, but there is a God who wants to strengthen us through all circumstances. This has been my life since childhood, in the face of death. But where, O Death, is your sting?
How would you describe your style of music and what are your influences?
My style is probably indie or dance-pop - somewhere between punk rock and EDM. Influences: U2, Mutemath, Muse, Twenty-One Pilots, Imagine Dragons
What is your favorite album of all time?
There are many albums that I like. If I had to name one, it would be The Joshua Tree by U2.
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?
Now, it would probably be 'One Way' by Twenty-One Pilots.
What does the next year hold for you?
Of course, I am very active in our church. Musically, however, I am always working on songs and planning performances.
