All photos provided by Lauren Evans. Used by permission.
If you think that God is nothing more than an old-fashioned out of touch religious fabrication then be prepared to consider how a lot of people throughout the world are connecting with each other as they connect with a message of hope and purpose. Proclaiming that message with an amazing voice is Lauren Evans. She took time to share with us in this interview and offer some insight into today’s popular music scene and the much broader landscape of life.
Faith & Fitness Magazine: Your song Alone with Armin van Buuren is, in my opinion one of the best in the Electronic Dance Music (EDM) genera these days. The music, production, uplifting lyrics – all of it is top notch. Share about how you got to do this with Armin, what inspired the message for the song and how it is impacting people’s lives.
Lauren Evans: Thank you so much! Means a lot to me to hear that. Alone was originally written as a pop song long before Armin ever heard it. The concept was sparked by an event witnessed by my co-writer, Victoria Horn. On her way to the studio that day, she saw a elderly man fall down while crossing the street. She was appalled at the lack of compassion from onlookers. Though many others saw the man fall down, there were none who came to his aid- no good Samaritans. After a prolonged moment of lying there in the street, eventually someone came to help, but she was hurt that it took people such a long time to respond.
In her sharing her heart on the matter, the conversation was started from which Alone was birthed. We never expected that so many people would share our sentiment about the state of our society and cry out for tangible connection in a digital world. I've had reports via social media of people rethinking suicide, reevaluating previously diagnosed social disorders, and working to reconcile broken relationships all because of a lyric. That's pretty powerful stuff to me.
Faith & Fitness Magazine: The access we have to technology, mobile devices and social media these days is unprecedented and yet it is disturbingly undermining what it promises to strengthen. You say it so well, “Everyone’s connected but no one is connecting.” The whole song asks the questions that people are truly longing to answer. How do you feel Christians can better extend hope and be life to those around them? What qualities do you feel people in today’s culture need to find in people of faith?
Lauren Evans: I think Ghandi said it best when he said "Be the change you wish to see in the world". In my view, Christians spend a lot of time talking about what should or shouldn't happen in the world and a lot less time walking out the Word. We're called to be living epistles, ambassadors of the Kingdom of Heaven.
In most cases we're the first "church" and [the] only "Jesus" people will encounter. We say more by how we live and how we love than we ever do with our Christian catch phrases and moral debates. By this will we know we are His. What does the way we live tell others about who Jesus is? Is the message of our life consistent with the Jesus revealed in scripture?
God is everywhere and you can see evidence
of Him in everything if you look for Him.
Faith & Fitness Magazine: What was it like to dance in the intersection of 8th and Broadway in Los Angeles? (Did that location have any significance?) Share a bit about how you like to be physically active (workout, sports, work around your home, walk with a friend, etc) and what you enjoy about it. In what ways do you find being active improves your lifestyle, outlook on life and your relationship with others?
Lauren Evans: In the video, we were dancing in the intersection of 8th and Broadway in Downtown Los Angeles. For me it was confirmation from Heaven that I am in the right place at the right time, God's way of saying "Welcome to your new beginning. The way I've set before you is broad and clear and you are free to dance all over it!" He wasn't kidding either, I've been on a world tour with Armin since November 2013 and by the time it's over in December 2104, we will have traveled to nearly every continent and performed for over 500,000 people!
As far as fitness goes, when I'm home in Southern California, I enjoy hiking, hot yoga and boxing. When I hike, it gives me an opportunity to enjoy nature and talk with God or an active way to catch up with friends. Boxing is great for releasing the tension and frustrations of the week. Yoga is amazing for breathing and stretching and helping my body to relax and recover.
One of the benefits of being on an EDM tour is that I get to dance a lot. Even when I'm not on stage, the music puts me in the perfect zone to move. Dancing is a great way to connect with others and keep my energy going between performances. Occasionally we have some free time in the places where we travel on tour, in which case, I love walking around and site seeing.
Faith & Fitness Magazine: I was reading a bit about your early history. Looks like you come from a musical family (I remember those Maranatha! Music days). What do you believe are some of the directions that Christians in the music industry need to take to not only be culturally relevant but engaging and impactful? EDM concerts are perhaps very representative of people’s lives – loud with a lot of intense activity. Do you see God anywhere in our midst to join with us in our journey? In the video Armin joins with you in helping the man who collapses in the middle of the street. At the end he walks away and smiles. How do you feel this song impacted both you and him?
Lauren Evans: Yes, I am a pastor's kid. I grew up ministering through worship with my parents and they taught me a lot about what it means to be a Christian in any sphere of influence. When I was about ten years old, my dad gave me the most brilliant advice. He said "Be a Christian and DO music". To this day, that's how I live.
I've always known I was designed to be involved in music and entertainment. For me it was always a matter of having a grid for decision-making. Everything I do is filtered through who I am as a follower of Christ. That doesn't necessarily mean that I'm called to be a worship leader or Christian recording artist because God is broader than that. He's much bigger than the walls of the church and likes to be fully expressed.
Working in mainstream music isn't about creating a perception of perfection either. Of course there's grace for missteps and He's always faithful to give guidance, direction and correction whenever it's needed, but our testimony is powerful. I believe relevance comes from being real and knowing your audience. It's important to pursue the heart of God passionately and be who you are wherever you are. Impact is made through authenticity. Jesus said "Come as you are". He's the transforming factor.
People cry out for tangible connection in a digital world.
David, Joseph and Esther all impacted their world in their time by their faith, wisdom, and authentic expression of self. God is everywhere and you can see evidence of Him in everything if you look for Him. God is my best friend and I get so excited about sharing His love with everyone I meet- especially those who feel most unloved. I've seen people touched by God in hedonistic, drug-infested raves and in recording sessions wrought with alcohol, arrogance, and foul language. God's not intimidated by darkness; He is the light.
There’s a fearlessness and a prevailing peace that comes when we are doing what He's designed us to do and when we allow Him to direct our journey. The great commission is, "Go into all the world and make disciples of the nations". The method for fulfilling the great commission looks different for everyone. It's important to seek God about what it means for you.
Armin took on Alone because he loved the song and believed in the message. He's a big-hearted guy and I believe that's what his audience connects with. It was a risk for him to take on a song with such a deliberate social awareness message, but I believe it's paying off in more ways than one. I'm honored for the opportunity to spread the message alongside him.
Faith & Fitness Magazine: What is in the works for you? How can our readers best follow what is happening in your career?
Lauren Evans: In addition to the Armin Only: Intense World Tour, I'll be completing my debut album soon, which should be ready for release by the end of this year.
You can connect with me on instagram or twitter @TheRealLEvans On Facebook.com/OfficialLaurenEvans or on my website www.LaurenEvans.com
