Trinity Speaks About Sufferings, Music & How to Throw Heavenly Parties

Making its mark on the international music scene, awards-winning, Netherlands-based, eclectic worship band Trinity releases its first radio single into the U.S., "Alive Again," July 13 through their newly signed agreement with The Fuel Music for global distribution and marketing. "Alive Again" will be available at iTunes, Apple Music, Amazon.com, Spotify, Google Play and more digital retail and streaming outlets everywhere.

Formed by three Dutch brothers raised as missionary kids in Peru, Elbert (lead vocals, flutes, saxophone), Johan (acoustic guitars) and Niek Smelt (Drums, percussion), and Dutch-raisedBert Bos (bass), Trinity is a Worldbeat band that fuses South American and Irish folk with African beats and pop grooves to create a unique, acoustic worship music experience.

While growing up in Peru, Trinity's brothers bartered for lessons on indigenous instruments with English lessons and organically discovered the heart of Peruvian street music. That heart still lives in Trinity's music and the band's vision to connect with people of all backgrounds today.

Q:  Thanks for doing this interview with us.  Let's start with yourselves, who is Trinity?

Wow! So do I understand correctly that this is for the land down under? That's awesome! It's the first time ever we're doing a worldwide release, so exciting times! Pleased to do an interview with you. I'm Elbert, Lead singer of the band. I'm answering your questions from the deck of a ferry between Norway and Sweden in between festivals. And it pictures nicely who and what we are: In Between-People... Journeying through life together. Navigating towards the Kingdom of Grace. Bringing hope and heavenly party wherever we go. We're four friends and brothers (of which 3 are actual siblings) and we've been playing music since like forever (-; We're an eclectic music experience with folk influences from all over the world creating a blend that will make you feel at home in no time and that will make you wanna dance. 

Q:  Three of you grew up as missionary kids.  Tell us about your upbringing and where were you while growing up?

Yeah! I was born in Peru and together with my two brothers and the rest of our family we lived in Peru. Lima, the huge smoggy capital, was the scenery of our childhood amidst shanty towns, mission schools and church plants. And in that chaotic dusty context the gospel lit up beautifully. We learned to play and sing the Peruvian folk from the Andes mountains. All this has impacted us and our music for life.

Q:  I am sure you have seen many hardships in the mission field.  What were some of them?

As kids we grew up together with kids from the big shantytown that stretched out as far as we could see standing on the roof of our house. No running water. Just one bed for the whole family. Oftentimes no toilet or just a whole in the ground. Still most of the people managed to raise kids, school themselves and build their homes battling through cholera, alcoholism, abuse and malnutrition. The church and school complex that my parents started was a home and clean start for many. Maybe the only actual hardship that we ourselves lived through was the big change once we moved to live in the Netherlands. That happened when I was almost 9. It's been a blessing and a challenge to live 'in between' two worlds ever since. 

Q:  How have these hardships drawn you closer to the Lord?

One of the things that have always touched me about God and his church is that, no matter where you go, you'll always find family when you connect on a deeper level with the people of Christ. Something mysterious and beautiful! And the other thing: Jesus becomes visible in hardship and suffering... NOT in wealth. In the west, where we run away from any kind of hardship it is much harder to see God. That's why we need to reach out to each other. That's why we need beauty, art, song, film, literature that is drawn from real life (and life is messy!) 

Q:  And how have these hardships shaped your music?

We've realized time and time again, through seeing hardship or going through it ourselves that it is part of the journey. That there can't be a mountain top without the valley. Laughter is so much more real when you've cried together too. Happiness is only real when shared: We're made and designed for giving, sharing, loving. And every time we deny that as individuals or as nations, we end up lost and out of touch with God and ourselves. So we commit to writing songs and doing shows that unite people and that remind them of who they truly are. Music that lifts you up and gives you hope. 

Q:  Talk to us about your new single. Why are you excited about it?

We're excited to share this song with people like us: Who find it difficult to experience God in our day and age. Who've maybe lost touch of who they are. Who want to break free. Who want to feel truly alive. Who want to be truly happy. It takes a daily 'conversion' of the mind and heart to be fully alive and this song does that in us. There's a lot of our bush crafting experiences hidden in the lyrics and the vibe of the music. It makes us feel like we're in the bush again.

Q:  Give us a sneak peek into your new album "The In Between."  When will the album arrive?  Any special guest musician or songwriter or producer on the new record?

We're planning to release the record in the fall of 2018. Our sound has never been more poppy yet never been so eclectic and folky either. We've had the privilege to work on 'the in between' with Ian Eskelin, the former frontman of 'All Star United' who lives in Nashville. These songs are our testimony of the past two years as a band and as individuals. We're looking forward to playing them live wherever we go. Right now we're playing festivals in Europe and doing a radio promotion tour in the USA. Pretty exciting and scary at times but hey! We are Trinity and the world is our home... 

Q: What is your ultimate hope when you make a new record?

That we can use these songs to throw good heavenly parties, lift people up, bring hope, challenge the system, touch lives with the grace and love of God and be transformed ourselves in the meantime. 

 

 

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