Love Led Worship

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Hello Everyone! Thanks for stopping by today!

    Today I present an interview with my good friend Abimbola Adeniranye. She recently embarked on a project that really blessed me and I'd like to share it with you all. The project is titled 'Love Led Worship'.

     Love Led Worship uses music (and other mediums) as a tool to share a love that draws us closer to the father, draws us more into the person of Jesus Christ, and fills us with everything the Spirit of God offers- which enables and empowers us to choose real life, show true Love, thirst for the knowledge of who God is and evolve into people who lead the powerful life, special lives God has in store for us as we allow him to lead us along the way here on earth and even into eternity.

I must warn you, it is a bit long but there is a powerful message embedded in this interview!

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     Now let's continue with the interview...

    
    1. Briefly introduce yourself.

My name is Abimbola Adeniranye (Bimi is a nickname that started out in high school and kinda stuck around since then. I’m 30 years old and a few of my favorite things include- movies, music, alone time, my family, my choir group, and yam and eggs Naija style.

2. When did you start singing?

When I was growing up in Nigeria, one of our favorite things to do outside of school session (my siblings and I) was watching sing along videos and cartoon musicals- that was probably where I first started enjoying music. I never realized I had a voice until I was in high school. I went to a boarding school in Ogun state and one day in my first year (JSS1 class) while I was washing my clothes in the corridor (in a bucket of water the way we did it back then), I was singing a song and one of the senior students who was a few steps away walked over. I looked up from my washing to notice this surprised look on her face as she stood in front of me and she said to me “wow, your voice, you can really sing”. I had NO clue what she was talking about - the concept of nice singing voice vs. not nice singing voice wasn’t one I was aware of then (I was 8 years old). She asked me to sing another song for her and she looked really excited when I did.  

It just so happened that her cousin was also the senior prefect in charge of the social events at our school that year, so she took me over to her room and asked me to sing for her as a sort of “audition” for the next monthly “social night” (which was an evening of singing, dancing, and entertainment the students organized at school); once I did, she looked excited and then asked (well more like told me – seniors didn’t “ask” juniors for much lol) me to sing at the next “social night” event. I didn’t know what was getting them all so excited, but I agreed. Come social night, students who were interested in attending gathered and after a few other acts, I got invited me to the “stage”. I believe I sang Boys to Men’s end of the road (not totally sure). I remember people rushing over to watch and I honestly didn’t get it. I was so clueless then that I remember the thought popping in at some point “are they here rushing over to laugh at me and make fun of me”. Anyways, long story short, that was when I “knew” I could kinda sorta sing and that’s when I started becoming more aware of the concept of music and singing as a tool I apparently had in some small way.

3. What type of music inspires you?

My musical taste is diverse. I like any good music really. I enjoy listening to new-country music (they write so well), I like RnB, pop music, enjoy listening to crooners, soft rock, gospel, Nigerian music, etc. My two favorite genres of music to listen to are probably contemporary Christian for sure at number one, and then new-country music possibly for a second.

4. Are their any musical artists that inspire you?

Its hard to narrow down, I love a lot of artists – particularly a lot of contemporary Christian artists. There are so many God-inspired songs or love songs (another of my favorite types of songs) by many people (some well known and some not so much) that I hear and I just love!!! But, if I had to name a few I got inspired by as far as Christian music goes, I’d say I love Hillsong’s music (and all their expressions – Worship, United, Young&Free), Kari Jobe, Jumbo, Nathaniel Bassey, Isreal Houghton’s music,  Jesus culture, Bethel music etc.

5. What was your inspiration for the Love Led Worship series?

This is going to sound like Christian cliché haha… but I can’t help it that that’s the actual story here lol – honestly, the entire idea and decision came to me from God probably just about three months before we shot it (we shot on Jan 21^st 2017, he gave it to me in October 2016). When it came to me I thought, “that sounds really cool, I’d love to do something like that for you. You’re everything and I love you more than anything”. But within the next hour I thought about what it might involve and I chickened out haha (how fickle can we be – I act like a major Israelite sometimes lol). But the recurring thought wouldn’t leave me – in his mercy, he’d bring it back and I’d say yes, and then I’d decide no again later. But his mercy stayed and the thought wouldn’t leave me. Again I decided, I’m going to do it and then I told my sister and my fiance about it. And that put it one step further out than just in my mind. From there the thought kept building, evolving, and unfolding more in my head-  As I actively thought it through and used my intellect to process what would be best, he (God) would also use that thinking process to share one thing after the other and disclose with me another part of how he wanted me to set it up and to do it and give me thoughts about what He had in mind until I found myself calling people, sending emails, researching things, and setting it up following his lead entirely. 

That’s part of why when people say “well done” to me for the project, I respond Thank you (cos it means a lot that people like it and they go out of their way to reach out to share it with you and appreciate you) . But when I also follow my response up with “Its all God” or “I thank God for everything”, its not a Christian cliché statement. This kind of reminds me of Moses. He performed a task and if anyone then said well-done to him for leading the Israelites to where he lead them to, what if he responded “oh Thanks!” and left it there? That just doesn’t seem sufficient as a response cos he would feel like a fraud since he knows the vision, the plan, the miracles, the ideas didn’t come from him. He executed them and followed instructions, so he did do something that can never be demeaned. But he certainly couldn’t take credit for it. I can identify with him in a small way. 

Anyways that’s how it came together and bottom line is its so awesome to see how God does amazing things with one small seemingly insignificant step of obedience at a time. He is sooo cool!

6. Who are the other people that are involved in this project? How did you recruit them?

Not much thought to it. Remember when I said that as I thought it through, God showed me each step at a time of ideas he wanted to see happen. I just followed. I wanted my family and their spouses involved. So all the people who led songs where either by actual siblings or their spouses (and they jumped in 100% and did whatever it took to make it work cos they all lead super busy, active lives) I also had only one person in mind when it came to leading the music (band, choir, and arrangement) and that’s my super talented friend, brother, and director of my choir at church (shout out to Perfect Praise) – Jumbo Ane. He is a very talented artist and loves God so he came right on board without hesitation, which was awesome! 

And then I really felt strongly that it should be more of a communal “we’re all in this together” type vibe vocally so I wanted that “church body singing in unison” sound and laid back “not overly dressed up” vibe so I asked my choir members and opened it up to folks with the ability to commit to the rehearsals and minimum requirements I needed to be involved and they gladly obliged. Also, Roye Okupe (my fiance) has worked a lot on different productions in the past so he came on board (naturally lol) in a major way just supporting me spiritually and also helping bring the vision I had been given to life with his many skills (website, camera knowledge, etc) and interpersonal abilities helping me out with communications with the video and sound crew. He was a huge help bringing it all together and making it bigger than I could have carried it on my own.

7. What was your inspiration for writing the song "So Come"? When did you write it? And how long did it take to write it?

Actually I had been trying to write a song for weeks (before the idea for Love Led Worship” was given to me) but i wasn’t quite getting anywhere on a convincingly good one. So I had given up and decided “there are so many songs out there that communicate what I want to share with God anyways, so I’ll just pick cover songs I love, and do one original song that Jumbo had written (Speechless)”. When I told my sister (Shile) and my fiance about the plans, they kept asking “so you’re seriously not going to write a song?” I told them I had tried to and it wasn’t working for me. Roye then suggested I give it one more try and if it doesn’t work, I can go ahead with the plan I had. I went home (kinda frustrated with both of them at this point lol) and I asked God what to do because my mind was made up personally (I can be very stubborn lol).

He asked me to what I wanted to see happen with the project and I told him, then he told me to write it all down and use that as a starting point. I started writing, and I started to get the tune in place and modify the lyrics to fit and within an hour, I had the majority of the song lyrics and tune down. I was amazed and super excited about it (I wrote this within an hour with him when I had been trying for months to do one on my own effort). It was surreal but yet another lesson (amongst many) he showed me through this whole process. Then soon after, I reached out to FemD (one of my brother in laws also featured leading on the Elevation worship cover song). And he brought his genius to the table helping me create the music which I used to record a guide track for the band and choir to use for rehearsals. It was like his skills producing amazing music put flesh to the bones of the song and brought it to life even more. And that’s how that happened.

8. How did you select the other ("Cover") songs?

I identified some songs that I loved and the general direction of what I wanted to do with the project and shared them with my family (my sisters, their husbands, and my brother). Then I asked them all to select one song that they loved and wanted to sing to God and share with people for the project. I asked the married couples to come together and select one song. One of my sisters and her husband (Funmi and FemD) both picked two songs which we all really loved so much that we couldn’t decide which of the two they should land on doing, so we decided in their case, they’d both do a song each. That’s pretty much how it went. I loved all the songs everyone selected and put them in order and we went from there.

9. What do you want people to take away from listening and/or watching the Love Led Worship series?

The original song “So come” summarizes what I want to see happen (and what I believe God wants to do with) the song. People are at different points in their lives. But at whatever point we are in, when we experience the Love of God and really grow in our knowledge of him, it leads us to Love him in response – we become more willing (and by his grace, we also become more able) to surrender and submit our hearts and lives to him. That’s what I want to happen – that the Love we experience Leads us to Worship him (surrender, submit in every way).  And that in turn, when we show that Love to other people in the world, it also Leads them to do the same (Worship him in every way). Hence the name J. This leads us to eternity – but more that that, this allows his Spirit (who he offers to help us if we yield to him) to help us live on this side of eternity with power, love, authority and all the fruits and gifts he comes with. To the glory of His name, and for Our benefit. I want that for myself, I want that for my family and friends. I want that for the world. And he does too.  

10. Do you see yourself pursuing a music career in the near future?

My honest (short) answer to this question is that I have no interest or desire to pursue music as a career. But with that being said, I’ll share my own personal view on the whole “you must pursue your passion/purpose as a career conversation”. This is my view as of right now (subject to being updated by Him in the future as I learn more since I realize I’m not always right lol) –

We should always use the gifts/talents, blessings, and resources God gives us for the strength of his body and the glory of his name! I believe (with His word and His spirit in us), he will lead us into the definition of what that means for each unique individual at each season of their life. Sometimes he may lead one person in one season to put it to "work" in their home with the children, in a refugee camp, or in their local church – bringing increase and yielding fruit that may not be financially abundant in nature... and sometimes for someone else in a particular season, he may lead them to put it to "work" outside their local church to the larger body or in the secular world to yield financial gains. Neither scenario is wrong and I don’t believe its one size fits all so I don’t like to tell people they must be doing one or the other.

The bottom line is, the only time one option or the other becomes wrong is if its not what God wants you to do in that time and season. Is it what He wants? Forget what everyone thinks you should or shouldn’t be doing. And forget your own fears keeping you locked into one lane or the other. Whatever you’re doing, Is it what He is Leading with his spirit (Never contradicting His word) If No- It’s better you turn around if you know whats up! But If yes, go for that option with reckless abandon and submission – giving you best to Him – Loving Led to Worship him in submission doing what He wants for His purposes - and he'll be pleased with that person that does just that in each season of their life. Our part to play is to follow when he leads so that's the plan. Pray for me – for the courage and the grace to do what He tells me to do at each unique season of my life. Right now with this project, I believe I did just that. As for the future, I have my preference lol (which is No to the question above) but we'll see where he's going with all this.. I'm sure it'll be awesomeness regardless of my preferences.

And it is a wrap! That ends the interview.

Below is the video for "So Come", the original song written by Abimbola Adeniranye:

To view and/or listening to the remaining  Love Led Worship music series click here: Love Led Worship Website or Youtube Playlist


You are blessed!


- Bunmi


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