I recently saw Danyew in concert with David Crowder. The cool this is that he answered these interview questions just before the concert and so I got to see him right after. After his performance he went out to meet the fans and take pictures. I was able to have a picture taken with him but before then I got him in a silly pose. What was so cool about it was after asking him all these personal questions I was able to see him as he was in person just being a cool regular guy. You can read the blog that I wrote about the concert and his amazing performance under the "Blog" page but let me just give you a few words that describe what I saw as he performed. Passionate, humbled, and exciting the rest you will have to read the Blog for more. I didn't tell Danyew who I was. I was too shy. But he was so easy to approach that it was as if he already knew me.

Danyew has just released his debut album "Wake Up" in 2009 and it is an awesome album. Getting to hear some of the songs performed by him on stage was amazing. Here is what Danyew had to say about his faith, the music, and his personal testimony.

Were you brought up in a Christian home?

Danyew: Yes

Where did you grow up and what was it like there?

Danyew: I grew up in San Diego, CA and it is one of the greatest places on this earth!

What church do you go to?

Danyew: I go a church in Carlsbad, CA called North coast Calvary Chapel.

Who in the bible do you relate to most and why?

Danyew: I've never really thought about that, but I have to be honest and say I would probably relate most to Peter because although he had faith, he also was an idiot and blew it from time to time, letting his passion get the best of him. It’s a reminder that we all make mistakes.

What is your favorite scripture and why?

Danyew: Luke 17:6 "If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,' and it will obey you." I like this verse because it is encouraging to me to know that if I have faith as small as a mustard seed, God can do extraordinary things through me.

How and when did you come to faith?

Danyew: I gave my life to the Lord at a very young age at a Cinco de Mayo party with my family. I think I was 4 or 5. I didn't really know what that decision fully meant until about the seventh grade. It was in seventh grade that I became serious about that decision.

How do you stay grounded in the faith on the road?

Danyew: The same way you stay grounded at home. I read the bible. The only difference is when I’m on the road I’m not always at a church on Sunday morning. At this stage in my musical journey, I'm mostly playing at churches anyways, so it doesn't feel much different than when I'm not on the road.

Have you ever had a God moment you can share with us?

Danyew: I'm not quite sure the exact definition of a God moment, but I think I had one recently. On tour with the David Crowder Band, we played in Morgantown West Virginia. I stepped off the bus and the weather was perfect and the lighting outside was very dispersed and even. I got goose bumps and teary-eyed. It was almost as if there were no sun and everything was just lit. It felt like how I imagine the glory of God lighting up heaven. It was very surreal. It felt like God was smiling.

Why do you choose to believe in Jesus?

Danyew: Being raised in a Christian home, it happened by default when I was very young. Now I choose to believe in Jesus because after studying a lot of religions, it makes the most logical sense to my brain. Something just rings true through my whole body when I read about Jesus.

Who is Jesus to you?

Danyew: Jesus is the perfect example of how God wants me to live. Obviously I screw up and I'm going to until I die, but Jesus is the one who we should compare our lives to, not each other.

What age were you when you started in music?

Danyew: I was 12

What was the inspiration for your new album?

Danyew: Well, I am very inspired by electronic music (some examples are Bjork & Imogen Heap). I feel myself getting more and more inspired by sounds and textures. This release was a good mixture of organic and electronic elements.

What is the overall theme of the album?

Danyew: I wouldn't say there is an overall theme. Woven throughout are themes of hope, love, doubt, praise and romance.

What song most speaks to your heart and why?

Danyew: Close Your Eyes. It was a big doubting time in my life where I felt I didn't know what truth was. After a season of searching, I realized that we are connected to something bigger than ourselves. We are connected to God. It's a real personal song to me.

What has been your biggest challenge as a Christian artist?

Danyew: I feel the hardest thing about being a Christian artist is finding the balance between being really creative and outputting something that really connects with the Christian listener.

What do you want people to get from your music?

Danyew: I want people to get inspired to do the things they love and to be productive with the time they are given.

Dont forget to check Danyew out on iTunes to pickup his new album "Wake Up" and see when he will be performing in your area. He is an artist you don't wont to miss. Also read the Blog about the David Crowder Band Church Music Tour concert featuring Danyew.