“Join your voice with heaven now make it loud.”
Ike’s got a unique voice that sings to everyone who looks to heaven to be truly free on earth.
A freedom won after a battle with oneself, fought amid everyday life. Ike takes all our stories and raises up, has us look heavenward, reawakens the best in us, the part that never gives up, that wants to fly above all the petty things of life.
The chorus — Make it Loud — invites us to join our voices with heaven so that they are stronger and transformed into a true song of freedom.
The song “Make it Loud” was launched as a single. Ike’s latest album is Rivers.
We had the pleasure to ask Ike about his music. Here is our exchange:
Ike, your music is a mix of soul and blues that touches your soul. Where does this rhythm come from?
I don’t know … I think I’ve always been drawn to more of the organic side of music, the music that speaks to me. I don’t know if you would call it vintage, but music that is really expressive … like indigenous and folk. I feel like there’s really a lot of heart in folk music and blues. It’s the things that I love. It’s the things that my voice loves to sing.
Where do you tend to draw your inspiration from for your songs?
Writing-wise, I’m always thinking about the people on the fringes. I guess I always start with my own sin, my own frailty, my own shortcomings, I guess God’s grace, his love, in spite of who we are. My inspiration comes from the fact that we are all sinners and beggars and that God has come to give us the food that we need, the sustenance we need. It’s like that ‘scandal of grace’ I love to dive into. I just love to think of everyday why God would love me so much, even in my shortcomings and failings.
I’ve seen some of your videos that you do, take-away style in public places, on the street, in the metro or a park. Why do you do this?
You know it’s fine to do things in church, but the people who need Jesus the most are not going to be in churches. They’re going to be out on the streets in metro areas. It’s very symbolic and it reflects on my own spirituality. I’d much rather be around people. Sometimes we spend too much time behind church walls when our faith needs to be brought out to people, whether it’s a smile or a song.
—Laura Montorio and Libby Reichert
And today we celebrate...