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Archived: March 2006
Jen's Music View on Leo Gonzalez....
The best way to describe Leo is he
walks in sincerity and humility.
God is everything in his music and
in his life.
After hearing all the songs off his
album “Hold On” I am in awe of
how the anointing literally breaths
through his lyrics and anyone who
listens will have an encounter with
the anointing that God has placed
on his life.
Leo’s new album, “Hold On,” has
over a dozen songs that will usher
you into the presence of God.
Hold On is everything an album
should be. It’s an passionate and
upbeat album that causes you to
to draw closer to our Lord.
With songs like Only One, Hold
My Hand, and Yo Te Alabo all
you have to do is close your eyes,
lift your voice, raise your hands,
and dance to cause you to hold
on to that worship atmosphere!
Check Out “hold on” at:
www.leomusic.com
JEN G: Okay, tell me about Leo…
LEO: I'm 24. I've lived my whole life in the
Atlanta area. I've gone to church "my whole
life" but about 5 years ago, I really began serving
Jesus!
I'd been dating a girl for over two years and the
whole I time I was with her, I felt God didn't want
me to be in that relationship but since I was very
stubborn, I didn't care and went out with her
anyways. My friends told it wasn't right, parents,
people I looked up to but since I wanted "my girl",
I didn't care. One day, I really felt God telling me
to let go...and I did. It was very difficult because it's
not like we got into an argument or anything.
2 weeks after that, the praise and worship leader at
my youth group stepped down, and I began to lead,
which was very creepy for me because it was my first
time singing in public. 2 weeks after that, I wrote my
first song Hold My Hand, which is on the album
"Hold On" and since then, I’ve been writing music
and have over 40 songs right now.
LEO: Yes, It's like 43 with like 3 or 4 in my
head waiting to be on paper. I've been playing
music for a while and from watching other's
people music on paper, I thought, "Hey, I can
do this too". So I sat down and wrote a song .
"Hold My Hand" is the name of the song.
The lyrics really express how I felt about God
when I wrote that song. Since then, I've just
been writing more and after time, they just add
up.
JEN G: Is that song what the album
“Hold On” is based on?
LEO: No, it's just one of those
"fact of the day" things.... "Hold
On" is a song on the album. To me
it means, you have to hold on to
God's word, from psalm 119.
JEN G: Oh, that's strong. Do you
believe in living the word much
like Jesus said to abide in him?
LEO: God's word is alive and it
literally leads us! So in times when
I feel down or whatever I can alway
s open the Bible and feel God
speaking to me.
JEN G: Amen! We have an artist/
preacher here!
LEO: lol...not quite
JEN G: You are certainly filled with
the word, how do you keep yourself
full of faith?
LEO: Accountability, nobody can
do things alone. Jesus had 12
disciples I make sure that I have
strong influences in my life that
love God. So if I'm getting off
track, they can help me get back
on.
JEN G: You have four songs up at your website,
and I can't stop listening to Closer, tell me a bit
about the song.
LEO: Closer, well hard to explain, here goes.
The closer I get to God the more I have to let go
of "things of this world" and that isn't always
fun. At the same time, the closer I get to God.
I wanted to know him so much more that it
almost hurts. Kind of has a double meaning.
JEN G: It's a beautiful song with a very real
authentic approach to that longing I think.
LEO: Thank you
JEN G: Looking over the credits for your album
I see that you work with a lot of people. How did
God bring you all together?
LEO: Don't know, one at a time. These people
have slowly become a part of my life and one day,
I put them all together and made a cd.
JEN G: How long did it take you to make the cd?
LEO: We recorded everything in 4 days and mixed
it in 5, so a total of 9 days.
JEN G: Wow, that's impressive
LEO: I’ve heard...that it was pretty quick.
This is my first time so it's all I know.
JEN G: Yes for 13 songs! How did you
guys determine the music and work
out the glitches?
LEO: Well, I had already picked out
which songs I wanted on there and we
practiced before hand, so that in studio,
we could just record and move on.
JEN G: I think God anointed you guys
to pull together an album that would
literally touch people. The anointing
is there.
LEO: Well, all to God! Thanks...
JEN G: Your album cover is cool, the kid
in a cart in the middle of the desert, what
does that represent?
LEO: Sometimes life can get "dry", feel
hopeless, (the shopping cart) nobody to
help push or guide you and you have to
hold on to God's word
JEN G: That's a great analogy!
JEN G: Since you've been performing,
have you witnessed people coming to
Christ or even any interesting stories
of how your music has spoken to
someone?
LEO: Yes! That's the best part.
I have had many great responses and
how people had an encounter with
God during a concert/worship event.
I don't have a specific story that I
can remember, but just a lot of short
and sweet "thank you's".
JEN G: How do you think secular
music verses Christian music affect
people?
LEO: I think music overall affects
everyone the same. It depends on the
song, who's singing it, etc but music
is very strong.
JEN G: Do you think Christians
should lean more towards reaching
souls than just reaching church
people?
LEO: Yes, I love playing at churches
and so forth...but I want to use music
as a tool for God to reach people that
don't know Him it's hard because as
soon as people hear that it's "Christian
music" they don't want to hear it but
I'm not trying to hide it either, I'm
not all into the "relevant" thing of
trying to be like the world to reach out
to them. You get rewarded for taking
any "persecution" in Jesus' name sake.
JEN G : Very true. So how do you
interpret the 'In not of' scripture?
LEO: Jesus was in the world all the
time, but he wasn't cussing and
getting drunk, some "Christians" take
that a little too far.
JEN G: I can't argue that, but do you
think having a certain look or sound
is taking it too far?
LEO: As long as it doesn't "collide"
with the bible GO FOR IT!!!
JEN G: Amen. So would you call your
music a ministry?
LEO: Yes, it's all about God. I'm not
in it to make money but that would help.
I already have a degree and could be
working somewhere else to make more
money.
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