We Are Leo is a Chicago-area based pop/rock quartet who developed a distinct brand of energetic and message-based music and a seasoned live show. The band earned a legion of loyal and grassroots fans by winning several “Battle Of The Bands” contests and being hand-selected to play NACA showcases, theme park shows, and festivals such as Lifest, Big Ticket, and Purple Door. We Are Leo has also shared the stage with the likes of Skillet, Family Force 5, and House Of Heroes, to name just a few.
We Are Leo is comprised of frontman and keyboardist David Duffield, younger brother/drummer Jonny, guitarist Doug Weier and bassist Andrew Alojipan. The brothers, who originally started the band to perform songs they were writing from experiences gained while traveling around the world, developed We Are Leo into a full-force rock band with a mission. They agree in saying, "When we are on the road, we sense that we aren't merely touring America, we are fighting for love, for hope, and for new beginnings."
Click here to add a video. Click to add lyrics if not listed.
What An Array Of "Colors"!| Posted August 29, 2011
What do you get when you mix one part Switchfoot-esque lyrics to two parts Owl City inspired melodies? Well, you’d most likely get something you’ve never heard before. In a nutshell, the up-and-coming pop/rock quartet We Are Leo is just that.
The Chicago-based group first got the attention of the Christian music world when it was announced that they were one of the first acts signed to the newly developed Skies Fall Records, a label started by none other than former Skillet guitarist, Ben Kasica.
“I became a fan of We Are Leo from the first time I heard them,” Kasica says of the group, made up of brothers David and Jonny Duffield, Doug Weier, and Andrew Enriquez Alojipan. “I’m personally moved and blessed by their songs, so it was an honor to work on their record.”
Needless to say, after coming from someone who has multiple accolades in his own right, big things were expected from We Are Leo’s debut project, Hello, posing the question: Would it deliver?
The album begins with the sunny and pop/rock infused “Supernova Sunrise” and leads directly into the whimsy and electronic “Heartbeats,” which is a sure to become favorite among fans. It’s clear that this band pulls heavily from Top 40 influences, and that influence makes itself know in this song in a big way. The lyrically stunning “Oxygen” is a promise of sorts, conveying the message of God being our ever-present source of life in a toxic and deadly world: “I’ll be your oxygen when you can’t breathe, and I’ll be a song for you when you can’t sleep…”
“Seventeen” is a raw and broken song of confession. Speaking of past mistakes and the painful memories bad choices have evoked in the lives of the hurting. As honest of a song as it is, it offers a standing message of redemption, and how a life can be made new by using the analogy of a canvas “being painted twice.” As much as it should be, this will most likely not be a song you’ll hear played on the radio, but it will no doubt become one many young adults will relate to and grab hold of immediately.
“Colors” paints the picture of God’s immense love for His children, while the bubbly “Live For Love” tells the listener do to just that. It’s a great song and a timeless reminder that if we have love, we have everything we need to live. The whispery “Remember You” comes in at just under two and a half minutes, and would be considered more of an interlude than a song, but it’s because of the mystery it expresses that you can’t help but come back and listen to it over and over again.
The album comes to a close with the heavily 80s-inspired “I’m With You,” the surefire standout track on the record. Infusing techno pop with grungy guitars and adding in an awesome message of the hope we have in God’s love, it’ll only leave you wanting more. Of all the styles of music this band tackles on this project, this is the one I’d love to see them pursue more of in the future. It ends this album on a high note.
Closing Thoughts:
The year 2011 has seen a list of fantastic debut albums from artists that are sure to become future leaders in our industry, and I can say with full assurance, We Are Leo not only makes that list, but they’re out to top it. Hello is a solid pop/rock record I recommend to all fans of the genre, but way beyond that, I recommend it to anyone looking for lyrics that move them to worship and overwhelm them with heartfelt truths. Great things lie ahead for this band, and I certainly speak for many when I say, we are all looking forward to it.
Awesome New Artist and Album? Well, Hello...| Posted February 29, 2012
I love Christian music, and since late 2009, I've rapidly been expanding my horizons of the genre and its many sub-genres. There are a great many artists who just don't get noticed as much, and that's one of the great things about NRTradio. And one band has explosive potential and should be getting more attention than it is now. The band is We Are Leo. The album is Hello. And they are both INCREDIBLE.
I first heard their single Live for Love on NRTradio, and I found it to be one of the most upbeat and fun songs I'd ever heard! And thus, while looking around iTunes one day in August, shortly after the album was released, I decided to get a sample of their music. And you know waht? I WAS BLOWN AWAY! WhileI knew Live for Love was great, I had no idea just how great these guys are! For every song on the album, it was love at first minute-and-thirty-second-clip! Supernova Sunrise has an undeniably awesome sound and a singableness that is just so addictive, not to mention a fantastic new music video (hint hint, chex it outz!). Heartbeats is such an epic and beautiful song that I found myself singing it even though I didn't know the words beyond the chorus! Oxygen is so sweet, and Seventeen is so upbeat, and I'm With You is so touching, and Remember You is so cool... it is an extremely rare happening to find an album full of absolutely nothing but gold! I love upbeat, fun, singable songs with a message and HIGHLY recommend them! And one quite possibly my favorite on the album (though I'm notoriously known for having trouble picking "just one" favorite when it comes to stuff I love) is Colors. What an incredible testament to God! What incredible lyrics! And what an amazing way of making a powerful song upbeat enough that it doesn't lose my attention! I hope that We Are Leo's amazing success will continue throughout their careers and that their music will make its way to Christian radio throughout the country! An undisputed 5 STARS!
We are Leo| Posted September 30, 2011
I found this release refreshing in many ways as it seemed to feature a style that I don't hear a whole lot of on the Christian Music radio station that plays where we live. My favorite track on this release was "I'm With You".
to add lyrics if not listed.
