My first thought when talking to 3for3 is that they might just be the nicest guys on the planet. They have, after all, been kind enough to agree to an early morning phone call, answering my long list of questions while still seeming cheery and upbeat. (That must be some kind of innate personality trait or copious amount of caffeine.)
While the three handsome young men, Spencer Lloyd, Benji Shuler, and Josh Davis, sing in a band, they’re not at all a “boy band”–you won’t find them performing synchronized dance moves on stage and singing ballads about breakups – though they do churn out some pretty great Taylor Swift mash-ups on their YouTube page.
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Instead, 3for3 sings about a love deeper than the romantic kind, one that is all-consuming and unconditional: God’s love for all of us. “You don’t love me halfway,” they sing on their lead single “Halfway” from their debut EP. The 5-track offering is infused with electro-pop melodies, tight harmonies and lyrics that speak to their belief in the promise of their faith.
Though each member touts an impressive background– Lloyd is an American Idol alum, the gifted lyricist Shuler hails from Nashville and a family of musicians and Davis grew up leading worship in his church – it’s their shared love for God, their passion for music and their desire to minister to masses through song that ensured that these former solo acts seamlessly transitioned into a trio. Roughly a year ago, Maxx Recordings label exec Mitchell Solarek formed 3for3. While taking three virtual strangers and shoving them into a studio with a directive to make hit songs doesn’t always work out, thankfully, Lloyd, Shuler and Davis hit it off right away.
“We were unsure about it for a little bit to be honest,” Lloyd tells Guideposts.org. “We were all interested to see how it would go. Then we performed together for the first time and it was then that we really felt like we just had to do this (as a group).”
Davis describes the group’s chemistry as “a God thing”:
“We’re kind of each other’s missing pieces,” Davis says. “Benji has his rap thing, so he does more of the lyrics. Spencer is more of the core guy and I’m more of the melody guy. We just complement each other. It’s kind of amazing how all of this has come together. It’s obviously just a God thing.”
The three are jumping at the chance to make music about faith, love and life for people their own age. They each call this opportunity the biggest blessing in their lives.
“We’re trying to be a voice for our generation,” Shuler says. “In all honesty, a lot of kids [from Christian upbringings] don’t listen to a lot of Christian music, so our stories hopefully provide something for them.”
Later this month, they’ll take their message on the road with a 22-city tour featuring David Crowder and Lauren Daigle, two of the biggest names in Christian music.
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While the guys are excited to connect with their fans across the country, they readily admit that being able to play alongside their musical heroes is a definite highlight.
“When I led worship back home, I would sing David Crowder songs at my church,” Davis says. “Listening to him growing up and then going on tour with him is crazy.”
Shuler seconds that.
“We took a leap of faith [by coming together as a group]. Being able to do these great things so quickly, it’s very humbling.”
After meeting success so early in their careers, the guys have been able to remain grounded by remembering why they started making music in the first place.
“We want our music to reflect us and what we believe in,” Lloyd says. “We just want to make something cool for our generation and just spread the message of the Gospel.”
