Discover the Passions That is Behind
This Talented Asian Pacific American Christian Artist
Part 2 of 3 Pages
CHRISTIAN
LIFESTYLE
US
ASIANS: At your website, you stated the following
- "I want for those around me and those who hear the music
which overflows from my heart, to hear not just melodies and lyrics,
but a redefinition for this generation of the truth which is found
in living a life which worships God."
Could you elaborate on how you came to becoming
a Christian?
KOTI
HU: I became a Christian on July 1, 1997
at JH Ranch in Etna, CA. It was during a cabin discussion midway
through the camp that I really understood the Gospel. I still play
there annually for the same camp put on by the same church.
KOTI
HU: Right now, it is between a few, but
my community is at Westminster Chapel in Bellevue, WA. That’s
the church that put on the camp at JH Ranch.
US
ASIANS: What motivating factors prompted you
to become a Christian?
KOTI
HU: I would simply say that I had tried
everything else I could think of. Everything else just didn’t
last.
US
ASIANS: What is your definition of a Christian?
KOTI
HU: A person who believes that Jesus Christ
is Lord, and ultimately seeks to do whatever He asks and follow
Him wherever He leads.
Fifteen
Original Songs
Eight Bands
ONE AUDIENCE
Audience
of One: A Worship Compilation CD. is produced by Theophany
Music.
This
CD explores the different types of rock/alternative worship
music from groups such Koti Hu, Something Like Silas, The
Exodus, Losing Daylight, Of the 7, The Exodus & Theophany
Worship Band.
KOTI
HU: I have many. My first and probably most
important were two guys, Kurt and Larry. They each played an important
role in showing me how to listen to God and obey Him. They also
taught me the importance of humility.
US
ASIANS: How would you describe your Christian
lifestyle?
KOTI
HU: I strive with my community of believers
to live in the world, but not of the world. This means that we don’t
avoid being with people that Christians aren’t typically thought
to associate with.
I feel called as a missionary to this culture.
I believe in having open conversations and relationships with all
kind of people .
I rely heavily on humbling myself in order to stay
on target. I’m a huge failure in so many ways that to be pretentious
and to fake like I’m cool and everything is fine gets really
old, fast.
US
ASIANS: What is your perspective(s) and/or perceived
differences between the Asian/Chinese, Asian Pacific American and
American churches/Christian organizations? Especially since the
Chinese immigrant churches are growing rapidly, Asian American churches
are remaining “status quo” and selected American churches
are experiencing noticeable growth in their respective congregations.
KOTI
HU: I would say as a generalization, many
Asians are really good at community. That is to say that they really
stick together in a way that I would say is rarer in other churches.
MUSIC
TRAINING US ASIANS:
How and where did you discover your love for music?
KOTI
HU: When I was 10, I remember buying the Boyz
II Men, “Cooleyhighharmony”(sp?) tape from a friend in elementary
school. It was the first tape I ever bought and I loved it. I also remember
listening to groups like Jodeci, and Shai, Mr. Big etc. Their hit songs
were really the beginning of my passion for music. Before that I had never
really explored my vocal ability. I had only played Violin and a bit of
Piano.
US ASIANS:
How, why and where did you get trained in opera, Broadway and jazz?
KOTI
HU: My freshman year of high school, some friends
of mine roped me into performing in a play called “Bye, Bye Birdie”.
I played Conrad Birdie, a pseudo Elvis Presley character. I met a vocal
coach during this show and studied with him for about 5 years.
US ASIANS:
What operas and/or Broadway-type productions were you involved in?
KOTI
HU: I performed operatic pieces for a few years,
but was never fully involved in any opera productions. It was more just
for training, not really what I wanted to sing. I performed in many Broadway
style productions; Westside Story, Annie, Guys and Dolls, You Can’t
Take It With You, Fiddler On the Roof, and a few others.
US ASIANS:
What parts of your music training broaden your music appreciation to include
country, rock and hip-hop?
KOTI
HU: That was something that developed apart from
any training. Having been classically trained on the violin and voice,
It was a welcome departure for me from traditional styles. Also, as I
began to play guitar, it really affected my musical tastes. I like good
music. It’s not limited to genre or language even.
US ASIANS:
Do you envision yourself in becoming a rock/operatic artist such as Roy
Orbison, Jon Anderson, etc.?
KOTI
HU: I love Roy Orbison! He was part of my “Oldies”
phase in middle school. I would really enjoy that, but I’m not certain
if that will ever be my main focus.
KOTI
HU: I wrote all of the songs on my debut album,
except for one cover and one co-written with one of my best friends. I
write a LOT of songs. For each one recorded, I’d say there are 5
more unrecorded.
Koti
Hu
CHANGES
CAUSED BY THE ARTS US
ASIANS: Within your vision, do you have a goal to
be a “lightning rod” for positive changes and/or illumination
of selected issues that people need to be aware of?
KOTI
HU: Yes. I want fund artists who are talented
yet have no support. I want to help talented independent musicians. There
are other things that I won’t go into here.
US
ASIANS: Do you envision utilizing your craft along
the lines of many artists in the 1960’s that evoked their passions/views
that are related to the historic events that are happening in the world
today? If so, how?
KOTI
HU: I won’t ever pretend that I have a cause
to fight for. I care about a lot of things, just like everyone. But I
will wait until I have enough information and passion to back it up before
I begin throwing out my opinions. If something came along that I felt
strongly about, I would be more than happy to lend my gifts to support
it.
