Kickin' It With Group 1 Crew
01-29-2008
by Kevan Breitinger
I was thrilled to speak with Blanca Reyes, lead vocalist of Group 1 Crew, as their self-titled debut made my list of Ten Best Albums of 2007.
Group 1 Crew (Blanca Reyes): Hi, this is Blanca.
CMCentral (Kevan Breitinger): Hey Blanca, I’m so glad to talk to you. Your debut album was right up there on my list of the Year’s Best Albums, and I’m glad to have the chance to tell you how much I love your sound. In fact, I work out to your music every day.
Really?! How exciting, that’s really cool.
I’m enjoying No Plan B also, but I’m curious: why put out a 5-track disc right now?
Well, three were remixes off the debut, and two are new songs. But we wanted to put out something to keep people thinking about Group 1 Crew until our new album comes out. That’s in the works now.
When’s the second album coming out?
We’re pushing for July. It’s a good one, I really like it.
Who does most of the writing of your music, Blanca?
We all write. Depending on the song, sometimes the producer will be involved, or they might have a vision for the song and we’ll work with them. But usually it’s the three members writing our own stuff. I wasn’t the biggest writer, and was actually one of the ones who wrote the least. But I’m learning now to have confidence in my input and it’s been working. I’ve been writing more for the second album, and I think that’s why I’m more excited about it, because we’ve put a lot into it.
Do any of you play instruments?
(Laughing) Well, I played French horn in like 6th grade, but no, we don’t.
That’s OK, your voice is your instrument. I love the way you stretched out vocally on “I See You.” Have you had vocal training?
No, I haven’t. We’re in the process of getting that now, but it’s hard, because we’re on the road so much. We want to be sure that our vocal cords don’t get damaged by all the singing too. But I was very involved in musical theater and music theory in college. I think that’s where I got most of my training.
I enjoyed the message of No Plan B also, Blanca. But I was reading some past interviews you did and it almost seemed to me that some Christians didn’t really get it. Did you find that?
Yeah. Speaking for myself, this is something I’ve had to learn to grab on to, the message of No Plan B. Sometimes as .jpg)
people we doubt ourselves, and we think we have to have a plan B in case God fails. We’re told so much that what God has designed us to do is not really what we need to focus on, you know? I have to learn that I’m a child of God and He’s gonna defend me and be there for me until the end. So I need to stay focused and trust in Him and the dreams that I have. Like it says in His Word, He will make happen if I trust in Him. Sometimes Christians doubt themselves and doubt God and think they have to have something to fall back on, but it’s better to trust in God.
I hear ya. I sometimes wonder how much we really believe the things that we say we believe. But one of the things I enjoy most about the album is how strong that faith message comes through. Can I ask, Blanca, what has been the hardest thing you’ve experienced in getting Group 1 Crew off the ground and moving out into your ministry?
One of the hardest things for me is that I’m a very friendship-oriented girl. I love being with my mom and my family, and being on the road means I don’t get to enjoy that. You have to sacrifice a lot and you feel a lone a lot. I’ve dealt with some hard times on the road. I’ve had two deaths in my family since I’ve been on the road. I feel like God is preparing me and making me strong, but it’s been hard, a hard walk away from my family.
I know you guys came together out of a Bible study, so at least you have the fellowship of each other to help that, right?
Yes, that helps. Right now we’re on the Winter Jam Tour, and as an addition we’ve got a road pastor with us. He’s like our shepherd out here on the road with us, and we’re so excited about that. Because you can get so dry being away from your local church, and from people that are there to edify you and help you grow. So this addition has been amazing for us. He’s a great guy and we’re glad for that.
Sounds like you’ve been touring a lot in the past year.
The first year was crazy (laughing). We were taking every gig we could to get out there. We were gone week after week. Right after this new year we started the Winter jam tour and it goes for three months straight. We go out every weekend to a different city. It’s only the beginning so we’ll see how it plays out for the rest of the year.
Well, we’ve covered the down side. Now tell me what has been the most encouraging thing for you?
The most encouraging thing for me is feeling like I’m exactly where God wants me to be. It’s a great feeling to know that you’re in God’s will, you know? And I feel like that’s where I’m at. I want to use my talents and the gifts God has given me to bless other people. As a woman, it means a lot to me to minister to girls. I’ve been through so much growing up and being able to show girls that whatever dreams they have can come true if they trust in God, is the biggest reward for me. I feel like we’re ministering to God’s people like He would want us to do.
That’s a beautiful thing. Anything else you’d like to make sure we cover?
Well, we’ve covered the new record, No Plan B. We checked just last week, and we were number 1 on iTunes in Christian songs and I think number 3 on Christian albums so we’d love to invite people to go out there and check out our stuff if they haven’t already and see what they think.
And they’ll love it, speaking from personal experience. Thanks, Blanca, so much for your time. I’m gonna look for you to show up in Jersey sometime soon.
Oh definitely, thank you. Take care.
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