Tetelestai translated from Greek roughly means, "it is finished," which were the
last utterances of Jesus dying on the cross. This phrase encompasses
the end of a chapter of Jesus' life before His resurrection. And while
"tetelestai" implies an end, it also points to another beginning and an
ongoing process. Similarly, the band Tetelestai carries on this idea of
process, transformation and growth in popularity in the Korean-American
Christian music community.
Tetelestai is made up of
five members--Jacob Han, Alex Yi, Daniel Lee, Mike Koo, and Dustin Kim.
Although they are not on their own YouTube account as many artists and bands are,
Tetelestai could have been seen on stage for events such as
Inspire 2008 and Kollaboration 8. Their range of venue demonstrates a range
of sound that is appropriate to the environment. While often playing as
a full band, they can easily mellow-out to a smaller, more intimate duo
(Alex Yi and Jacob Han), yet still maintaining that Tetelestai blues-y
sound.
When listening to their music, the feeling of nostalgia
comes to mind. One cannot help but think of a time where simplicity was
abundant in everyday life--a period of time that most are probably not
even familiar with. Nevertheless, a listener can only dream of such a
time and a place, and feel completely attached to this modern sound at
the same time.
In short, Tetelestai's strength in vocals along
with its syncopated rhythms and guitar solos, appeal to an audience
that desires easy listening. However, despite what appears on the
surface, this band writes lyrics that are influenced by the kind of
love that only Jesus himself could have shed light on. This
capital-L-O-V-E theme is evident in words as well as the chill feel of
their music--perhaps pointing to a way of life that does not need to be
complicated by the things of this world.
1. Name: Tetelestai (Alex Yi and Jacob Han)
MUSIC 2. Genre of music: Acoustic/Alternative/Blues
2a. Sounds like: John Mayer/Chris Tomlin
3. Who influences your style of music? John Mayer, Mute Math, Miss Vintage, Switchfoot, Sovereign Grace Music.
2a. Sounds like: John Mayer/Chris Tomlin
3. Who influences your style of music? John Mayer, Mute Math, Miss Vintage, Switchfoot, Sovereign Grace Music.
4. What is your songwriting process like? Not set. However lyrical inspiration is sought out first before a melody.
5. Where do you get your inspiration? The Psalms. The Prophets. The Good News.
6.
How does your faith tie in with your music? Faith is the crux of our
message and our music is a result of our faith. Tetelestai→ John 19:30
7. Songs on repeat in your music player:
John Mayer - Stop this Train & Tracing
Tim Be Told - Ordinary
Chris Rice - When did you fall
Miss Vintage - Temporary like Me
GROUP PERSONAL 8. Favorites
Thing(s) to do together: Eat at Albatross (Mexican Food)
Place to practice: Garage in Irvine
Moment during rehearsal/performance: The awkward look we give
each other when we know we messed up. Especially Jacob's.
9. How did you guys decide to come together as a band? Performance for an Asian American Talent Show: Kollaboration.
10. Where do you see yourself 10 years from now? Serving God whether through Music or in our occupations.
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