The Amateur Band Review, held as part of the 2nd Christian Music Festival, took place on June 29 in front of the Church of St. George in Sopot. Eight formations from all over Poland qualified for the review. Beliv, which won first place, received PLN 3,000. An additional prize was a performance at the Festival’s final concert, held last Saturday at the Forest Opera. The group played before New Life'm, which is celebrating its 15th anniversary this year. Stars including Natalia Niemen, Mietek Szcześniak and Kingdom Choir, one of the best gospel choirs in Europe, also performed on the Forest Opera stage that day.
“Beliv,” as the band members themselves explain, means “believe, come alive.” Half of the group’s six-member lineup are from Bolesławiec (both vocalists and the guitarist), while the other half come from Dursztyn near Nowy Targ. The Bolesławiec members, Agnieszka Musiał, Anna Szaja and Przemysław Szajwaj, previously formed the band On Tak Chciał together. In 2005, during the Christian Musicians’ Gathering – Strefa Chwały, the idea for a new band, Beliv, was born. That same year, the group managed to arrange most of its own songs. Two of them, recorded at Echo Studio in Św. Katarzyna, were included on a CD attached to the weekly Gość Niedzielny.
“We try not to define our musical style. Our songs contain elements of soul, pop rock and jazz,” explains guitarist Przemysław Szajwaj. “We try to avoid the phrase Christian band, because music is one. Although, of course, the lyrics deal with Christian values,” the musician adds.
The band consists of Agnieszka Musiał and Anna Szaja (vocals), Przemysław Szajwaj (guitar), Mateusz Cudzich (bass guitar), Piotr Cudzich (keyboards) and Kamil Cudzich (drums).
(information: Beliv/GA, photos: the band)