Global song contest: UK entry gets tuned into Madrid

A song written by a worshipper at the First Sunday Masses at Farm Street Jesuit church has been submitted to Tuned into Madrid, the World Youth Day (WYD) 2011 global song contest. 'Faith in You' by Cherrie Anderson was given the thumbs up by a jury of 10 young people.  It is now in the race to be one of the top five songs to be sung to an audience of millions at the Madrid WYD later this year.

Cherrie, from the electro-pop band ooberfuse, has attended the First Sunday day retreat for musicians at the FCJ convent in Euston in London on several occasions.  She says she's thrilled that 'Faith in You' has been approved by the jury responsible for selecting the songs. "It's now up on the official website (link below) alongside 19 other entries... it's so exciting! It's a bit like being in the Euro-vision song contest, only entries come from all over the world.  So far there are songs from the United States, France, Venezuela, Argentina, Italy and of course Spain.  I really hope people like the track enough to give it their vote.  It is a song that reflects upon my experience of the faith and my personal encounter with Jesus.'

The lyrics, inspired by the WYD theme 'Planted and built up in Jesus Christ, firm in the Faith,' explore what being rooted in the life of the Spirit means for one young person.  Taking a lead from Pope Benedict XVI's message for WYD Madrid 2011, the song borrows Jeremiah's image of a tree planted by a stream whose roots reach out to be nourished and sustained by the flowing water.

A video accompanies the song. 'It was shot in Walsingham,' Cherrie continues. 'There's a fast flowing stream there that rushes through the Shrine with many trees extending their roots into the flowing water.  Images of the Slipper Chapel are used to represent the house built on solid rock.  The Slipper Chapel is of special significance for English Catholics as it survived the ravages of the Reformation, being firmly grounded on the rock of faith that, as the song says "no river flood can shake".'

ooberfuse - made up of Cherrie, Cornel and Hal - sang the Youth Anthem for Pope Benedict's visit to the UK in 2010.  The band brings together the very best of western and eastern musical traditions fusing bold melodies with cool harmonies.

World Youth Day (WYD) 2011 is a Catholic event taking place over six days from August 16 - 21 2011 in Madrid, Spain focused on youths.

The Tuned into Madrid song contest aims to promote the festive, creative and cultural dimension of faith in Jesus Christ.  This initiative gives young people from all over the world the opportunity to demonstrate the Church's youthfulness and to give testimony to the eternal relevance of the Christian message through music and moving images.

Click on the link below to listen to 'Faith in You'.


 Contest web site

 Faith in You