In November 2011, local 16-year-old musician Sean Quigley released his rendition of the famous Christmas song “The Little Drummer Boy” on YouTube. The musical masterpiece went viral and has now garnered over 2.8 million views.
Since posting the video, Quigley has received coverage from a variety of media outlets in Canada.
Despite his success, Quigley stays humble. He created a CD version of his performance, with the profits going to Siloam Mission, a philanthropic Christian agency offering programs and services for the homeless population of Winnipeg.
“I don’t believe that [Drummer Boy] had anything to do with me. I believe it was God’s plan for my life,” Quigley says.
The YouTube project was just the beginning for Quigley, who took his momentum and ran with it. In February of 2013, Quigley’s solo album was released, titled We are the Generation. The album debuted at #3 on the iTunes North American charts.
Quigley recorded and produced the entire album himself.
The completion of his album led to even broader opportunities. In November 2012, he travelled abroad with World Vision, educating youth on the ability to become advocates for positive change through the use of arts and media.
“The platform I have now has nothing to do with me, really. It just sort of happened,” says Quigley. “I believe that I’ve sort of been put in this position to influence young people.”
On the horizon
Presently the 19-year-old Quigley is working on a brand-new project. His newest venture is the band Bold as Lions, in which the Oak Park High School graduate plays not only drums, but also guitar and vocals.
Quigley says the name for the new band comes from Proverbs 28:1, a bible verse that states, “The wicked flee though no one pursues, but the righteous are as bold as a lion.”
The band also includes his 21-year-old fiancée Karli Gerbrandt, who sings vocals. The duo originally met at Oasis Community Church in Charleswood. From the outset, there was an immediate connection. Soon after, they began dating. Sean was 15 at the time.
“She [Karli] was the one person who stood by me since day one,” says Quigley. “When I was just some punk kid in my basement still screwing up, she was the one that was there for me.”
A few years later, they began playing together on the same worship team at Oasis, which is what encouraged the couple to start up a band. Their unity, both as life partners as well as bandmates, has been growing ever since. Quigley and Gerbrandt’s hard work culminated with the release of their debut album on June 8, titled The Hope Movement.
“Our goal is to inspire young people, or people of any age, in any situation, and just bring hope to a world that doesn’t have any hope – which is what we write about,” Gerbrandt says.
The 10-track CD displays a wide variety of musical genres, including acoustic, rock, and hip hop. There is an open and honest vibe to the band’s lyrics, which any listener can relate to. One constant that can be heard in every song is a message of hope and positivity.
While the band members are Christian, Gerbrandt says that their music does not necessarily have explicitly religious overtones.
“I don’t think that music has faith, the people in the band do,” Gerbrandt says. “Our songs are relatable, and that’s kind of the goal. If any of the songs or words change one person’s life, then we’ve done what we’re here to do.”
